The retreat marked an important milestone in the evolution of community engagement in South African higher education and affirmed CESA's commitment to strengthening the public purpose of universities through collaboration, scholarship and social responsiveness.
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From left Dr Eugene Machimana (University of Pretoria), Dr Gerhard Viljoen (Advisor), Dr Bruce Damons (Mandela University), Professor Busisiwe Nkonki-Mandleni (Mangosuthu University of Technology), Prof Andre Keet (Mandela University), Prof Yanga Zembe (University of KwaZulu-Natal), Mawethu Nyakatya (Stellenbosch University), Prof Alan Buthelezi (University of Zululand), Xitsakisi Mahlori (University of Johannesburg) and Dr Oluwabunmi Popoola (Mangosuthu University of Technology)
In his keynote address, Professor André Keet, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Engagement and Transformation at the University, emphasised the critical role of CESA in supporting the broader transformation of the higher education sector and in ensuring that universities remain deeply connected to the needs and aspirations of society.
The newly established Board acknowledged the remarkable legacy of the South African Higher Education Community Engagement Forum (SAHECEF) and affirmed that CESA represents the next phase in building a sustainable national platform for leadership, coordination and collective action in community engagement.
The retreat further affirmed a central proposition that will guide the work of CESA:
Community engagement is not an optional activity at the margins of university life. It is a scholarly, ethical and socially responsive practice through which universities fulfil their public purpose and work collaboratively with society to address shared challenges.
A discussion draft of the CESA Position Paper on Community Engagement in South African Higher Education: Reclaiming the Transformative Promise of Community Engagement will be made available shortly to stimulate further dialogue and collective reflection across the sector.
CESA looks forward to working with all member institutions and partners in advancing community engagement and strengthening the capacity of South African higher education to contribute to more just, inclusive and sustainable futures.