SASUF+ Upcoming Events

  • LINK TO THE SESSION: https://uu-se.zoom.us/j/61612537820?from=addon

    To support researchers interested in attending the SASUF+ Beyond Borders Virtual Matchmaking Event 30 Sept-1 Oct, SASUF will host a series of virtual information sessions introducing the event, and providing a walkthrough of the matchmaking platform. The sessions will cover the event format, how to use the platform, and answer participants' questions ahead of the matchmaking event taking place 30 September – 1 October 2026.

    All sessions will cover the same content. Participants are welcome to join the session that best suits their schedule.

    All sessions will take place 11:30–12:30 South African Standard Time (SAST).

    Local time in countries
    09:30–10:30 (GMT) Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo

    10:30–11:30 (WAT) Angola, Nigeria

    11:30–12:30 (CEST / SAST / CAT) Sweden, South Africa, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

    12:30–13:30 (EAT) Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda

  • The SASUF+ Student Leadership Program (SLP) brings together student representatives from SASUF partner universities. The aim of the SLP is to promote intercultural competence, sustainable leadership and student-led collaboration within the SASUF Student Network.

    The SASUF Student Network, consisting of student representatives from SASUF partner universities, has identified that to remain active and sustainable, it needs structure, coordination and continuity. A key challenge in student-led initiatives is maintaining long-term engagement, as student turnover is high and institutional memory can be lost.

    To address these challenges, the Student Leadership Program (SLP) is designed to support student representatives in developing a sustainable organisation culture within the SASUF Student Network. Rather than functioning as a traditional academic course, the SLP is designed as an interactive and co-creative leadership journey, combining facilitated learning, peer exchange, reflection and collaborative student projects. Furthermore, the SLP forms part of SASUF+ Work Package 3: Students as Game Changers, positioning students as active partners in strengthening South Africa–Sweden university collaboration.

    The SLP will take place in two parts:

    • Part 1: 16-17 September 2026 (hybrid: online and in-person in Linköping and Tshwane – formerly Pretoria)

    • Part 2: 17 March 2027 (online only)

    The focus of Part 1 of the SLP will be on students developing their knowledge of intercultural competence and sustainable leadership. Following the conclusion of Part 1, students will have opportunities to continue engaging through collaborative activities and projects, allowing them to apply their learning and strengthen connections across the SASUF Student Network. They will also work on their group-based community engagement projects which will be presented in Part 2 of the SLP.

    Registration for the SLP is closed.

     

    17 March 2027: Part 2 of Student Leadership Program (Online)

    Part 2 of the Student Leadership Program (SLP) will bring participants together online to present and reflect on their collaborative group projects and leadership journey. Students will present their group-based community engagement projects. Students will also have the opportunity to respond to other groups’ presentations, creating an ideal space for peer-to-peer learning. There will also be an opportunity for students to reflect on their learning experience through the SLP and to discuss how lessons learned can be used to strengthen sustainable student leadership and organisational continuity within the SASUF Student Network. The session will also provide an opportunity to reflect on how the knowledge and skills developed through the SLP can be transferred to student organisations, university communities and future SASUF activities.

    The SASUF Student Network, consisting of student representatives from SASUF partner universities, has identified that to remain active and sustainable, it needs structure, coordination and continuity. A key challenge in student-led initiatives is maintaining long-term engagement, as student turnover is high and institutional memory can be lost.

    To address these challenges, the Student Leadership Program (SLP) is designed to support student representatives in developing a sustainable organisation culture within the SASUF Student Network. As such, the SLP is not intended to be an academic course but is instead designed as a co-creative space and a platform where students can actively build the organisational culture.

    Overall planned learning outcomes of the SLP include:

    1.      Students identify their leadership style and reflect upon how this style interacts with other leadership styles.

    2.      Students develop intercultural awareness and understand how cultural contexts influence communication and collaboration

    3.      Students learn to manage group dynamics and resolve conflicts constructively.

    4.      Students develop the ability to reflect on the ethical implications of leading a community engagement project.

    5.      Students develop their strategic thinking skills by creating succession management plans contributing to long-term sustainability of the SASUF Student Network

    Registration for the SLP is closed.

  • SASUF+ Beyond Borders Virtual Matchmaking Event

    The SASUF+ Beyond Borders Virtual Matchmaking Event brings together researchers, academics, and innovators from South Africa, Sweden, and partner institutions across 19 additional African countries to foster new research collaborations.

    The 19 additional African countries are: Angola, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe. Together with South Africa, these countries are part of the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI), a multilateral initiative that strengthens research and innovation systems across Africa.

    Participants are invited to register on the matchmaking platform, create a detailed profile describing their expertise and research interests, and explore potential collaborators across the SASUF+ network. Using AI-supported matchmaking, the platform helps connect researchers who share complementary expertise and common research interests.

    The initiative supports collaboration within SASUF's four research themes:

    • Sustainable Health

    • Green Transition

    • Migration and Urbanisation

    • Democracy, Social Justice, and Indigenous Knowledge Systems

    The themes are intentionally broad to encourage interdisciplinary thinking and allow researchers to identify where their expertise can contribute most effectively.

    The matchmaking activities are closely linked to the upcoming SASUF–NRF Seed Grants for Intra-African Collaborative Research Projects (open between the dates 5 August–3 November 2026), for further information about the call, see the secion on “Funding Opportunities”.

    By engaging with the platform and participating in the virtual event, researchers can build interdisciplinary partnerships and develop competitive project ideas ahead of the funding call.

    The initiative consists of three interconnected components:

    • Matchmaking Platform (15 May– 6 September 2026): Register, complete your profile, browse participants, and connect with potential collaborators, and book individual meetings with your matches at your convenience from today until the event dates.

    • Virtual Matchmaking Event (30 September–1 October 2026): Participate in facilitated online networking sessions to refine ideas, expand your network, and identify project partners.

    • SASUF–NRF Seed Grants (deadline: 3 November 2026): Submit collaborative proposals developed through the matchmaking process.

    Together, these activities create a pathway from connection → collaboration → funding, strengthening research partnerships between institutions in Sweden, South Africa, and additional 19 African countries.

    Register and access the matchmaking platform here:https://www.b2match.com/e/sasuf-beyond-borders

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    See previous student summits here

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  • Building on the result of the AIMday event and previous activities.

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