CRASA and LINK Centre sign MoU
- Wits University
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will strengthen digital policy, regulation and capacity building across southern Africa.
The Communications Regulators’ Association of Southern Africa (CRASA) and the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, acting through the LINK Centre, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to advance cooperation in capacity building, applied research, knowledge exchange and policy and regulatory development for the ICT, postal, audio-visual, digital media and digitally enabled sectors across the SADC region.
The MoU establishes a framework through which the Parties will collaborate on the design, marketing and delivery of professional development programmes, short courses, seminars, masterclasses, policy dialogues and research initiatives. It also provides for cooperation in identifying regulatory and skills gaps, supporting evidence-based approaches to capacity building, and strengthening access to knowledge resources that can assist regulators and related institutions in responding to the demands of digital transformation.
CRASA’s Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Stanley Shanapinda, said the agreement comes at an important time for the region. “Southern Africa’s digital transformation requires regulatory institutions that are agile, informed and equipped to respond to emerging technologies, market changes and the needs of citizens. Through this partnership with Wits University’s LINK Centre, CRASA is strengthening its commitment to regional regulatory harmonisation, professional capacity building and evidence-informed policy development for the benefit of our Member Regulators and the wider SADC community.”
Professor Ntsibane Ntlatlapa of the LINK Centre, Wits University, said the collaboration reflects the Centre’s long-standing focus on the evolving digital knowledge economy on the continent. “The LINK Centre welcomes this opportunity to work with CRASA and its members on the governance, policy and regulatory capabilities required for the digital era. By connecting academic research, professional education and practical regulatory experience, this MoU creates a platform for learning, dialogue and applied knowledge that can support inclusive and sustainable digital development across the region.”
The LINK Centre is an interdisciplinary academic unit at Wits University that conducts research, publishes, teaches and advises on dimensions of digital transitions in African countries, including digital innovation and transformation, governance, policy and regulation for the digital era, cybersecurity thinking and analytical frameworks, and open approaches to knowledge governance.
CRASA is a specialised agency of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) established to foster cooperation among communications regulators and support the harmonisation of regulatory frameworks for the telecommunications, broadcasting and postal sectors across the region.
The Parties expect activities under the MoU to be mutually agreed and implemented subject to applicable institutional processes, availability of funding, and any separate project agreements that may be required for specific initiatives.