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Kofi Yinkah recognised by Hesselbein Academy as global student leader

04 September 2019 | Story Xolisa Mnukwa | Photo Xolisa Mnukwa

Koffie Yinkah — “I believe the Hesselbein Global Academy annual fellowship programme was vital for me as a potential public servant of South Africa to serve the people of this country in government one day.” – Kofi Yinkah

University of the Free State (UFS) third-year BAdmin student, Kofi Annan Yinkah, formed part of the Hesselbein Global Academy annual fellowship programme, hosted by the University of Pittsburgh in the United States of America (USA). Originally from the East Rand in Johannesburg, Kofi represented the UFS as one of the top-50 students who were selected out of 450 global applicants.

The Hesselbein Global Academy annual fellowship programme aims to connect young leaders from all over the world with well-equipped professionals who are leaders in the fields of business, government, and education. This programme was established for the purpose of cultivating and producing cadres who will become experienced ethical leaders, armed and qualified enough to address and solicit solutions for critical issues experienced by diverse societies throughout the world.

“The fellowship covered topics that have helped to broaden my critical thought processes and concerns about societal issues in our country and all over the world. It has also emphasised the importance of implementing change through effective governing-policy development and establishment,” Kofi says.

He describes his experience at the fellowship as “out of the ordinary,” and believes that it has had a progressive influence on his life. He explains how it has unlocked his mind through enlightened engagement with student leaders from various countries in the world, including Nigeria, England, Canada, Chile, Trinidad and Tobago, Vietnam, China, United States of America, and Ireland.

One of the most important tools he believes his experience has equipped him with, is understanding the significance of employing a solution-driven approach to various situations. He is confident that this will give him the necessary skills and knowledge to work effectively in teams.

Kofi explains that he found out about the fellowship programme via social media. He encourages UFS students to use online platforms to source information about opportunities that can offer them meaningful experiences for learning and growing.

News Archive

SA and Africa must avoid going over the edge

2017-02-26

From left are: Prof JM Moosa (Centre for African
Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, India),
Prof Hussein Solomon (Senior Professor: Political
Studies and Governance at the UFS),
Prof Virgil Hawkins (Osaka School of International
Public Policy Studies, Osaka University in Japan), and
Prof Ajay Dubey (Centre for African Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru
University, India).
Photo: Jóhann Thormählen

South Africa and the rest of Africa might be standing on the edge of a cliff and therefore conversations are necessary to avoid tipping over. According to Prof Hussein Solomon that was why a conference to address these issues was recently co-hosted by the University of the Free State (UFS).

Prof Solomon, Senior Professor of Political Studies and Governance at the UFS, said the continent and country needed to make the right decisions. “These right choices refer to the correct economic, political, and social policies.”

International delegates attend
Delegates from India, Japan, Zambia, Lesotho and South Africa attended the conference, called A View from the Precipice: Critical Reflections on South Africa and Africa in the 21st Century, on 13 and 14 February 2017 on the Bloemfontein Campus. It was co-hosted by the UFS Department of Political Studies and Governance, Jawaharlal Nehru University (India), Centre for the Engagement on African Peace and Security, Southern African Centre for Collaboration on Peace and Security and Osaka University (Japan).

Prof Solomon said external actors provided a useful mirror as they gave an idea of how Africa and South Africa were viewed from abroad.

Creating a knowledge-sharing forum
“It is not just about sharing knowledge, but creating a forum for sharing knowledge,” said Prof Virgil Hawkins from the Osaka School of International Public Policy Studies.
Prof Hawkins, who is a visiting professor at the UFS, said a conference like this was one of the cornerstones of the relationship between the UFS and Osaka University. Prof Solomon is also a visiting professor at last mentioned university.

Highlights of conference
Prof Solomon said some of the discussions included that “the ANC government is in crisis and is dragging the rest of the country with it”. Another participant said that 80% of the jobs in the next 20 years had not been created yet – which put the relevance of tertiary education in the spotlight.

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