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Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil, travelled to South Africa from 26 November to 1 December to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Mandela Scholarships, and to explore the possibility of future research and capacity building partnerships with South Africa. Sasha was joined by Professor Robin Banerjee, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Global and Civic Engagement) and members of the Development and Alumni Relations, Global Engagement, and International Office teams. 

The history of the relationship between Sussex and South Africa was a major focus of the visit. In an interview with SABC Morning Live, the country’s most-watched morning show, Sasha spoke about the Mandela Scholarship which was established by Sussex students in 1973 to provide students from South Africa with the opportunity to study at Sussex, and which continues to this day. Sasha was also featured on Cape Talk radio – you can catch up with the show online. 

Building relationships across sectors 

During the visit, the delegation had numerous meetings with government bodies, foundations and private sector organisations, as well as with Universities South Africa, the umbrella body of public universities in South Africa. Sasha and Robin met with the leadership teams of the Human Sciences Research Council and the National Research Foundation, and with senior representatives from the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology, including the Director General for Science and Innovation. 

Discussions with each of these parties focused on the societal and economic challenges facing South Africa as it pursues deep structural transformation, and explored how Sussex might contribute to tackling these challenges over the next decade. This included exploring opportunities for collaborative research in a number of areas, particularly science and technology policy and innovation, climate change, energy transitions, public health, sustainable development, and the future of work. 

A strong desire to increase the number of postgraduate scholarships for South African students to study at Sussex was expressed by every organisation, and the possibility of establishing fellowships for South African academics and science policy makers to spend time at Sussex was also discussed.  

The Sussex group was also given tours of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital, and of President Mandela’s personal archive at the Nelson Mandela Foundation by the CEO of each organisation. 

Alumni reception 

In Johannesburg, the University hosted a reception for alumni and supporters, compèred by Sussex Mandela Scholar alumna Noxolo Kahlana. The lively event was attended by over 90 alumni who had studied at Sussex over the past 50 years, many of whom have played transformative leadership roles in post-apartheid South Africa in business, industry, government, public administration, and NGOs. 

A panel discussion chaired by Noxolo featured one of the first Mandela Scholars to study at Sussex, Maxwell Sirenya. Maxwell spoke movingly about having to leave South Africa following the Soweto uprising and how he found a home at Sussex, graduating with a BSc in Economics in 1980. Each of the panellists, who had all studied at Sussex in different decades from the 1970s onwards, talked about the huge impact their time at Sussex had had on them, and about how it had shaped their lives and the contribution they have made to nation-building back in South Africa. 

Reflecting on the visit 

Reflecting on the visit, Sasha said: “Sussex’s historic relationship with South Africa through the many brilliant and courageous students who have studied here over the decades provides abundant evidence of the contribution of universities – and of Sussex in particular – to positive social and economic change. 

“This inspirational visit was an opportunity to celebrate the contribution that Sussex alumni have made to transforming South Africa over the past three decades, and to explore how Sussex can partner with universities and foundations in South Africa to continue that work in the coming years.  

“I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to all the partners and potential partners whom I met, and above all, to the alumni from whom I had the pleasure of learning about South Africa, and indeed about the history of Sussex, during the trip.  

“The importance of foregrounding our commitment to global engagement through equitable partnerships, and to supporting and growing our diverse international community of students, staff and alumni in our new strategy, Sussex 2035, is clearer than ever to me after this visit.”