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20 December 2019 Photo Shaari Rai Poken
Kweku
From Bloemfontein to Bremen: Kweku Gavor represented South Africa well in Germany.

It all started with the Umoja Buddy Programme (UBP). Kweku Gavor was a UBP ambassador when he met exchange students from Germany. Two years later, the roles were reversed. “Helping out students who later have become my really good friends opened up the opportunity for me to study abroad in Germany.” he said.

Kweku spent about four months as part of a pilot Summer Lab Programme at Universität Bremen after being nominated for a scholarship by the German Academic Exchange Service, which his former Umoja buddies helped create. He shared the experience with eight other students from Palestine, Poland, Ukraine, and the US. The focus was on Business Studies, Marketing and Economics.

According to the BCom graduate, studying internationally gave him new insights. “The experience opened my mind and better-equipped me to work in situations in which I need to handle a lot of pressure against the clock.”

The first leg of the programme featured corresponding modules presented in a classroom environment, which were integrated with assignments, presentations, tests and exams. This was supplemented by a language course that involved cultural leadership training. Another crucial part of the Summer Lab Programme was an internship where students were placed with companies and tasked with a problem-solving project. Kweku was placed at Fabular Ai, an artificial intelligence company which designs computer software.

“Going to study abroad is an extremely rare and fantastic opportunity I advise all who can to grab it with both hands,” said Kweku, who also used the opportunity to travel all over Europe.

Internationalisation at home with Umoja

The UBP, which is collaboratively run by the UFS Office for International Affairs and Student Affairs, played a big part in Kweku being given the opportunity to study abroad. However, unlike him, not all students have to the opportunity to engage in undergraduate exchanges.

The UBP is part of the university’s efforts to advance internationalisation at home, as anchored in the UFS Strategic Plan: 2018-2022. With the programme, students are able to receive an international experience on home ground.

The programme aims to connect international and local students through meaningful lifelong friendships and foster their academic, social and cultural integration. It pairs first-entry international students with senior Kovsies who provide a warm, welcoming, friendly face, and a helping hand.

Expression of interest sought

A total of 48 ambassadors were enrolled in 2019. To join the UBP in 2020, contact Sonya Kapfumvuti at KapfumvutiSCR@ufs.ac.za or call her on 051 401 3397.

News Archive

DB Prinsloo now Director of KovsieSport
2012-06-08

 

DB Prinsloo and a fellow athlete at the Free State Cross Country Championships.
Photo: Supplied

08 June 2012

DB Prinsloo has been appointed as Director of KovsieSport, effective from 1 April 2012. He has been acting in this position since 2010.

Apart from leading this division for some time, DB has been involved as a sport manager at KovsieAthletics since 2003. “Athletics is my speciality sport, but during the past two years as acting director, I have managed to create a balance and I was able to divide my time in order to serve all the sporting codes.”

He is very excited about his appointment. “It’s such a privilege. I have been a Kovsie since my first year in 1982, and I am really proud to be able to go the distance,” he says.

Regarding his vision for KovsieSport, DB says, “I would like to see Kovsies become the first choice university in South Africa for students who are interested in sport – be it performance sport or recreational sport.”

He finds students’ involvement in sport at university important. “I would like to see us increase our excellence, something we are already working hard to achieve. Participating in sport is a lifestyle choice and I would like to see all students participating in our recreational sporting activities. A healthy body is home to a healthy spirit,” he says.
 

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