UMP and the University of Rwanda were unanimously confirmed as members, increasing the African membership to 15 universities (five from South Africa), with 10 Australian members. UMP has agreements with Makerere University Business School, the University of Botswana, and the University of Western Sydney; all AAUN members.
Established in 2012, AAUN provides an intelligence and advisory portal for government institutions, the corporate sector, and media to access a range of expertise on Africa; the development of institutional research partnerships; capacity-building and training programmes; and the production of innovative policy solutions through position papers.
A major programme of collaborative funding of joint research programmes was launched in 2016, with a significant impact on advancing Africa-Australia relations. Funding partners include the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), the National Research Foundation, and other Australian funders.
The membership of and participation in the AAUN will meaningfully contribute to the Network’s focus on research, internationalisation, and capacity building. Furthermore, AAUN and UMP have shared values, which include: excellence, diversity, collaboration, and relevance that will advance joint commitments to increasing cross-sectoral partnerships, integrating multidisciplinary research, and promoting gender equity and diversity.
International networks are important to the University of Mpumalanga and its component of a strategy to advance excellence, relevance, and advancement. The University also plays a prominent role in, among others, the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU), the SA-Sweden University Forum (SASUF), and the Regional University Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM).
The Australia-Africa Universities Network focuses on engaging Australian universities in sub-Saharan Africa to provide specific expertise across priority areas for Australia and Africa. Key objectives for the network are:
- Provide an intelligence and advisory portal for government institutions, the corporate sector, and media to access, via a 'one-stop-shop', a range of expertise on Africa.
- Develop institutional research partnerships in Africa.
- Develop capacity-building and training programmes, for example in governance, public sector reform, education, mining, agriculture, and health.
- Produce innovative policy solutions through position papers with key academics, non-governmental organisations, and business and political representatives.
- Provide post-training support for African scholars, including an alumni network, linking with African communities in Australia as appropriate.
By UMP Communications Division.