When we launched the Academic Circle in April 2025, we envisioned a space where research could breathe beyond the boundaries of formal institutions, a space where scholars, students, and practitioners could come together to learn, think, and collaborate on research questions and projects. Far from starting from scratch, this year’s Academic Circle drew from the momentum of earlier INSPIRE and the Centre for Sustainability Transitions’ academic convenings, including the 2024 Academic Networking Event.
What began as a revival of that spirit soon grew into a dynamic community of researchers, students, and practitioners committed to meaningful knowledge exchange.
Academic work can easily become isolating, especially for early-career researchers and independent thinkers navigating complex fields like energy justice, sustainability, and social transformation. That is why the Academic Circle quickly became a rare sanctuary: a space where people could bring their honest questions, unfinished ideas, and evolving methodologies without fear of judgement.
Through monthly conversations that brought together researchers, students, and practitioners from across South Africa, the Academic Circle grew into far more than a networking platform. It became a thoughtful and collaborative space.
A Community Formed Through Dialogue
From our first session in April 2025 and leading up to it, it was evident that participants sought more than academic exchange; they were looking for connection and collective inquiry. Each session created deliberate space for conversations outside of formal academic settings; candid reflections on fieldwork realities, researcher positionality, ethical dilemmas, and the emotional labour inherent in work on complex social issues.
Each month, our circle grew in depth:
- We unpacked theoretical perspectives on sustainability transitions and energy justice, reflecting on the challenges of socio-technical change in South Africa’s energy landscape.
- We explored research methods not as rigid formulas, but as ethical and political choices that shape our research findings and impact on communities.
- We held space for conversations about land and ownership, community participation, and power dynamics in renewable energy and the just transition.
- We spotlighted emerging research on wind energy impacts, job creation, social performance in REIPPPP projects, and just transition pathways.
- In our final session of 2025, we looked ahead by exploring themes of circular economy and solar PV waste as urgent frontiers in sustainability research.
In every session, one theme echoed: research is most powerful when shared.
This commitment to collaborative learning is what defined the Academic Circle in 2025.
Looking Ahead – Resuming in 2026
As we close the chapter on 2025 with gratitude, we look ahead to a new season next year. The Academic Circle will resume in February 2026, continuing the momentum we have built this year. In the year ahead, we will deepen our conversations, strengthen collaboration, and explore ways to expand and energise the network. Our purpose remains unchanged: to build a community that connects knowledge to meaningful transformation.
With Thanks
To each person who participated, presented, asked a question, shared a reading, held space, or simply listened — thank you. Together, we are not only building scholarship, we are building community.
Stay connected with us through our platforms for updates on the 2026 session schedule. If you would like to join the Academic Circle community next year, you are warmly invited.
