Karolinska Institutet in joint Sweden-South Africa conference on Agenda 2030

A research and innovation conference is currently in progress in Stellenbosch, South Africa, bringing together representatives of Swedish and South Africa universities. The main topic of the week-long conference, which opened on 6 May under the STINT-financed South Africa–Sweden University Forum (SASUF) project, is Agenda 2030.

15 researchers and doctoral students from Karolinska Institutet are taking part, along with the academic vice president for research, Anders Gustafsson.

SASUF, a partnership of 36 Swedish and South African universities, was set up to strengthen collaboration between the countries on research, education and innovation. Some 500 researchers, decision-makers and research council and business representatives are taking part in this year’s conference with the aim to build international collaborations and take on the challenges posed by the UN’S Agenda 2030 programme and its sustainability goals.

“There’s clearly a mutual will amongst researchers and universities in both our countries to collaborate on the sustainability goals across disciplinary and national boundaries,” says project initiator Eva Åkesson, vice-chancellor of Uppsala University.

The main event at the conference is the series of SASUF research seminars scheduled for 
8–10 May, when researchers are meeting to discuss six different Agenda 2030-related themes: climate, education, health systems, sustainable societies, sustainable cities and IT security.

A total of 49 events will have been held during the week around South Africa, creating even more opportunities for researchers to meet financiers, business representatives, decision-makers and the general public.

Next year’s SASUF research and innovation conference will be held in Uppsala.