The Afromontane Research Unit (ARU) is the flagship research group of the University of the Free State (UFS), Qwaqwa Campus, with research affiliates throughout UFS Faculties and internationally.
Situated at the base of the majestic Maloti-Drakensberg, the ARU’s Vision is to become a continental leader in African mountain research, with an immediate focus on the sustainable development of the Maloti-Drakensberg.
The ARU’s mission is to facilitate the development and capacity - building of a high- excellence Africa-based mountain research ‘community of practice’ that informs global mountain research theory and practice and contributes to mountain related policy and governance from an African perspective, thus balancing a predominance of mountain research driven from the Global North and Northern Hemisphere.