Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items

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 releases draft charter to accelerate transformation

2007-02-02

The University of the Free State (UFS) today released a draft Institutional Charter which is intended to enhance and accelerate the ongoing transformation of the institution towards a non-racial, non-sexist future.

Speaking at the official opening of the university today, the Rector and Vice-chancellor, Prof Frederick Fourie, said the draft Institutional Charter, was an important milestone in the transformation debate for the university and the country.

“The draft charter acknowledges that black people, women and people with disabilities have been marginalised from job and developmental opportunities, within the higher education sector and at this university,” Prof Fourie said.

The charter commits the university to meeting the challenges of a transforming higher education institution in a developing society, in particular the challenges of nation-building, reconciliation, redress, non-racialism and non-sexism – and ultimately normalisation – within a high-quality academic institution.

The principles of the draft charter firmly signal the university’s commitment to diversity – attaining and maintaining substantive and sufficient diversity (including multiculturalism and multilingualism) – in its quest for quality and excellence.
Prof Fourie said the draft charter seeks to build consensus among staff and students at the UFS about the ultimate goals of transformation at a higher education institution.

The charter proposes several basic values and principles that should guide the transformation process and at the same time serve as a basis for a future, normalised university - a promised land to transform towards.

The discussion document says academic quality is intrinsically linked to transformation and it commits the university to strengthening the core competencies of research, teaching and learning as well as community service so as to ensure a robust university for future generations.

“Indeed the thousands of matriculants, black and white, who apply to study at the UFS want to study at a good university, and a good university wants to attract the best black and white students and the best black and white staff, male and female,“ Prof Fourie said.

He said the draft charter also seeks to safeguard academic freedom and institutional autonomy as the foundation of critical inquiry and scholarship.

Regarding the critical issue of creating a new institutional culture, the draft charter commits the UFS to creating a sense of belonging for all members of the university – black and white, male and female, of whatever language, religious, cultural or economic background, as well as people with disabilities.

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel: (051) 401-2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl@mail.uovs.ac.za
02 February 2007

Back

Economic and Management Sciences

Education

Health Sciences

The Humanities

Law

Natural and Agricultural Sciences

Theology and Religion

Open Distance Learning

Business School

We use cookies to make interactions with our websites and services easy and meaningful. To better understand how they are used, read more about the UFS cookie policy. By continuing to use this site you are giving us your consent to do this.

Accept