03 September 2025
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Story Precious Shamase
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Photo Teboho Mositi
A delegation from Debark University who recently visited the UFS Qwaqwa Campus to sign a new MoU with the Qwaqwa Campus management.
In a significant step towards strengthening intra-African academic ties, the University of the Free State (UFS)
Qwaqwa Campus has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with
Debark University in Ethiopia. The agreement, sealed during a visit from a high-level delegation, aims to establish a collaborative research and academic exchange framework, with a specific focus on ‘mountain-to-mountain’ studies.
The delegation from Debark University, which included acting President Dr Asmamaw Zegeye Workneh and DST-NRF research chair Prof Mammo Muchie from the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), was hosted by the UFS Office for International Affairs (OIA) and the
Afromontane Research Unit (ARU).
According to Bulelwa Moikwatlhai, Assistant Director of the UFS
Office for International Affairs, the aim is to extend the collaboration beyond mountain research to explore a wider range of collaborative activities. "I invited colleagues from various disciplines here today to find a scope of collaboration through mountain research," she said, urging attendees to "not close your ears when you hear 'mountain research’, but to also look at the Debark University’s thematic research areas, and identify potential collaborative opportunities".
Qwaqwa Campus Principal, Prof Prince Ngobeni, highlighted the strategic alignment of the partnership with the university's vision of creating ‘responsible societal futures.’
"This collaboration with Debark University supports our continental knowledge co-creation and social impact," said Prof Ngobeni. "This partnership not only advances our shared strategic goals but also contributes to the development of our region, given our location in the Eastern Free State."
Both universities, he noted, share a commitment to serving ‘underserved and geographically unique communities’, such as those in Ethiopia's Simien Mountains and South Africa's Maloti Mountains.
The Qwaqwa Campus is home to six centres of excellence, including the Afromontane Research Unit, which served as a key meeting point for the visiting delegation. Debark University, located in the Simien Mountains region and often referred to as the ‘Roof of Africa’, is seeking to establish a similar centre for mountain research.
Through engagement with ARU Research Champions at the ARU, the visit also provided an opportunity for the delegation to explore new collaborative ties between UFS and Ethiopian researchers, including those focused on Gelada baboons and small mammals. Prof Ralph Clark, Director of the ARU, elaborated on the history and the institutional model for the ARU, with practical suggestions for and discussions with our Ethiopian colleagues on their planned establishment of a centre for mountain research in the Simien Mountains.
Discussions during the visit explored a range of collaborative mechanisms, including joint funding applications, staff and student exchange programmes, and postgraduate supervision. The partnership is seen as a potential model for ‘intra-African academic solidarity’, particularly for newer universities located in remote, mountainous communities.
Prof Cias Tsotetsi, Vice-Principal: Academic and Research, noted that the collaboration aligns with the university's research clusters, particularly ‘Planetary Health and Well-being’ and ‘Sustainable Futures’. He expressed confidence that the partnership could extend to other departments, including those in the faculties of The Humanities and Education.
"Through this partnership, we envision enhancing our research capabilities, promoting innovation, and contributing to policy and practice in mountain regions," said Prof Tsotetsi.
Debark University, established in 2008, has more than 5 000 students across five colleges and one school. The visit is set to lay the groundwork for a formal bilateral agreement between the two institutions, building on a shared commitment to innovative research and community-driven science.