The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Vuyisa Mazwi-Tanga, represented CPUT at the Talloires Network's Global Leaders Conference entitled "Building the Engaged University, Moving beyond the Ivory Tower". The Talloires Network is an international association of institutions dedicated to strengthening the civic roles and social responsibilities of higher education institutions.
The Network was founded by Tufts University in 2005 and celebrated its fifth anniversary at the conference. The three-day conference was held in Madrid, Spain at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) in mid-June and the gathering brought together higher education leaders from across the globe, particularly rectors, vice-chancellors, presidents, ministers of education, regional network leaders and philanthropic leaders from its 200 members representing 58 countries. South Africa was represented by at least nine Vice-Chancellors.
In partnership with the UAM, the Network engaged these leaders in a dynamic discussion about the role of universities in community and social development, as well as how universities can work with communities in identifying strategic interventions to address challenges. Prof. Mazwi-Tanga, along with her peers and counterparts at the conference, explored how to deepen the impact of community engagement in the higher education sector.
A number of internationally recognised speakers also shared their ideas on a variety of topics related to civic engagement, including citizenship; the role of institutions of higher education in addressing critical social needs; partnerships with the NGO sector and more. During the sessions, participants shared the work of their universities, engaged with their peers and provided direct feedback to the network on membership needs.
Following a field visit to CPUT in August 2009, Susan E. Stroud (a researcher and member of the Network Secretariat responsible for research across Africa), authored a profile on the institution, titled ‘Community Partnerships for Development and the Appropriation of New Knowledge’, which details the institution’s merger history, looks at the environment in which it operates and investigates the successes and challenges of CPUT’s Civic Engagement agenda.
Prof. Mazwi-Tanga shares her thoughts on the experience saying: “The conference prompted us to think about breaking the ‘ivory tower syndrome’, allowing universities and communities to forge meaningful partnerships in solving pressing problems in local communities and society at large.
“As leaders of higher education institutions, we were able to see ourselves as being one with communities and be informed by what is going on to make a positive impact within the communities. This is part of the movement for change which the Talloires Network stands for; as it recognises the contribution institutions make at an international level.
“The key to this, I believe, involves how universities adapt the curriculum to incorporate and accommodate issues of civic engagement, because if it is not touched upon the curriculum level, the academic output remains superficial. Education, after all, is about development for change.
“What we’re thinking about at present is how to infuse this thinking into the University at all levels; academic, research, teaching and learning in order to address the real social issues of poverty, unemployment, health and so on. The question that remains for CPUT, is how far have we come in trying to alleviate and address these problems and challenges and have we made it a deliberate agenda at CPUT?
“What I like about the network is that is cuts across all divisions of race, religion and gender, in order to see true human issues. I would like CPUT to try and speak to the ideals that the group embodies and to see the university abuzz with incubator companies born out of research projects that have deep ties with the surrounding communities” says Prof. Mazwi-Tanga.
By: Thando J. Moiloa
Written by CPUT News
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