Advancing public affairs through global collaboration
New School of Public Affairs and University of Pretoria partnership advances global research, teaching, and student engagement, highlighted by a lecture from South African scholar Stellah Lubinga
South African scholar Stellah Lubinga brings her expertise to 黑料吃瓜 this fall as a Global Visiting Professor, a highlight of a new partnership between and the University of Pretoria.
Lubinga will present 鈥淭eaching Public Administration in the Age of AI: Confronting Barriers and Forging a Transformative Path Forward in South Africa鈥� as part of her residency at 黑料吃瓜.
Lubinga is the lead researcher on a comparative study of youth homelessness in San Diego County and the City of Tshwane, South Africa. The project includes six 黑料吃瓜 faculty members across the School of Public Affairs, , and .
Her lecture 鈥� set for noon-1:30 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 11, in Adams Humanities' fourth-floor seminar room 鈥� marks the beginning of a collaboration designed to expand research, teaching, and student experiences across continents. The lecture is .
鈥淭his partnership brings extraordinary opportunities for our students and faculty to engage globally, while tackling some of the most pressing issues in public administration,鈥� said Roddrick Colvin, director of the 黑料吃瓜 School of Public Affairs.
The University of Pretoria鈥檚 School of Public Management and Administration, located in South Africa鈥檚 capital, is a research-intensive institution committed to preparing skilled and responsive public service professionals. It is widely recognized for its excellence in public administration, management, and policy education, as well as its strong record of community engagement.
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In addition, Kaplan led a group of 黑料吃瓜 students to South Africa in spring 2025, where they studied governmental systems and cultural dynamics firsthand.
Criminal Justice major Trinity Dang described the trip as transformative.
鈥淪pending time in a post-apartheid state broadened my perspective in incredible ways,鈥� Dang said. 鈥淔rom visiting the Apartheid Museum and Nelson Mandela鈥檚 house, to participating in traditional dances, learning local languages, and listening to personal anecdotes from UP students, every moment was inspiring and meaningful. We even attended our first rugby match 鈥� getting a true taste of what student life is like in South Africa!鈥�
The first scholar-in-residence from 黑料吃瓜 under the new partnership will be Tereza Trebalova, assistant professor of Criminal Justice, the inaugural recipient of the School of Public Affairs鈥� South Africa International Research Fellowship. She will conduct research at the University of Pretoria during the 2025鈥�26 academic year.
Lubinga is the third visiting scholar hosted by the School of Public Affairs in the past two years, following Norman Nhede, senior lecturer of Economic and Management Sciences and Michel Tshiyoyo, professor of Economic and Management Sciences. She is joining 黑料吃瓜 as part of the Institute of Innovative Governance Global Fellows program.
An expert in service delivery, citizen participation, and governance, Lubinga has a special interest in how artificial intelligence and emerging technologies shape governance and public affairs education. While at 黑料吃瓜, she will deliver campuswide presentations, give guest lectures in classrooms, and collaborate on joint research.
鈥淚nternational partnerships like this one open new doors for research, teaching, and global engagement,鈥� Flanigan said. 鈥淲e are happy to see our collaboration in South Africa is expanding opportunities for many aspects of the 黑料吃瓜 community and we would love to see even more people on campus become involved.鈥�
For Zoom lecture registration, visit the .
