Prof Weiss, from the JW Goethe University in Frankfurt, Germany, is one of the most prominent world leaders in labour relations and labour law. He will act as mentor and leader for Dr Paul Smit from the Department of Human Resource Management for a three-year research project on transnational labour relations in the Southern African Development Community (SADC). This research project will entail, amongst others, analysing the status of the SADC Charter on Fundament Social Rights in all 15 SADC member states and the status of core International Labour Organisation conventions in these countries, as well as the development and coordinating of regional labour standards and collective bargaining amongst SADC member states.

The research project is of the utmost importance for the promotion of the social dimension in the SADC and will allow for intensive cooperation in the field of labour law and labour relations. It will also promote international collaboration and joint research, not only amongst SADC member states but especially also between the University of Pretoria and the JW Goethe University in Germany.