Darren Lortan

Durban University of Technology

https://www.iarslce.org

Biographical Abstracts

Darren Lortan is an associate professor at the Durban University of Technology (DUT), where he has held several leadership positions (including executive dean, acting deputy vice-chancellor, and academic and acting senior director: engagement).

His interests and areas of activity in community engagement span early childhood development; youth development and educational support; adult basic education; post-school training and local community skills development; and social entrepreneurship. He has served as the chair of the board of the South African Higher Education Community Engagement Forum (SAHECEF) and as the chair of the board of the International Association for Research on Service and Community Engagement (IARSLCE).

Under Lortan’s leadership, DUT joined the Knowledge for Change Consortium (K4C) as a founding member. Under the auspices of the K4C, DUT served as a local training hub for community-based participatory researchers and practitioners. He played a leading role in the SAHECEF partnership with South Africa’s National Research Foundation, through which a dedicated funding instrument for the development of community engagement as a knowledge field was established (2012-2022).

Lortan serves as associate editor on the Editorial Board of the Journal for Community Engagement and Scholarship. He works extensively in articulation—developing and implementing flexible learning pathways for access into post-school education and training.

Areas of Expertise

• Second chance learning for youth not in employment, education or training (NEETs)
• Local community skills development and social entrepreneurship
• Articulation