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15 March 2018 Photo Thabo Kessah
Qwaqwa Campus welcomes international students
SRC President, Masopha Hlalele, with ISC Executive Committee members Tapiwanashe Mashamba (Deputy Chairperson), Jennifer Ashafa (Chairperson), Mamokete Mokhatla (Secretary), and Kanego Mokgosi (Qwaqwa Campus: Office for International Affairs).
Integration. Diversity. Inclusivity. Academic excellence.

These words featured prominently during the welcoming event for international students on the Qwaqwa Campus of the University of the Free State. The event was organised by the International Student Council (ISC), in collaboration with the Office for International Affairs (OIA).

“The presence of international students is bound to enrich diversity on campus, as it converges vast experiences of the world within one space. It further promotes social integration between South African students and those from the region and beyond,” said Teboho Manchu, Acting Campus Principal.

Opportunity to connect
Teboho further stated that international students provide a critical opportunity for all students to connect, irrespective of their origin.

“Immerse yourselves in the local culture and most importantly, go out there in the communities and connect with the ordinary people,” he added.

In encouraging international students to fully participate in the student programmes on campus, the Acting Campus Vice-Principal: Support Services and Director: Student Affairs, Temba Hlasho, said that Student Affairs supports all students, irrespective of their choice of study or origin.
“To show that we as Student Affairs care, we are going to institute a process in which the SRC Constitution will be reviewed to include international students. This will enable all students to use the positive environment to further thrive in their chosen careers. Participate in all the student activities and leave a mark. Exploit the nature of this campus. Take advantage of its relatively small size and warmth,” he said.

SRC Constitution review
In his response on behalf of the students, the SRC President, Masopha Hlalele, concurred with the campus management that the time was right to review the SRC Constitution to include international students as well as postgraduate students.

“We commit to fast-tracking this process so that the amended constitution can be adopted by the UFS Council in June 2018. In the meantime, continue making your mark on every inch of this campus,” he said.

International students in the audience came from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, and India.

News Archive

Short course in population, environment and development draws participants from across the world
2013-09-04

Participants at this year’s short course in the Population, Environment and Development (PED) nexus.
4 September 2013

In 2006 the university, in collaboration with several national and international partners, such as the Department of Social Development (DSD), Leadership for Environment and Development (LEAD): Southern and Eastern Africa, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and South African National Parks (SANParks, particularly Golden Gate Highlands National Park), launched a short course in the Population, Environment and Development (PED) nexus. Since 2006 a total of ten courses were presented and more than 300 mid-career managers, senior officials and NGO volunteers from across the world received training. The most recent course included participants from Vietnam, China, Tunisia, Gambia, Zimbabwe, Mexico and Uganda.

Colleagues from several academic departments and centres at the UFS – Sociology, Environmental Management, Development Studies and Disaster Management, in collaboration with the DSD and LEAD – gave theoretical inputs during the course, while colleagues from SANParks were primarily responsible for the facilitation of the practical visit on site. The PED nexus training programme has received international recognition as a best practice example of successful initiatives of this kind.

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