IPADA Affords SADC Universities a Golden Opportunity in Exchanging Knowledge

The International Conference on Public Administration and Development Alternative (IPADA) conference affords SADC Universities a golden opportunity to share beliefs, aides and recommendation with international community, said Acting Vice Chancellor, Professor Kgomotso Moahi.

Speaking during the 2^nd Annual International Conference, Gala Dinner on July 27, 2017 held at Tloto Hotel and Conference Centre in Gaborone from the 26 to 28 July 2017, Professor Moahi said as Universities they are expected to create a stimulating intellectual environment for students and demonstrate the impact of their research work on the lives of citizens. She further edged the participants to conduct their research works truthfully and expand the frontier of knowledge objectively and ethically without fear or favour and share their research finding with all members of the society.

The conference was organised by School of Economics and Management at the University of Limpopo (SA) in corporation with UB Faculty of Social Sciences, held under the theme ‘’Independence of African State in the Age of Globalization’’ which was broken down into numerous sub themes of research works of participating Universities from South Africa on issues pertaining to African States. The conference attracted Lecturers and Master Students from different Universities of South Africa such Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), University of Venda (UNIVEN), North West University (NWU), Vaal University of Technology (VUT) University of Mpumalanga (UMP) and University of Limpopo. The sole purpose is to create international collaboration in with Universities across the Africa in generating, disseminating and exchanging knowledge and to produce quality scholarly work through peer review process.

Giving a key note address Minister for Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration, Honourable Eric Mothibi Molale stated that bringing African think tanks, academic and industry profession together in a conference of this nature will help to reflect deeply on the issues facing African States in an international order. He also said participants will benefit by learning from one another and do a cross pollination of ideas from the world of work (practice) and the world of academics (theory) with a view of narrowing the gap between the two. ‘’Let theory inform and guide practice and vice versa’’ said Honourable Molale  

IPADA and Conference Chairman, Professor Mokoko Sebola said UB and other African Universities are viewed as the first step towards making Africa contribute to global knowledge production. He also said statistically it is argued that Africa contribute a very small fraction of knowledge production in the globe with figure agued to be either 1,25% or 1,8% in which South Africa and Egypt share the biggest fraction of knowledge production because of their huge investment in research and innovation.

University of Botswana Dean Faculty of Social Sciences Professor Keoagile Thaga closed The Gala Dinner by appreciating participants and guest in attending the conference and for making a meaningful contribution to the complex issues they are trying to unpack.