The Worldwide Universities Network (WUN) has been involved in conceptualising the Africa Charter from the beginning, so it felt very right to bring it back into focus at this key event. PARC’s Director Professor Isabella Aboderin and Manager Dr Susan Jim joined delegates at the University of Pretoria’s Future Africa campus in South Africa for the Annual General Meeting from 22-24 May.
A highlight of the visit was a productive 2-day Global Africa Group (GAG) workshop to try to define how the WUN can align to the principles and goals of the Charter.
The Presidents’ Forum, whose particular focus was ‘Addressing Global Research Challenges in an African Context’, was organised jointly with the African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA). In this session, PARC Director Professor Isabella Aboderin gave a presentation on the Africa Charter which formed part of a fruitful discussion, including the suggestion that WUN become a signatory. The Charter was referenced throughout the forum, with universal agreement that the principles of valuing each other are the same wherever we are in the world.
PARC Manager Dr Susan Jim said:
“It was WUN-derful to reconnect with friends and colleagues! I particularly enjoyed discussions with Mahidol and York colleagues on their Valuing Voices for Equitable and Responsible Research project which has co-produced a set of 10 core principles and a ‘dynamic framework’ for equitable partnerships centred on practical measures and considerations. They have invited PARC to attend a workshop in November 2024, which will help to continue this important and vital knowledge exchange.”
The next WUN AGM will be on 22-24 May 2025 at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)
