UVA Batten Dean Ian Solomon visited Cape Town, South Africa earlier this month to participate in the Sixth World Conference on Remedies to Racial and Social Inequality. The event convened academic, policy and community leaders to share their insights and experience battling inequality.  

Dean Solomon joined four other academic leaders at public policy and public affairs schools in the U.S. and South Africa for a panel discussion focused on the role of universities in preparing graduates for the world of work: Susan Gooden, dean of the Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs, Virginia Commonwealth University; David Wilson, dean of the Goldman School of Public Policy at the University of California at Berkeley; Nisha Botchwey, dean of the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota; and Michelle Esau, dean of the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences at the University of the Western Cape.

“It was an honor to be on this panel with these four distinguished colleagues and to share my excitement about our work at the Batten School integrating leadership and public policy to cultivate leaders who can bridge divides,” he said. 

In a LinkedIn post prior to the conference, Dr. RaJade M. (Jade) Berry-James, senior associate dean of faculty and academic affairs at VCU’s Wilder School, wrote about the impact of the world conference: 

The Sixth World Conference on Remedies to Racial and Social Inequality presents an unprecedented opportunity to redefine public policy and affairs education, with a focus on the challenges and perspectives in the United States and South Africa. 

In post-apartheid South Africa, the problem of inequality, poverty and unemployment undermines the constitutional stipulations and other policy initiatives designed to eliminate racial and social inequality. In the United States, violence, residential segregation, and structural racism obstruct progress toward equity, equality, and social justice. 

The panel will feature academic leaders at the top-public policy and public affairs schools in the US and South Africa and their insights about the future of public policy and higher education. These leaders are at the front lines of change and they will identify innovations and efforts to build global bridges with government and academia.