Research

MoU to boost SADC research

Share

Seated from left: Dr Thula Sizwe Dlamini (Executive Director: ESEPARC) and Prof Mandla Makhanya (Principal & Vice-Chancellor, Unisa) with members of their teams

Unisa and the eSwatini Policy Analysis and Research Centre (ESEPARC) entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to jointly host public lecture series, seminars, workshops and training. ESEPARC will also, when necessary, contract Unisa to provide training for participants at the centre and conduct research on its behalf.

Dr Thula Sizwe Dlamini, Executive Director of ESEPARC, said: "The vision of ESEPARC is to be the number one think tank in public policy analysis and research within the SADC region, and its mission is to generate evidence and knowledge on economic policy effectiveness to enable informed decision making in the Kingdom of eSwatini. Given this vision, we are very proud to be joining hands with the largest university in Africa and in the Southern hemisphere."

In his address, Prof Mandla Makhanya, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Unisa, said: "We are delighted and excited to be entering into this MoU that provides a visible manifestation of our mutual commitment to the sharing of resources and capacities towards research, governance and administrative improvement and excellence in our countries and on our continent."

Dr Thula Sizwe Dlamini (Executive Director: ESEPARC) & Prof Mandla Makhanya (Principal & Vice-Chancellor of Unisa)

He further remarked that the need to improve state capacity was paramount and that the MoU between Unisa and ESEPARC was significant for three reasons:

"First, it’s a demonstration of the practical and pragmatic collaboration that is possible and that is not limited or confined to narrow sectoral interests or boundaries, when there is a willingness to give genuine expression to our African renaissance. Second, this MoU speaks to our mutual appreciation of and deep commitment to our citizens and our sheer determination to make meaningful and measurable contribution to the change that we would like in their lives. And third, Unisa’s vision to be the African university shaping futures in the service of humanity reinforces this collaboration while it resonates with practical and symbolic meaning."

Makhanya concluded by saying that the university was honoured to play its role in ESEPARC’s development. "We are honoured to be future recipients of the collaborative developmental bounty. I have no doubt that this collaboration will be of mutual benefit and that it has the potential to establish a model and a platform for further collaboration between eSwatini and Unisa."

*By Tshimangadzo Mphaphuli, Senior Journalist, Department of Institutional Advancement

Share

Publish date: 2019-02-13 00:00:00.0

Unisa Shop