Key to acting as a dynamic broker in knowledge production and policy action are the opportunities offered to scholars to meet and discuss ideas, present findings, network and form collaborations. In the 2021/22 financial year, Cluster Project leaders were expected to host at least nine workshops, seminars and conferences and succeeded in hosting 12.
Whether held in person or virtually, these academic events were well attended, bringing together experts from most – and sometimes all – the BRICS countries. They were also opportunities for researchers from a diverse array of South African universities and research agencies to gather.
- Prof Modimowabarwa Kanyane of UNIVEN hosted a public webinar titled “Disaggregating BRICS SOEs: Governance and Developmental Growth” on 20 April 2021.
- Dr Mondli Hlatshwayo of the University of Johannesburg hosted a public webinar titled “Black working-class women and the crisis of public transport in Soweto and Orange Farm”. The event was held on 23 April 2021.
- Prof Nirmala Gopal, of the University of KwaZulu-Natal, hosted a writing retreat for postgraduate students from 23 to 26 June
2021. - An online seminar titled “BRICS Bank Finance – Development in the post-Covid-19 era for the Global South” was hosted by Prof Modimowabarwa Kanyane from the HSRC on 7 July 2021.
- Prof Christopher Isike of the University of Pretoria hosted a Scientific Writing Seminar for Beginners, on Research Methodology in Social and Political Sciences, at the Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, Mozambique on 23 August 2021.
- A webinar on the topic “Haiti and Its publics”, convened as part of the webinar series under the theme “Race, imperialism and the making of black subjects”, was hosted by Prof Victoria Collis-Buthelezi, of the University of Johannesburg, on 7 September 2021.
- A hybrid postgraduate workshop titled “Decolonial research methods in the humanities” was hosted by Dr Jonathan Okeke of the University of Pretoria from 23-25 September 2021.
- The Second Virtual Workshop from their Global Blackness Summer School, titled “Imagine there’s no world: queer transections of Afrofuturism and critical fabulation”, was hosted by Prof Victoria Collis-Buthelezi of the University of
Johannesburg on 17 November 2021. - A webinar titled “Leaving No Child Behind: Decomposing Socioeconomic Inequalities in Child Health for India and South Africa” was hosted by Prof Charles Hongoro of Tshwane University of Technology on 17 November 2021.
- A webinar titled “BRICS and IBSA: Reflections on Recent Academic Forums” was hosted by the SABTT Chairperson, Prof Siphamandla Zondi, on 26 October 2021.
- On 9 December 2021, Prof Victoria Collis-Buthelezi of the University of Johannesburg hosted a third session of the Global Blackness Summer School webinar.
- On 26 January 2022, the SABTT and the HSRC’s Mr Krish Chetty co-hosted a closed workshop, titled “Working Group Dialogue: socio-economic opportunities from renewable energy projects at a city level.”