The African Studies Program of the University Center for International Studies (UCIS), in collaboration with the FORD Institute for Human Security at the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (GSPIA) , the Institute for International Studies in Education (IISE) in the School of Education, The Ridgeway Center (GSPIA), and the Graduate School of Public Health will be hosting an international conference on “Achieving Sustainable Development in Africa.” This conference has been organized with collaboration from partners from African institutions namely: the Forum for African Women’s Educationalists (FAWE); the University of Ghana, School of Public Health (SPH); and the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. The two-day conference will bring together professionals, practitioners and students who focus on sustainable development to dialog the opportunities and challenges associated with achieving sustainable development in Africa. It is expected to engender innovative, meanigful research as well as policy driven and practical contributions in the following areas:
Health and Environmental Sustainability
Educational Development and sustainability
Gender equity and Development
Governance, Conflict Mitigation and Development
Each of the four areas will be discussed by a panel of invited presenters from both the U.S. and visiting partners from Africa—academics, policy makers and practitioners. Papers will be prepared in advance during the year before the conference, with close collaboration between individuals from partnering institutions (Pitt, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa and Uganda). Key people in all the institutions will facilitate discussions as we examine critical components of sustainable development and advocate for the necessary resources and policy changes required to improve existing approaches to sustainable development in Africa. Presenters will assess past strategies and why they have failed to address the deep economic, social and institutional changes needed for sustainable development and propose a way forward to achieving better outcomes. We are excited about this opportunity to have a conversation on achieving sustainable development in Africa and we hope you can join us.