Lecture on 'Knowledge Democracy & Community Engagement'

Dr. Rajesh Tandon delivered a virtual guest lecture as part of the inaugural Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education Community Engagement, the first formal Level 8 Community Engagement qualification in South Africa, offered by the Community Engagement Division of Rhodes University.

The lecture was delivered on 30 January 2026 during the programme's first module, "Higher Education and Community Engagement," which laid the foundation for a series of modules focused on strengthening institutional and societal engagement practices.

Speaking on the theme "Knowledge Democracy and Community Engagement," Dr. Tandon explored the significance of knowledge democracy for higher education institutions, development organisations, and public systems. Drawing on decades of experience in participatory research and community–university partnerships, he highlighted the importance of inclusive knowledge creation and meaningful community engagement in addressing contemporary development challenges.

The programme brought together participants from universities, civil society organisations, businesses, and government departments across South Africa. Dr. Tandon's session also provided a conceptual foundation for the subsequent module on Engaged Research, introducing participants to Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) and the Knowledge for Change (K4C) initiative, a global capacity-building programme co-led by PRIA.