Research to Policy, Policy to Reality

How do you fix the “it” when it’s a complex education system or - to be more precise - a constellation of interconnected yet vastly different systems within what is generally referred to as “the” South African education system? This is a question policymakers, practitioners and others have grappled with since the nation’s democratic transition in 1994 and one we will take stock off just over 30 years since the SA’s first democratic elections. Expect to learn more about why calls to “just fix it” continue to prove challenging as well as how insights from SA may apply in other policy contexts.

Schistosomiasis is a debilitating disease that affects over 200 million people globally, with >90% of cases occurring in sub-Saharan Africa. To control and eliminate this disease, interventions target the different stages of the life cycle of the worms that cause the disease. While there are policies in place to guide and support these interventions, the real challenge is ensuring these policies translate into action.

This talk will shed more light on how complex health policies can be, the politics involved and the different stakeholder groups that are very important to successful policymaking and implementation. Understanding these dynamics can help bridge the gap between policy and practice, ultimately improving health outcomes for affected communities.

Policymaking is intended to address key problems in a contemporary society, for the benefit of its people. But what happens when policies fail to produce wellbeing? This talk will address how policies made in Westminster can undermine social cohesion and perpetuate the disempowerment of both established local communities and new arrivals. Using the UK immigration policy as an example, this talk will also illuminate how increasingly diverse communities and local actors challenge social fragmentation and inequalities perpetuated by divisive policies, producing resilience and wellbeing at a local level.