​​​About 200 prospective and current doctoral students are gathering at Stellenbosch University (SU) for the 7^th annual African Doctoral Academy (ADA) Winter School. The group, which includes postdoctoral researchers, is at SU from 27 June to 8 July 2016.

Here for two weeks, participants will attend classes and workshops on how to successfully complete their doctoral education. Referring to the gathering as an "international classroom in doctoral education", Robert Kotzé, Senior Director of the Postgraduate & International Office (PGIO) welcomed participants from 15 nationalities, including Eritrea, Tanzania, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Cameroon, Namibia and the US. Describing the ADA as an "enabling environment" within SU, he told them the university is committed to postgraduate student success and higher education on the continent.

"The ADA is about doctoral training, capacity building and early academic career development. It's an expression of SU's commitment to higher education in Africa."

Kotzé highlighted initiatives like the recent joint doctoral school with the University of Makerere in Uganda. Through a generous grant by the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the ADA offered doctoral school workshops at Makerere, a long-time partner of Stellenbosch University. About 100 delegates from Makerere and four other public universities in Uganda attended the workshops.

Talking internationalisation at the SU, Kotzé said the PGIO looks forward to welcome Prof Hester Klopper, new Vice-Rector: Strategic Initiatives and Internationalisation. "The ADA is an expression of SU's commitment to international doctoral education and the significance of internationalisation will be further highlighted when Prof Klopper joins us in August."

Also attending the Winter School are 20 students from the Southern African Systems Analysis Centre (SASAC). They are part of a consortium of four universities; the University of the Western Cape, University of Limpopo, University of the Witwatersrand and SU, doing research within a systems analysis framework. The ADA Winter School forms part of a two month capacity development program for the group.