18 November 2025

Last week, Universitas 21 brought together colleagues from across its Global Research collaborative groups with senior leaders from member universities worldwide for the inaugural Global Research and Senior Leaders’ meeting, hosted by the University of Johannesburg.

The event focused on how universities can strengthen trust, demonstrate value, and drive equitable global progress through research and leadership. In his opening address, Professor Letlhokwa Mpedi, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Johannesburg, reflected on this and the responsibilities of universities in an era of borderless global challenges:

“We are witnessing complex global challenges, from climate change to inequality… These challenges do not respect borders, and neither should our solutions.”.

Keynotes were delivered by Professor Ahmed Bawa (Johannesburg Business School), who explored the pressures and expectations shaping modern universities, and Dr Fiona Wanjiku Moejes, CEO of the Mawazo Institute, who spoke powerfully about equitable partnerships and the inclusion of African women researchers in global knowledge systems. She highlighted how Mawazo has supported 152 women PhD researchers from 28 African countries, enabling new perspectives and locally grounded innovations to influence global sustainability goals.

“Belonging means showing up with who I am and what I am – not trying to be like you,” Dr Moejes noted, emphasising authenticity as the foundation of equitable collaboration.

Belonging means showing up with who I am and what I am – not trying to be like you.” – Dr Fiona Wanjiku Moejes, Mawazo Institute

Delegates also joined the University of Johannesburg’s Platinum Gala Celebration, marking 20 years since its landmark 2005 merger and celebrating the institution’s transformation into one of Africa’s leading universities.

Insights from sector leaders

The programme featured several sector experts who contributed timely perspectives on collaboration, research impact, and global engagement. These included:

• Jason Newman, Chief Commercial Officer at QS, who led a session on global rankings and how shared insights can strengthen collective performance across the network.
• Professor John Gyapong, Secretary-General of ARUA, who spoke on the significance of African perspectives and the role of network-to-network collaboration in advancing global research.
• Sam Rametse, Head of Higher Education Programmes (SSA) at the British Council, who joined a panel on Advancing Equitable Global Partnerships.

Together, these sessions equipped participants with practical reflections on how U21’s combined research strengths can be leveraged to deepen collaboration and enhance global visibility.

Reflecting on the meeting, Professor Jenny Dixon, Provost of Universitas 21, emphasised the value of uniting research and senior leadership communities:

“Bringing our research and senior leadership communities together proved incredibly valuable. The conversations were forward-looking, collaborative, and grounded in the realities of the changing higher education landscape. It was particularly powerful to hold these discussions in Johannesburg, a city and a continent that continue to demonstrate innovation, resilience, and global leadership. There is much the world can learn from Africa, just as Africa benefits from global collaboration.”

The meeting closed with a renewed commitment from U21 members to work collectively in addressing global challenges through inclusive and impactful research. By strengthening trust, deepening collaboration, and valuing diverse perspectives, universities can act as global anchors and drive equitable progress worldwide.

Find out more

• Article from keynote speaker, Fiona Wanjiku Moejes, Chief Executive Officer, Mawazo Institute – Too Many Mawazo: Why Africa Needs its Women with Big Ideas. Fiona will deliver a keynote on the topic of “Global Partnerships for Equitable and Inclusive Progress”.
• Article from Professor Rachel Sandison, University of Glasgow – From Data to Dialogue: The Case for Strategic Storytelling in HE. Professor Rachel Sandison will be chairing a session on the topic of ‘Strategic Storytelling – Making the Case for University Value‘ .
• Article from Professor Carolyn Hogg (University of Sydney), Professor Jill Robbie (University of Glasgow) and Irina Mineva (University of Sydney) – Getting the Metrics Right: The U21 Nature Positive Coalition in Action  – Universitas 21. Carolyn will be chairing a session on the U21 Nature Positive Coalition.