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HSRC Annual Report 2016/17
CSI and
Stakeholder
Relations
Key national and international partners have been identified as critical to enhance the profile of the HSRC and to support
the research priorities of programmes. At the national level, this includes government departments and universities
which are key stakeholders of the HSRC.
eThekwini Research Symposium – Durban, a City in Transformation: 4–5 April 2016
The HSRC worked with the eThekwini Municipality to host the 4
th
Annual eThekwini Research Symposium, held at the
Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre in Durban under the broad theme“Durban, a City in Transformation”.
The eThekwini research partnership aims to strengthen evidence-based policy, planning and development implementation.
It follows from the recognition that the municipality spends significant resources on research and that its research agenda
needs to be more directed and purposeful.
As a partner, the HSRC participated through presentations by research staff, the hosting of an exhibition and a financial
contribution of R50 000 towards the event. The symposiumwas a joint initiative between eThekwini’s Municipal Institute
of Learning (MILE) and its research-aligned partners, namely the Durban University of Technology, Mangosuthu University
of Technology, the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Unisa and the HSRC. It provides a common platform for city practitioners
and academic partners to network and identify opportunities for strategic and collaborative activities.
HSRC and ambassadors’ dinner for Africa Day: 25 May 2016
The HSRC, the Swiss Embassy in South Africa and ambassadors from Canada, Denmark, France, Italy, Norway, Mexico,
United Kingdom, Austria and Belgium, together with representatives from the DST and the NRF, met for a dinner in
celebration of Africa Day.
The initiative was hosted by the Ambassador of Switzerland, Mrs Helene Artieda Budliger, to stimulate discussions
between the various embassies and promote collaboration in social sciences and humanities with the South African
Government and the HSRC.
Chinese Academy of Social Science visit to HSRC Cape Town: 8 June 2016
The HSRC and CASS have enjoyed an active partnership since the re-signing of a MoU in 2015 and have subsequently
collaborated on a range of programmes.
The CASS delegation visited the HSRC in Cape Town to strengthen the partnership and to discuss, formalise and agree
on future collaboration. Some of the broad research interests include the trade dynamics of BRICS, poverty alleviation,
peace and security, as well as the Chinese-African economy.