Uncertain future for regional universities association

By Karen MacGregor. After six years of research, publications, dialogues, training and advocacy, the Southern African Regional Universities Association (SARUA) has run out of funding and its future is uncertain. Efforts will be made this year to raise funding and reconstitute SARUA in a new form appropriate to a second phase of collaborative activity. If unsuccessful, it will be a blow to regional higher education integration. The association, which was launched in early 2007, currently has a membership of 61 universities in all 15 countries of the Southern African Development Community. SARUA chair and University of Johannesburg Vice-chancellor Professor Ihron Rensburg told members in a circular that the association’s executive committee had decided last month to undertake a strategic exercise “to plan our future direction, and to develop a future funding model”. Read more...