The HECE Conference 2026 (Makhanda, Eastern Cape)

The HECE Conference 2026

The HECE Conference 2026 hosted by Rhodes University in Makhanda, Eastern Cape.

Dr Samantha van Schalkwyk, Acting Director of the Community Engagement Unit (CEU), and Damaris Kiewiets, Community Liaison Officer, participated in the Higher Education Community Engagement: Reparative Futures for the Cultivation of Humanity Conference, hosted by Rhodes University from 5–7 May 2026 in Makhanda, Eastern Cape.

The conference brought together academics, researchers, students, government representatives, and community partners from South Africa and abroad to engage in discussions on higher education, social justice, and community engagement.

Dr Samantha van Schalkwyk presented a paper titled “Community-Engaged Learning as Epistemic and Relational Repair at the University of the Western Cape.” Her presentation explored how the Community Engaged Learning Programme (CELP) offered by CEU at the University of the Western Cape, supports community-engaged learning as a humanising and socially responsive educational practice. The paper highlighted the importance of recognising communities as partners in knowledge creation while promoting ethical responsibility, dialogue, and social accountability among students.

Damaris Kiewiets, together with Keith Cloete from the Department of Health and Wellness, Western Cape Government, presented “A Living Model of Dialogic Partnership: Co-Governance, Co-Inquiry, and Legacy-Making in Community Engagement.” Their presentation focused on the value of sustainable partnerships between universities, government institutions, and communities in addressing social challenges through collaboration and shared responsibility.

The conference provided valuable opportunities for networking, collaboration, and knowledge exchange among institutions committed to strengthening engaged scholarship and socially responsive practices within higher education.

Participation in the conference reflects the CEU’s continued commitment to meaningful community engagement, collaborative partnerships, and the advancement of socially responsive and inclusive higher education practices.