A workshop in Cape Town, a conference in Stellenbosch, and a recently published volume on the contribution of universities to place-based development form the basis for this edition’s special report examining the opportunities for South African universities – like their counterparts around the world – to embrace the roles of place-makers, engines of innovation and economic development, and centres of knowledge-production which seek to inform local decision- and policy-making.

The Sixth Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) Biennial Conference, also known as the African Higher Education Week, took place in Nairobi, Kenya, from 22-26 October under the theme “Aligning African universities to accelerate attainment of Africa’s Agenda 2063”. The conference brought together stakeholders in higher education and agriculture from across the continent.

The eLearning Africa Conference, the largest in Africa on learning, training and technology, was held in Kigali, Rwanda from 26-28 September under the theme of “Uniting Africa”. The conference, which attracted hundreds of experts, focused on how technology can break down barriers, enabling Africans to share knowledge, learn and prepare for the future. University World News was there as a media partner.

The South African Technology Network, a consortium of technology-focused universities, held its annual international conference in Durban from 11-13 September on the theme “Fourth Industrial Revolution – The role of universities”. The conference explored how institutions in other countries are addressing the challenges presented by the fourth industrial revolution as well as the changing demands of industry and business in South Africa and around the world. University World News was there as a media partner.

The Southern African Society for Cooperative Education’s third Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) Conference took place near Durban, South Africa, from 18-20 July 2018 co-hosted by a range of universities of technology and technical and vocational education and training institutions. This year’s theme was ‘WIL: Policy to Implementation’ and focused on challenges facing the implementation of WIL, employability of graduates and curriculum issues including assessment and decolonisation of education.

Our Africa edition, University World News – Africa, was launched on 30 March 2008. In this Special Report, which marks its 10th anniversary, we look back at some of the key developments in the sector over the past 10 years, as well as some of the challenges that still lie ahead.

A new book, Castells in Africa: Universities and Development, published late last year by open-access publisher African Minds, showcases the contribution of Spanish sociologist Manuel Castells to higher education research and thinking in Africa.