Critical Thinking and Action for Sustainable Development. At Unisa, collaboration is not just a concept; it is a way of life.
The university’s scholars and students engage across sectors and communities, creating partnerships that reflect the aspirations of the people and places we serve. By listening to the voices of our multisectoral stakeholders and working hand-in- hand with them, Unisa ensures that its programmes and projects are contextually relevant and of social significance. For Unisans, it is not enough to make an impact – we desire to make a positive, sustainable and meaningful change for the betterment of life.
Unisa’s engagement doesn’t stop at the national or continental level; it also contributes to global development through the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs provide a framework for addressing global challenges such as poverty, inequality, climate change, and peacebuilding by 2030. Unisans comprehend the gravity of development lags and contextually reflect on the SDGs. Unisans collaborate across sectors to critically assess the unevenness in conditions required for achieving the SDGs.
Our 152 projects work with government and civil society to drive the development targets needed for the current and future viability of our continent. Through its collaborative ethos, Unisa helps advance the SDG targets by working with local and international partners to create innovative solutions to these challenges. One such example relates to Unisa’s engaged scholarship projects’ renewable energy and sustain- able environmental practices, which support both local development and global climate action.
These projects focus on practical interventions that can be implemented in communities across South Africa, contributing to the global effort to combat climate change while promoting sustainable economic growth. As an example, Unisa’s Professor Baraka Celestin Sempuga at the College of Science Engineering and Technology leads the Waste-to-Energy project which involves turning domestic garbage, including organic and inorganic trash, animal manure, and other waste materials, into a clean energy source that may be immediately utilised in the home. Professor Llewellyn Leonard, from Unisa’s College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences works with government, municipalities and communities to address how we can build adaptation and resilience to better deal with climate change and environmental distress. He is leading an engaged scholarship project that assesses the socio-economic, health and environmental impacts of mines.
Unisa remains at the forefront of the continent’s intellectual and social development. As a case in point, Macdonald Rammala of Unisa’s College of Law leads the Lekgotla La Batho Engaged Scholarship Project, which reflects with community elders on distinctly South African methods of dispute resolution. This learning leads to the design of specific policy solutions, strategies and projects that would benefit communities in resolving disputes without the high costs of litigation. As a further example, we have engaged scholar and psychologist Professor Janice Moodley, who works to build skills in effective trauma care and resilience building in consultation with caregivers and communities experiencing violence. Through its community and public engagement efforts, the university helps to shape a more equitable, sustainable, and just world for future generations.
The university is dedicated to ensuring that education opportunities are accessible and meaningful. By providing skills development, professional training, and leadership education, Unisa supports individuals and communities, equipping our nation with the tools it needs to thrive in a rapidly changing world.
For more information about our engaged projects contact:
dceo@unisa.ac.za www.unisa.ac.za
