– Introduction
The Southern Africa Student Union (SASU) is a regional organization representing hundreds of students across the SADC region through 15 National Student Unions and numerous Student Representative Councils (SRCs). SASU provides a platform for students to advocate for education as a fundamental right and to engage on issues such as governance, democracy, development, and conflict that impact their future. The organization envisions a non-discriminatory, democratic, and economically vibrant SADC where students are valued and supported through free, quality, and working-class-oriented education and decent employment. SASU seeks systemic change by influencing national and regional policies, enhancing the capacity of its member unions, and ensuring that governments and institutions reflect students’ needs in their policies and programs.
– Vision
SASU envisions a SADC region, free from racialism, sexism, and any form of prejudice; a democratic and economically vibrant and prosperous region, in which young people and students are valued, respected and supported through the provision of free, quality, relevant and working class biased education, as well as quality and decent jobs.
– Mission
SASU’s mission is to:
- Build a strong regional students organisation capable of protecting and promoting the rights of students’ academic freedom,
- Strive for free quality and relevant education in the SADC region, and
- Increase access to internet and technology for all students, given the increase in the use of digital platforms for education
– Theory of Change
If the resilience and capacities of student unions and other progressive student organisations to defend students’ right to equal access to education and academic freedom are increased; if there is effective representation of student unions on a regional level; and if the Southern Africa Student Union is more organised, accountable and effective; then SASU will be more legitimate, impactful and empowered.
– The values of the SASU
SASU is committed to the values of:
1. Democracy and the rule of law – we work for and on behalf of the students in the region, and we respect all democratic decisions taken in all structures of the organisation.
2. Quality and integrity – we deliver to the best of our ability and with the integrity expected of responsible student leaders
3. Collective leadership – Individual submits to decisions of the collective and not vice versa
4. Working Class African Leadership
5. Transparency – all our processes are clear and follow prescribed formula
6, Accountability – we promote responsibility for our actions
7. Solidarity – we are united and work together with progressive forces and student movements in the region and around the globe.
8. Dignity and integrity – we are an organization of honour; truthful to ourselves, the struggles we are waging and we work for no other ulterior motives but to serve the students, youth and working class people within our region.
Structure and Governance
– SASU Conference
The SASU Conference is the organization’s highest decision-making body. It convenes every three years to review progress, evaluate activities, adopt new policies, and elect leadership in accordance with the SASU Constitution. The conference sets the strategic direction and provides a renewed mandate for the organization.
– SASU Regional Executive Committee (REC)
The REC is elected by the SASU Conference and comprises representatives from all student unions in the region. It is the highest decision-making structure between conferences and provides strategic oversight and policy guidance during the inter-conference period.
– Secretariat
The Secretariat is a small operational unit elected by the Conference in line with the SASU Constitution. It is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the organization and reports directly to the Regional Executive Committee.
– Student Unions/Organizations
These are the national student organizations affiliated with SASU, representing its core constituencies. They elect delegates to the SASU Conference and nominate leaders to serve on the Executive Committee. These unions play a central role in shaping SASU’s agenda and driving its initiatives at the grassroots and regional levels.
Organizational Focus
SASU’s core focus areas include:
Advocacy on student-related issues
Research and policy development
Capacity building for national unions and student leaders
Campaigns for increased education funding
In fulfilling its mission, SASU commits to the following governance principles:
- Maintaining credibility through effective governance, oversight, and accountability mechanisms
- Strengthening governance systems to ensure funder confidence, including the adoption of a board charter and provision of board training
- Enhancing internal policies and controls to effectively manage financial and human resources
SASU’s Uniqueness
This section outlines SASU’s distinct position among its peers, as recognized by various stakeholders.
1. Established Credibility and Historical Significance
SASU is a credible, homegrown institution that has carved a unique niche in student activism since the 1980s. It serves as a recognized voice both across the African continent and globally—a level of authority that no other student union in the SADC region has attained.
2. Organizational Resilience
Despite challenges within the SADC region that once led to its dormancy, SASU has demonstrated notable resilience. Its resurgence since 2016 reflects its capacity to adapt and reestablish itself as a sustainable institution within a dynamic higher education landscape.
3. Focused Advocacy in the Education Sector
SASU’s work in the economic justice domain is uniquely centered on the education sector, particularly higher and tertiary education. Unlike other organizations with a broad focus, SASU concentrates on the structural injustices within institutions that limit student activism.
4. Comprehensive Approach to Academic Freedom
SASU adopts a comprehensive approach to promoting academic freedoms and has effectively connected these freedoms to wider development and governance issues within the region.
5. Regional Coordination and Policy Influence
One of SASU’s core strengths lies in its ability to bridge and coordinate student unions across the SADC region. It functions as a central hub for student union engagement and is widely regarded as a primary reference point on higher and tertiary education policy for national governments, SADC institutions, and other stakeholders.
6. Support and Inspiration for National Unions
As a union founded by national student unions, SASU continues to inspire and support them. It remains the only regional organization actively advocating for students to be valued, respected, and supported through access to free, quality, relevant, and working-class-oriented education, as well as dignified employment opportunities.
7. Thought Leadership in Academic Freedoms
SASU has led discourse in the area of academic freedom and student activism. It has generated knowledge, built linkages, and positioned student activism within broader governance and development frameworks. As a “union of unions,” it is uniquely positioned to influence regional policy and practice.
