More than 240 people involved in higher education came together at Michigan State University to discuss Academic Partnerships with South Africans for Mutual Capacity Building from October 18-21, 1998.

The conference was designed to explore possibilities for building partnerships that would mutually enhance the capacities of institutions in South Africa and in other countries to address the many global, regional, and local challenges that we face. The goals of the conference were to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of current academic partnerships and exchanges, to define new models of cooperation between South African institutions and those in North America and Europe, and to explore strategies for mobilizing financial resources to support and enhance academic linkages and partnerships.

The conference was, in itself, the result of a unique partnership in that organizations in the United States and South Africa conceptualized and planned the program together from the outset. The co-sponsoring organizations were: the Committee of Technikon Principals, the Historically Disadvantaged Institutions Forum, the South African Universities' Vice Chancellors' Association, and Michigan State University. Representatives of these organizations communicated with each other extensively to make this conference a reality. The conference committee is grateful to the many individuals who gave advice and ideas for defining the focus on the conference.

Conference participants came from many and diverse institutions, including half of South Africa's 37 universities and technikons and several regional consortia. From the United States, 70 colleges, universities, and community colleges were represented, including 17 historically black colleges and universities. People from five institutions in Canada and Europe attended. Representatives of the South African Ministry of Education and Parliament and several funding agencies provided important input to the discussions. There was a broad range of participants, including people with a great depth of experience in South African higher education and partnerships and also people interested in beginning to form relationships with South Africa.

We hope that this report captures in some small way the formal and informal exchange of ideas and discussions of partnerships that occurred during the very full four days of the conference. It is our wish that this report will assist people to fashion partnerships that are founded on equity and respect and that will build and strengthen all the institutions that participate.

[signed]
Moses Turner
Professor, Educational Administration and Conference Chair
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