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LenkaBula addresses CODESRIA's 16th General Assembly on behalf of African VCs
Unisa Principal and Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof Puleng LenkaBula, was recently in Senegal Dakar for the 50th Anniversary of Africa's number one think tank - The Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA).
CODESRIA is an independent, pan-African, non-governmental research organisation founded in 1973 by African researchers. Its establishment was driven by a desire to build an autonomous Pan-African scientific community capable of interpreting realities in Africa and contributing to scholarly, public and policy debates on African and global issues. It is a leader and anchor for policy development on the continent and globally.
In its 16th General Assembly, LenkaBula addressed the convention on behalf of all African vice-chancellors, university presidents and rectors. The general assembly is CODESRIA's highest decision-making organ. The assembly meets once every three years around a scientific theme. Discussions held during the meeting form the nucleus around which the intellectual agenda of the council is developed.
From left: Vice-Chancellor of the Pedagogic University of Maputo, Prof Doutour J Ferraro; Former President of CODESRIA, Prof Teresa E Silva; current President of CODESRIA, Prof Cassimiro; and next to Prof LenkaBula on the right is Prof Elisio Macamo from the University of Basel.
In her address, LenkaBula said: "For the past 16 years, CODESRIA has been questioning and guiding the conscience of our universities and the knowledge systems in the global arena, including in our university, Unisa." She added that the council has played a pivotal role in developing African academic leaders; she explained: "Many of us who are now in the leadership of universities have found mentors within this community."
LenkaBula expressed gratitude to the council for transforming the academic landscape on the continent. "CODESRIA has enabled us to strengthen our teaching, research and community engagement. On behalf of the rectors, presidents and vice-chancellors of universities of the continent, I convey our collective appreciation to the council for responding creatively and rigorously to the challenges confronting higher education," she said.
She continued: "I also would like to recognise CODESRIA's grants made towards thesis writing to master's and doctoral candidates and the workshops that equip both the students and the academy to strengthen their competencies."
The 16th General Assembly is taking place from 4 to 8 December 2023 under the theme The Social Sciences and "Pandemics" in Africa. The participation of Africans in the assembly is indispensable for shaping narratives that will benefit Africa and its people. The council aims to build a strong and vibrant African social science and humanities research community. It mobilises a greater understanding of Africa's and the world's challenges to overcome them.
Prof LenkaBula, with the three generations of CODESRIA Executive Secretaries in the last 20+ years, Prof Adebayo Olukoshi, Prof Ebrima Sall and current Executive Secretary, Prof Godwin Murunga.
CODESRIA constitutes progressive, Africa-focused and proud intellectuals. Key among the foremost scholars associated with the council are the late Thandika Mkandawiri of the London School of Economics, Sam Moyo, Zimbabwean land scholar, Samir Amin, the famous Egyptian-French economist, Amina Mama, the well-known gender advocate and feminist scholar, Fatima Harrak of Morocco, Dzodzi Tsikata of Ghana, Adebayo Olukoshi, Ebrima Sall and Godwin Murunga who are the three recent Executive Secretaries of the council and many more.
LenkaBula's participation, representing all African university leaders, is yet another mark of Unisa's progressing stature in the global higher education landscape.
Click here to watch the VC's address.
* Compiled by Tshimangadzo Mphaphuli, Editor: Internal Communications, Department of Institutional Advancement
Publish date: 2023-12-07 00:00:00.0
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