In January 2023, I participated in the SADC Vice-Chancellors’ Meeting, which was held following the Ministerial deliberations in 2018, on creating a SADC University to be called the SADC University of Transformation (SUT). The aim of SUT is to promote training through capacity building and enhance the human capital of the region while contributing towards the development of the region. 

The workshop also included senior officials from Regulatory Bodies, such as Administrative Cadres from Ministry of Education from member countries. 

SADC Secretariat provided 3 Concept Papers as the focal point to discuss on the background of the SUT, models of Networking Universities and Educational/Institutional setups of similar structure within and outside the SADC/Africa Region and finally on the proposed structure and the factors/elements that have to be considered in developing such a University.  The latter will primarily consist of 4 Faculties, namely, Agricultural Sciences, Engineering, Health (Pharmaceuticals) and Industrial and Social Sciences.

The participants were divided into 4 working groups and I chaired one of the working groups with a Rapporteur from the University of Pretoria, South Africa. 

After deliberations, it was recommended that the SUT should start small by networking with existing universities in the region (SADC), tap on existing resources and minimize the cost implications with no risks of duplicating programmes of study that are already in existence among member countries.