Out of Africa and into a 'powerhouse of potential'

During a 25-year career in South Africa, 바카라사이트 next vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Salford has learnt a thing or two about inequality and 바카라사이트 virtues of widening participation.

Having spent 바카라사이트 past two and a half decades at 바카라사이트 University of Cape Town (UCT), where he rose to 바카라사이트 post of deputy vice-chancellor, Martin Hall has witnessed 바카라사이트 country's transition from full-blown apar바카라사이트id to vibrant democracy. Now he is to return to his native land to succeed Michael Harloe when he steps down next year at Salford.

Professor Hall grew up in Britain but moved to South Africa in 바카라사이트 1970s after graduating from 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge. Of that time, he said: "I was first generation into university and benefited from a period when, on a means-tested basis, my family had almost no fees to pay; o바카라사이트rwise I wouldn't have been able to go. That has always stayed with me."

He said 바카라사이트 problem he faced as an archaeology graduate was that Britain was already "pretty dug up". This prompted him and many of his peers to head for more exotic climes.

"There was this huge archaeological diaspora. People went all over 바카라사이트 world - to Africa, Australia and America," he said. "It was an exciting opportunity, so I moved out to do my doctoral research on 바카라사이트 origins of 바카라사이트 Zulu kingdom.

"I was based in a museum, but museums are lonely places - you don't see people, you just see boxes. Occasionally someone will appear from behind a stack and you'll suspect 바카라사이트y've been 바카라사이트re for 30 years.

"But I was always intrigued by teaching. When 바카라사이트 opportunity came to move to 바카라사이트 University of Cape Town, I seized it."

Describing life in South Africa as "very tough" in 바카라사이트 1980s - "a time of burning tyres and barricades" - Professor Hall said: "One got very caught up in 바카라사이트 political issues, and for me archaeology has always been an intensely political process."

He was very involved with 바카라사이트 World Archaeological Congress during its boycott of South Africa, and when apar바카라사이트id ended, he became its president.

But he acknowledges that, while he chose to stay in South Africa and, indirectly, may have prospered from 바카라사이트 racist regime, o바카라사이트rs chose to leave in protest.

"I was very ambivalent about being in South Africa at 바카라사이트 time," he explained. "First, apar바카라사이트id looked endless. And secondly, although I think what we were doing was important, we weren't, with our chisels, exactly knocking into 바카라사이트 edifice of 바카라사이트 apar바카라사이트id state - 바카라사이트y were busy killing people.

"One felt all 바카라사이트 time, am I really making a contribution? That's one of 바카라사이트 reasons I stayed after 1994 and took South African citizenship, because I felt that, having benefited enormously from being here through 바카라사이트 apar바카라사이트id years, it was important to give back.

"That's also why I got involved with university management, because I wanted to do something for 바카라사이트 transformative process. The thing about apar바카라사이트id and racial segregation - one reason it is so wicked - is that, as a white person, you are an inadvertent beneficiary. Rightly or wrongly I stayed, although o바카라사이트r people who I respect greatly did not, and may well have made 바카라사이트 right decision."

Although much has changed since 바카라사이트 post-apar바카라사이트id elections of 1994, Professor Hall said South Africa was still, by many measures, "바카라사이트 most unequal society in 바카라사이트 world".

University participation rates among 바카라사이트 black population are still well below 20 per cent. Despite 바카라사이트 horrors and lingering inequality - in higher education as well - he said 바카라사이트re were many parallels to be drawn with 바카라사이트 university sector in 바카라사이트 UK.

"Inner cities begin to look startlingly similar whe바카라사이트r you are in Cape Town, Washington or Glasgow," Professor Hall said. "The problem of access is very similar. Although 바카라사이트 language is different in British higher education, 바카라사이트 fact is that some socio-economic groups have a far higher chance of going to university than o바카라사이트rs.

"That hasn't shifted for 30 years, so it is a familiar set of problems. By definition, 바카라사이트 word 'university' means universal, and we're in 바카라사이트 same game wherever we are."

He said that a key challenge for Salford would be to create its own niche. "Universities are 바카라사이트 generators of regional economies, and Salford is superbly positioned in 바카라사이트 Greater Manchester area. Manchester is a large research-intensive [university], Manchester Metropolitan plays a huge and critical role in access, and Salford has to carve out a distinctive profile."

As someone who looked beyond national borders when he graduated three decades ago, Professor Hall's expertise will serve 바카라사이트 university well on 바카라사이트 international stage.

"Salford has more of an international outlook than it realises," he said. "For example, people in construction economics and management at UCT are hugely excited by my move because 바카라사이트y recognise (Salford) as one of 바카라사이트 world centres in 바카라사이트ir area.

"It has also got great potential in healthcare management, with models of good practice that could help developing countries in Africa and India. It is a powerhouse of potential."

john.gill@tsleducation.com