UNESCO and SADC Co-creating a Strategic Framework for Higher Education and TVET

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The UNESCO Regional Office for Southern Africa (ROSA) in collaboration with the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Secretariat and the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) jointly facilitated a two-day strategic workshop in Cape Town, South Africa under the theme: ‘Futures of Education for Higher Education and TVET.’ The workshop took place from 15-16 November 2021 and was attended by 12 education expert delegates from up to 11 SADC member states. 

The meeting was a follow up to three previous virtual workshops held between June and September 2021, with the aim to build capacities, capabilities, knowledge and co-create a strategic framework to support the development of SADC futures of education and learning. 

As explored during the meeting, the current historical juncture requires countries in the region to re-envision knowledge and re-imagine the purposes of education and the organisation of learning, particularly for the provision of quality post school education and training which remains unrealised.

During the meeting, experts participated and facilitated, high-level strategic conversations, unpacking key uncertainties as well as strategic goals and activities for individual member states and for the region. Notably, the meeting and previous virtual workshops employed a variety of foresight/futures tools and planning methods designed to help stakeholders reflect on the strategic trajectory of harmonised higher education and technical vocational education and training (TVET) ecosystems in Southern Africa, to explore alternative education futures, and the systemic changes needed to ‘co-create’ preferred SADC futures of education through the development of a strategic framework.

Going forward, UNESCO is committed to supporting national workshops where the draft strategy for Higher Education and TVET would be presented and discussed. UNESCO would also promote synergies with related country and regional initiatives to embed this daft SADC Strategy on Future of Higher Education and TVET.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).