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SA Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nkosazana Zuma, and International                Relations staff and students after a class session in which the minister gave a talk as  guest speaker International Relations is committed to developing the people and ideas that will enable South Africa to enhance the wellbeing of its citizens through expanding effective engagement in regional and world affairs. In particular, International Relations (IR) aims to: Accelerate capacity building in IR in order to meet the needs of a democratic South Africa, which prior to the first democratic elections in 1994, excluded most of the nation from participating in external affairs. Develop students with a full range of training and research opportunities so that regardless of educational and economic background – those able and willing to proceed through a BA to a Ph.D. can do so. Ensure that the IR curriculum responds to the changing career development needs of South African students, consistent with the nation’s post-1994 basic values and vital interests in Africa and abroad. Contribute to the conceptual and analytic foundations of IR theory and the international community. Through research, publications and participation in public events, contribute to the scholarly, civic, national and international policy debates about South Africa’s engagement in regional and global affairs. Develop partnerships with relevant institutions in order to bridge scholarly, policy and business communities to enhance the practical value of IR training and research and open career knowledge and opportunities for students, share resources, and to facilitate fund raising. Promote cooperation with other Departments in the Faculty of Humanities and with other faculties in the university. Develop networks of scholarly exchange with universities and research institutes across South Africa, Africa and globally

Prof. Khadiagala Head of Department          Interview with Prof. Khadiagala  Q: What is your vision for the department?  A: We are laying the architecture which will       see the department continue to be the most popular and attractive programme in the Faculty. Over the next three to five years the main challenge is to recruit a good balance of individuals who are good teachers and researchers and who will subsequently provide a strong undergraduate foundation to students. If students are inspired by teachers, we will have a larger pool of postgraduates.                                                Read more