Lara currently serves on the Management Council of IEASA and has been a member of the organisation since 2002. This is her second opportunity to serve on the conference organising committee. Lara’s professional role is Director of CIEE Cape Town, and she served as an international educator for more than 20 years, both at the University of Cape Town (1996 – 2018) and as Director, CIEE since 2018. She holds a Masters degree from UCT (1996) and in 2020, she completed the Executive Management and Coaching short course at UCT, part of her journey towards certification as a coach. Lara is passionate about the transformative power of quality education programs for underrepresented students, and the teams who serve them. Helping people develop opportunities and skills for thriving in a globally dependent and culturally diverse world keeps her focussed and committed to international education. Being part of a student’s journey towards a better future for all is a privilege second to none.
MESSAGE FROM THE CONFERENCE CHAIR
Lara Dunwell, Director: Council on International Education Exchange, Cape Town Center
On behalf of the conference organising committee, I warmly welcome you to the 2021 Conference of the International Education Association of South Africa.
Our theme this year is Internationalisation, Inclusion and Social Justice – Towards a Fairer World. We will have two days to spend together in our virtual conference spaces, and we trust that the learning and engagement with speakers from around South Africa – and indeed, the world – will open a window to new opportunities for international education in the post-COVID era.
I would like to acknowledge the tireless efforts of many volunteers, as well as our sponsors and supporters. In particular, I would like to thank:
The universities of South Africa. IEASA exists to advocate, promote and support the internationalisation of Higher Education by providing a professional forum for institutions and individuals to address challenges and develop strategic opportunities in international education in Africa and the rest of the developing world. The annual conference is one such initiative, and the universities have graciously released their IE staff and practitioners for the purpose of attendance.
The IEASA team, in particular our President Mr Wiseman Jack and Past President Ms Orla Quinlan, and Strategic Advisor Dr Samia Chasi for their guidance and leadership. A special thank you to Tohiera Bagus, IEASA Manager, who juggled all the balls no matter how many were thrown in her direction, and has pulled together a beautiful event for us.