UCT Sustainability and the SDGs 2022 - Magazine - Page 38
The network is poised to make
signi昀椀cant strides in creating
inclusive and equitable educational
environments and promises to build
robust research partnerships and
develop innovative approaches to
higher education that prioritise social
justice and the common good.
Research and Innovation
Collaborating to tackle antimicrobial resistance
Antimicrobials are vital medicines used to prevent and treat
many common infections and are heavily relied upon to carry out
surgeries. However, they are rapidly losing their effectiveness
as the microorganisms responsible for infections learn how to
resist them. To tackle this issue, UCT’s Holistic Drug Discovery
and Development Centre (H3D) in 2024 joined forces with
LifeArc, a not-for-pro昀椀t science organisation, to form the Centre
– Associate Professor Glenda Cox,
for Translational AMR Research (CTAR) Programme.
UCT UNESCO Chair in Open Education
and Social Justice.
The CTAR Programme is aimed at identifying and
developing 昀椀rst-in-class therapeutics for infections caused by
multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacteria, including
Acinetobacter baumannii. Beyond the drug development,
this partnership also focuses on strengthening local research
capacity in Africa. The collaboration will enhance H3D’s
Global Media Index for Africa
research capabilities to facilitate ef昀椀cient AMR drug discovery,
UCT’s Centre for Film and Media Studies
which will be achieved through secondments of experienced
partnered with Africa No Filter, a non-pro昀椀t
scientists from LifeArc to UCT, and scienti昀椀c research visits of
organisation (NPO) that works to challenge and
H3D scientists to LifeArc to gain exposure to new technologies
and techniques available through LifeArc.
Our research provides not just a
snapshot of current media practices,
but a call to action for global media
to critically examine their storytelling
about Africa and understand
its impact.
change harmful narratives on Africa and the
UCT UNESCO Chair in Open Education and Social
Justice Assoc Prof Glenda Cox (right) with CILT
deputy director, Dr Tabisa Mayisela.
Africa Centre, New York – a multidisciplinary NPO
that provides a gateway for engagement with
contemporary Africa to launch the Global Media
Global partnership to advance open education
and social justice
Nantes University, brings together 16 partners from various
UCT is playing a key role in a major global collaboration
Associate Professor Glenda Cox - the UCT UNESCO Chair
to advance equitable access to knowledge through open
in Open Education and Social Justice. Her work focuses on
education. In 2024, the UNESCO University Twinning and
open education with an emphasis on co-constructing, co-
Networking Programme network on Open Education was
designing and co-creating openly available teaching and
– Associate Professor Wallace Chuma,
launched, marking a signi昀椀cant step towards advancing open
learning resources that recognise and represent diverse
Centre for Film and Media Studies.
education and social justice globally. This initiative, hosted by
voices.
76 - Sustainability and the SDGs 2024
countries and institutions, including UCT, represented by
Index (GMI) for the continent..
This initiative tracks how 20 of the world’s most
in昀氀uential news providers report on news related
to Africa. It revealed that there is much room for
improvement when it comes to covering new,
progressive narratives on the continent.
Sustainability and the SDGs 2024 – 77
