APGroN, in partnership with the College of Law at UNISA (through the Department of Public Constitutional and International Law (PCIL), held the UNISA APGRON Annual Conference from 21 – 23 November 2022. Over thirty speakers from across Afrika and Asia presented on various topics under the theme “Afrika’s transformative aspirations through the eyes of decolonisation – from Rhetoric to Action”.

Dr Lebogang Morodi, Director of the School of Criminal Justice, delivered the opening address on behalf of the Deanery and emphasized the need for more collegial platforms to capacitate junior and emerging scholars and increase research outputs. Dr Lindelwa Mhlongo, acting Chair of the PCIL Department, followed up with a background of the APGRON initiative and how its collaboration with UNISA is giving a platform to both students and emerging researchers to grow, be involved in engaged scholarship and acts as a facilitator of mentorship and transformation of the knowledge economy.

This year’s conference sought to place transformation and decolonization at the centre of Africa’s development. 

The conference had three unique selling points:

(1) the first day was dedicated to capacity building for young and emerging scholars;

(2) it also featured an awards ceremony for the best papers presented by junior researchers; and

(3) two special issue publications featuring selected quality papers from this conference are already in the pipeline using the South African Yearbook of International Law and the Comparative and International Law Journal of Southern Africa.