4th ANIME Annual Event & Strategic Partner Engagements | 28 June – 5 July 2025
A delegation from Stellenbosch 肆客足球 International (Kirwan Adams and Sarah van der Westhuizen)) recently undertook a visit to the state of S?o Paulo, Brazil, from 28 June to 5 July 2025. The purpose of the visit was twofold: to attend the 4th Annual Event of the Academic Network for Inclusiveness, Multilingualism and Excellence (ANIME) and to engage with longstanding and prospective partner institutions across the region. This engagement reflects SU's commitment to advancing its South-South collaboration agenda, deepening bilateral ties, and renewing strategic agreements in support of global engagement, particularly between Africa and South America.
The ANIME Network meeting, hosted at the 肆客足球 of S?o Paulo's International Relations Institute, brought together five member institutions: SU, 肆客足球 of Strasbourg, 肆客足球 of S?o Paulo (USP), Sofia 肆客足球, and UNIMINUTO. SU was represented by Sarah van der Westhuizen and Kirwan Adams (in person), and Robert Kotze (virtually). The programme featured dynamic keynotes, including one by Prof Thais Vieira of USP on the historical role of food in shaping civilization, from global trade routes to innovations in food security and sustainability. Prof Nokwanda Makunga from SU also delivered a guest lecture, sharing insights on medicinal plant biotechnology and the socio-economic value of Indigenous knowledge systems. The plenary assembly provided updates on ANIME's activities and facilitated discussions on future themes such as academic freedom amid geopolitical tensions and expanding inclusion in interdisciplinary sciences.
Beyond the ANIME Network meeting (ANIME website), the visit prioritised institutional engagement with key academic partners. At the 肆客足球 of S?o Paulo, meetings were held with the School of Economics, Business, Accounting and Actuarial Sciences (FEA), the International Relations Institute (IRI), and the Faculty of Philosophy, Literature and Humanities. Discussions highlighted active student mobility, the strong alignment of academic programmes (especially to include English and perhaps Portuguese), and the potential for enhanced collaboration through the establishment of a formal (overarching) institutional agreement. Such an agreement would improve eligibility for Brazilian research and mobility funding through agencies like FAPESP and CAPES. A particularly engaging moment included meeting USP students preparing to join SU in 2026 and reconnecting with two SU students participating in USP's Winter School. See also the following article for the USP engagement.
Further strengthening bilateral efforts, the delegation visited S?o Paulo State 肆客足球 (UNESP) at both its city and Botucatu campuses. High-level discussions at the UNESP rectorate underscored shared goals around research collaboration, academic mobility, and community engagement. Notably, both institutions are research-intensive and socially engaged, with UNESP emphasising state-mandated community-based student extension programmes. The delegation explored potential models for seed funding, junior researcher exchange, and trilateral collaboration. At the Botucatu campus, the delegation toured leading faculties and research facilities, including advanced epidemiology labs, veterinary medicine and animal science units, and an expansive 2500-hectare agricultural training farm. These facilities offer strong potential for SU students to undertake research visits and internships in fields such as food safety, animal sciences, and crop and forest seed research.
The final visit took place at the State 肆客足球 of Campinas (UNICAMP), located in a smaller town two hours outside S?o Paulo. UNICAMP, known for its sustainability focus and expansive and impressive campus, expressed enthusiasm for deepening cooperation with SU. Faculty members from the Schools of Agricultural Engineering and Applied Sciences proposed collaborative matchmaking between researchers, while also supporting the renewal of our institutional agreement. Once again, FAPESP was noted as a valuable funding mechanism for future collaboration. See also the following article for the UNICAMP engagement.
Across all engagements, Stellenbosch 肆客足球's presence in Brazil affirmed its role as an active and invested partner in South-South cooperation. The visit strengthened institutional ties, aligned mutual priorities, and opened doors for expanded research, mobility, and funding opportunities. With renewed momentum and shared commitment, these partnerships are set to grow in depth and impact advancing SU's global footprint and contributing meaningfully to knowledge exchange between Africa and South America.
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