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National University of Lesotho and UFS strengthen ties

20 December 2019 | Story Valentino Ndaba | Photo Valentino Ndaba

Lesotho Read More — Staff members from the National University of Lesotho and the University of the Free State at the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding.

Cornelius Hagenmeier, Director of the Office for International Affairs, quoted from the 2018–2020 Internationalisation Strategy, which states, “Out of the existing partnerships and collaborations, a limited number of strategic partnerships will be identified and specifically supported. Furthermore, the development of a strategic partnership with the National University of Lesotho will be explored.”

This agenda became official on 17 October 2019 when the National University of Lesotho and the University of the Free State signed a Memorandum of Understanding.

Building bridges to reach critical regional partners

This ongoing organic collaboration has been evident in different spheres of our university over the past few years. Joint activities are already taking place through the Directorate for Research Development that is driving the Lesotho Highlands Water Project, the Faculty of Education, Pharmacology, Political Studies, Africa Studies, and the Afromontane Research Unit on the UFS Qwaqwa Campus.

Delegates who represented the National University of Lesotho at the signing ceremony were the Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Prof Sunny Aiyuk; Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Prof Motlamelle Kapa; Dean of the Faculty of the Humanities, Prof Beatrice Ekanjume-Ilongo; and Senior Lecturer in Development Studies and Chair of the Gender Committee, Dr Mamoeketsi Ntho.

Internationalisation, Africanisation, and decolonisation

The conclusion of a formal Memorandum of Understanding, which contributes towards academic growth, reflects the vision of comprehensive internationalisation at both institutions.

According to the UFS Internationalisation Strategy, “Internationalisation, Africanisation and decolonisation are considered as contemporary processes. In line with the South African policy priorities, the internationalisation process at the UFS will in the future include a stronger focus on the Southern African Development Community (SADC), Africa, BRICS, and the Global South. Nevertheless, the university will continue to strengthen and expand its relations and partnerships in the Global North.”

News Archive

UFS withdraws interdict against SASCO and ANCYL

2003-11-25

The Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Free State, Prof Frederick Fourie, announced today that a court order against the South African Students Congress (SASCO) and the ANC Youth League (ANCYL) had been withdrawn.

The withdrawal of the court order follows after a written statement by SASCO and the ANCYL in which they “unconditionally withdraw or retract statements threatening to render the institution ungovernable” and give their “commitment not to proceed with our threats to establish our own democratic SRC and occupy the current SRC offices”.

The UFS management obtained the court order in October after SASCO and the ANCYL refused to accept the outcome of the recent student referendum and SRC elections and threatened to disrupt the campus.

Prof Fourie also welcomed the undertaking by SASCO and the ANCYL to act in accordance with the prescribed procedures to resolve any grievance that the organisations may have, saying the UFS management remains committed to a constructive dialogue with all student organisations to manage a campus of diversity, tolerance and non-racialism.

In September students voted in a referendum to test support for a system of proportional representation (PR) for the SRC. A vast majority of students voted against the PR system, a system favoured by SASCO and the ANCYL..

Following allegations of fraud in the referendum, the UFS management asked the auditing firm PriceWaterhouseCoopers to conduct an independent audit of the ballot papers.

The auditors found that a total of 180 ballot papers out of 3513 – only 5.12% - of the votes cast - appeared to have been altered by means of erasing and then changing the student number.

According to the auditors, with all potentially altered and suspicious ballot papers excluded, a huge majority of 60,8% of students voted against the proportional representation system.

A few days after the referendum, the actual SRC election was held. However, at no stage were there any complaints from any organization about the integrity of the SRC election itself.

Despite this and the findings of the auditors, SASCO and the ANCYL refused to accept the outcome.

Law student Quintin du Plessis was elected SRC president. He welcomed the stance taken by SASCO and the ANCYL to pursue their objectives through the existing structures and said the SRC was always willing to engage with these organisations on issues of student governance.

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