Strengthening Urban Engagement of Universities in Africa and Asia (SUEUAA) is a research project involving academics from six cities across Asia and Africa (Manila, Philippines; Kurdistan, Iran; Duhok, Iraq; Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; Johannesburg, South Africa; and Harare, Zimbabwe). It is funded by the British Academy and coordinated from the University of Glasgow (sueuaa.org). It addresses a ​core problem in emerging economies: How can we strengthen the urban engagement role of universities? It seeks to document the ways Universities contribute to developing sustainable cities in the context of the major social, cultural, environmental and economic challenges facing the Global South​.

Throughout the past year, the SUEUAA team across these cities collected data regarding how Universities engage with their local cities and how they work together to address city-wide challenges (such as flooding, food insecurity, environmental degradation, spread of communicable diseases, gender inequality, and migration among others), through a series of interviews with stakeholders from Universities and Local Government, and case studies.

We are inviting individuals from Universities, Government, Municipalities / Cities, and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to join us at the Conference in sharing good practice and current evidence as to how these connections and synergies can be further strengthened. The event will take place in Zimbabwe at Cresta Lodge Harare, on the 9​th ​and 10​th​ May 2019.

Registration is free, and can be completed online using this link:
https://goo.gl/forms/YEsmxIqbW6Z0uxwI3

We will have Keynote presentations by Dr Yumiko Yokozeki, Director, UNESCO-IICBA and Professor Philip Coton OBE, Vice Chancellor of the University of Rwanda. Other invited prominent speakers include: Professor Paul Mapfumo the Vice Chancellor of the University of Zimbabwe; and​ ​Engineer Hosiah Chisango,​ ​Harare City Town Clerk.​ Delegates whose Abstracts will be selected from submissions in response to this Call will also present over the two days. Through this call for proposals, we are also inviting other presenters to share their own experiences of the linkages between Universities and their cities trough poster presentations.

We invite presentations that address questions such as:

• What lessons can be learned from how Universities engage with communities?
• How can University and local business links be improved?
• What social or technical innovations are possible when Universities, local business, and Government work together?
• What is the role of the charity sector in addressing 3​rd​ Mission of a University, i.e. Community Engagement?
• How can we better integrate community knowledge into how Universities work?

We welcome presentations where the author has direct experience working between University and the community. We welcome insights from areas of education, health and medicine, engineering, environmental studies, and economics among others.

While we are not able to pay for transport and accommodation for delegates, the event is free to attend (no registration fees), but lunches, teas/coffees and mineral water will be provided.

More information such as logistics and options for hotel bookings for those needing assistance in that regard will be provided on request from the following contact persons.