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23 July 2018 Photo Johan Roux
Pilot exchange programme between UFS and University of Wisconsin
Dionne van Reenen, JC van der Merwe, and Prof John Grider from the University of Wisconsin-Lacrosse.

The Institute for Reconciliation and Social Justice at the University of the Free State (UFS) partnered with the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in the United States of America (USA) to pilot the first Global Education student-staff exchange. 

The pilot project hosted seven students from the USA and five students from the UFS in a joint tour. The group delved into the political histories of South Africa, visiting among others Freedom Park, the Voortrekker Museum, the Apartheid Museum, and Mandela House during the first leg of the tour in Johannesburg. Before departing from Johannesburg, they had enriching, thought-provoking round-table sessions with Sello Hatang, Leon Wessels, and some of the staff from the Nelson Mandela Foundation.

En route to Pilanesberg in North-West, the tour visited the Sterkfontein Caves and the Cradle of Humankind at Marupeng. Interactive days at the Mphebatho Cultural Museum and Pilanesberg National Park as well as an excursion to Korannaberg to view some San paintings, provided an opportunity to further survey the place of natural, environmental, and cultural heritage in a globalising, modern world.

JC van der Merwe and Dionne van Reenen were joined by Shirley du Plooy and Matau Setshase, together with La Crosse History Chair, Prof John Grider.

Insightful engagements on diverse issues
In Bloemfontein, the lecturing staff facilitated several full-day classes and dialogues at the UFS, after which students offered enlightening presentations on their insights, and showed some serious and deep engagement with legacies of segregation in many different contexts. 

During the closing evening’s discussions with Prof Francis Petersen, UFS Rector and Vice-Chancellor, staff conveyed that, while they usually expect personally transformative moments during such engagements, there is always hope for real critical developments and deepened understandings of how we see and are seen – students on the tour exceeded this hope by seriously grappling with a large array of social and political challenges and initiating lively, inclusive discussions, debating in their own time and spaces.  
“Education, in all its facets, flourished beyond the classroom for staff, students, hosts, and visitors alike, and both institutions look forward to further collaborations in what promises to be a really productive model for international higher-education exchange programmes,” Van der Merwe said.

News Archive

Shimlas have a bunch of fighters for a tough week, says Scholtz
2016-03-18


Scrumhalf Zee Mkhabela is one of the senior Shimla players who will have to help his team play three Varsity Cup matches within a week. Photo: Christaan Kotzé/SASPA

Luckily, he has a bunch of fighters in his rugby group to take on the week ahead, which is almost like a USSA rugby week with a lot of matches in a row.

This is what Hendro Scholtz, the Shimla coach, had to say about the upcoming Varsity Cup week, with his team playing three games within a week. His team will play against the University of Johannesburg (UJ) on 21 March 2016, after which they will face Maties in Cape Town on 24 March 2016, and then take on Pukke in the Mother City on 28 March 2016.

The schedule for the Varsity Cup series had to be adapted due to the recent unrest on campuses across South Africa.

According to Scholtz, the versatility of his players and the attitude of the University of the Free State (UFS) rugby team counts in their favour for the week that lies ahead. Several of the Shimla players can play in more than one position.

The Shimlas will travel with a group of 29 players, and will, after their match in the City of Gold, fly directly to Cape Town for their other two league matches.

“We will take six extra players (other than the 23-man squad) with us,” Scholtz said.

“One should select a group for this week that can fight, hang in there, and are able to play another match or two. It is like a USSA week where you need fighters.”

Prop Chase Morison, who was given a red card against the Central University of Technology in Johannesburg on 14 March 2016, wasn't sighted, and is available to play again. The Shimlas are still unbeaten after winning 10-9 against CUT in the FNB Stadium. Flyhalf Pieter-Steyn de Wet, who missed the game against CUT due to an injury, will be able to play against UJ.

The Kovsie Young Guns and Vishuis, the residence representative for the UFS, will also play a couple of matches in the coming week.

Fixtures:

Shimlas: 21 March: Shimlas v UJ (FNB Stadium); 24 March: Maties v Shimlas (Cape Town Stadium); 28 March: Puk v Shimlas (Cape Town Stadium).

Kovsie Young Guns: 19 March: Kovsie Young Guns v UJ (Rand Stadium); 24 March: Puk v Kovsie Young Guns (Rand Stadium).

Vishuis: 24 March: Vishuis tv Harlequins (NMMU, Rand Stadium); 26 March: Mopanie tv Vishuis (Tuks, (Wanderers Rugby Club); 28 March: Oppierif v Vishuis (UJ, FNB Stadium).

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