15 June 2026
REGISTER HERE TO JOIN IN CAMBRIDGE OR CAPE TOWN OR ONLINE
In person and online at the University of Cambridge and the University of the Western Cape
Symposium day session: from 12:00-15:45 BST or 13:00-14:45 SAST
Symposium evening lecture: from 17:00-18:30 BST or 18:00-19:30 SAST
This closing symposium for the University of the Western Cape and REAL Centre joint seminar series will focus on global solidarity across universities as spaces not just for teaching, but for nurturing social conscience and tackling injustice and oppression.
Keynote addresses include:
- Professor Robert Balfour, Rector and Vice-Chancellor, University of the Western Cape
- Professor Bhaskar Vira, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education and Environmental Sustainability, University of Cambridge
Evening lecture:
- Professor Ahmed Kamal Junina, Assistant Professor and Head of English Department, Al-Aqsa University, Gaza
Panel discussions:
- Equitable research collaborations and partnerships
- Palestine and the role of universities and global solidarity for the reconstruction of education
- Indigenous knowledge and climate justice in and through education
The University of the Western Cape is well-known for its struggle against apartheid and its continued fight against oppression, discrimination and disadvantage in modern day South Africa. Under the banner of “an intellectual home of the left”, from 1987, UWC created space for curriculum renewal, innovative research and outreach projects. It committed to being a university that not just generates knowledge that is useful, but that also politically addresses inequity and social justice.
These same commitments underpin the values and work of the REAL Centre at the University of Cambridge in its work to realise equity. UWC and the REAL Centre jointly attempt to formulate coherent responses that are ethically informed and progressive in tackling the biggest contemporary challenges facing the world – the climate emergency, conflict, authoritarianism, artificial intelligence, etc.
The joint seminar series in 2026 has been an opportunity to consolidate discussions between the two universities in forming an ethical partnership.