Southern African Research and Documentation Centre (SARDC)

The Southern African Research and Documentation Centre (SARDC) is an independent regional knowledge resource center established in 1985 to strengthen regional policy perspectives and track implementation on a range of issues in southern Africa and works in partnership at national and regional levels. The Southern African Research and Documentation Centre is a research centre for a region comprising 16 countries that make up the Southern African Development Community (SADC), so has a broad view of regional development as well as national perspectives. This region is urbanizing very fast. The Centre has several institutes on development sectors that impact urban development and sustainability including economic, gender, water and environment (and climate change), industrialization and trade, renewable energy, and a history institute that is critical in reviewing various dimensions of the past that impact on the present, thus History Today.

Vision

SARDC is an independent regional knowledge resource centre which seeks to enhance the effectiveness of key development processes in southern Africa through the collection, production and dissemination of information, and enabling the capacity to generate and use knowledge.

Mission

SARDC’s objective is to improve the base of knowledge about economic, political, cultural and social developments in southern Africa, and their implications, by making information accessible to governments and policymakers, non-governmental organizations, the private sector, regional and international organizations, development agencies, parliaments, and the media.

Institutes

SARDC is made up of topical institutes that focus on regional policies and processes such as regional economic integration and infrastructure development including energy, transport, trade, technology, and tourism; as well as the environment, water resources and climate change; gender equality and women in decision-making; media and elections; and China Africa studies; as well as five specialist support services for financial services; Facilities administration; ICT and Web development; Publishing; and the core Knowledge Resource Centre.