The University of the Free State (UFS) recently welcomed a delegation from the Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences (HSWT) in Germany. The visit marked a significant milestone in the growing collaboration between the two institutions, aimed at driving innovation and development in agricultural research and education. The visit formed part of the first meeting of the European Union funded Intra-Africa Mobility Programme, CaReFoAfrica that is co-ordinated by Prof Linus Franke from the Department of Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences at the UFS. The CaReFoAfrica project is focused on human capacity development in climate change and risk mitigation in Africa. The other five partners within the consortium of seven universities include Makerere University in Uganda, Université d’Abomey-Calavi in Benin, Maseno University and University of Eldoret in Kenya, and the Université Evangelique en Afrique in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).  Collaborators from the DRC were unable to attend due to visa restrictions.

During the week-long visit HSWT’s Project Coordinator Dragan Brković conducted a workshop for UFS staff, providing insights into securing European Union funded grants and developing successful project proposals for collaborating consortia. Brković emphasized HSWT's expertise in creating socially impactful projects that address pressing global challenges.

The collaboration between UFS and HSWT has already yielded notable results. Since its inception six years ago, the partnership has funded 25 postgraduate students from 12 African countries, fostering a vibrant community of young researchers and innovators.

Currently the UFS collaborates on four European Union projects with the HSWT. These include two successful Intra-Africa Mobility Projects, CaReFoAfrica and MAINSTREAM, as well as an Erasmus+ project, MASSTER (with partners in South Africa and Senegal) and a Horizon Project, named STREAMING. The UFS, with a strong foundation in agricultural studies and strategic and central geospacial placement in the agricultural region, is well-positioned to contribute to this partnership.

Through this partnership and collaborative projects, UFS aims to enhance its research capabilities, attract top talent, educate change leaders on the continent and contribute to sustainable development in South Africa and beyond.