​Forty students from 22 Commonwealth countries gathered at the recent Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) summer school, hosted by Stellenbosch University (SU) International from 2 to 10 July. The participants learned more about the political, social and economic forces that shaped 20^th-century politics in South Africa.

 ACU has over 500 member universities in 50 countries across the Commonwealth, who take turns to host the annual summer school. This was SU's first time hosting the event, which serves as a forum for connection, collaboration, discussion and education.

 Participants attended a programme packed with presentations and discussions on the theme “Truth and reconciliation: from apartheid to transitional justice". The summer school is open to final-year undergraduates, masters' students and PhD candidates at ACU member universities. Prospective participants undergo a rigorous application and selection process to secure one of the 40 places, having to motivate for their attendance and its potential impact on their future by way of written essays. This year, over 700 applications were received.

 Proud host

 Werner de Wit, manager of Short Programmes at SU International's Centre for Global Engagement, says it is a huge achievement for SU to have hosted the event. “This was the first time that we got to host it. And it will probably be quite a while before we get another chance, considering that it takes place in a different country every year, and that there are 500 member universities vying for the opportunity. So, for us to have hosted it this year was pretty special and remarkable."

 The summer school ties in with SU's core strategic themes of a transformative student experience and fostering collaboration through purposeful partnerships and inclusive networks. “Now that we have hosted this diverse group of participants from all over the Commonwealth at SU, some of them will hopefully return and perhaps conduct postgraduate research here or tell others about us," Werner adds.

 Valuable lessons to take home

 Throughout the week, students attended captivating lectures by leading academic experts, who brought South Africa's complex history to life. These included Dr Schalk van der Merwe from the Department of History at SU, Dr Anell Daries from SU's Centre for the Study of the Afterlife of Violence and the Reparative Quest, and Dr Glenda Cox, incumbent of the UNESCO Chair in Open Education and Social Justice at the University of Cape Town.

 According to Schalk, a lecturer in African and South African history as well as an academic coordinator at SU International, the presentations were aimed at giving participants a better understanding of transitional justice in South Africa. “The participants each have their own connection to social justice in their respective communities," Schalk explains. “Giving them the opportunity to engage with how South Africa handled its transition from a traumatic and authoritarian system to effect some form of post-apartheid society and justice will hopefully help them understand the trauma that needs to be addressed through social justice in their own environments."

 In between their academic programme, participants also had a chance to experience some local sights with field trips to the Cape of Good Hope nature reserve and a Stellenbosch winery.

 No shying away

 Participant Michelle Canning, a former journalist who is studying part-time towards a law degree in gender conflict and human rights at Ulster University in Northern Ireland's capital of Belfast, says she particularly appreciated the open conversations that the sessions facilitated. “Where I am from, conversations around slavery and colonialism do not happen. There is a real difficulty for us in challenging the legacy of conflict and how we manage that, and until that happens, we will not get to a point of healing and reconciliation. So, just having these discussions about conflict and pain among people from different backgrounds is phenomenal and a massive opportunity, and I hope that I can take it back home."

 Established in 1913, ACU is the world's first and oldest international university network aimed at providing a platform for universities to share information, knowledge and ideas.