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05 November 2020 | Story Thabo Kessah | Photo Thabo Kessah
Prof Geofrey Mukwada says funding from the US Embassy and Consulates in South Africa will reinforce the ARU mandate.

The University of the Free State (UFS) will further strengthen its ties with the Appalachian State University in the next two academic years through a mountain-to-mountain research project funded by the US Embassy and Consulates in South Africa.

The R8 million project between the UFS and the US institution will cover the two master’s degree programmes in underdeveloped niche areas, meteorological weather stations, leadership capacity building for black women in academia, and doctoral research projects. Qwaqwa Campus departments that will be involved are Physics, Geography, Community Development, and the ARU.

Talking about this collaboration, the project leader, Prof Geofrey Mukwada, said it would bring together researchers from both the UFS and Appalachian State University and enable them to work together to develop what is currently an underdeveloped research niche, i.e. mountain studies. 

“This project will reinforce the mandate of the Afromontane Research Unit (ARU). It will provide the basis for a long-term development agenda through training and infrastructure development. For instance, the project will fund the implementation of two master’s degree programmes – the MSc in Mountain Environments and the MA in Community Development – which are long-term projects,” he said. 

“It will also support innovation in climate change research. Through this project, it will be possible to receive climate data from weather stations that are situated in distant, isolated, and generally inaccessible locations without travelling to those locations. We will be able to understand how the climate of the region is changing and assist in developing adaptation measures and decisions that are applicable to agriculture, water, tourism, environment, and other sectors. This will enhance the capacity of the ARU to contribute to the development of research in mountain environments,” he added. 

There will be a virtual launch of the project on Tuesday 10 November 2020 at 15:00 (CAT).

News Archive

Two honorary doctorates part of highlights at UFS graduations
2017-11-30


  Description: Dec gradspeakers Tags: Graduation Ceremonies, Prof Paul Holloway, Marius Botha, Joyene Isaacs, Likeleli Monyamane, Leah Molatseli, Dr Imtiaz Sooliman

  Leah Molatseli (left), Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, and Likeleli Monyamane will be
  the guest speakers during the End-of-year Graduation Ceremonies
  at the University of the Free State.
  Photos: Supplied, www.mudboots.co.za

Roads and entrance closed due to roadworks on the Bloemfontein Campus

Graduation Livestream

Two honorary doctorates and a Chancellor’s medal will be some of the highlights during the End-of-year Graduation Ceremonies at the University of the Free State (UFS).

The Callie Human Centre on the Bloemfontein Campus will once again welcome graduates, their parents, friends, and relatives for the celebrations on 6 and 7 December 2017. A total number of 1226 qualifications, including diplomas, certificates, and degrees, will be conferred during the two days.

Altogether 40 doctorates and 109 master’s degrees will be awarded. Most doctorates (19) will be awarded in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, while most of the master’s degrees (27) are in the same faculty.

Prof Holloway, Botha, and Isaacs honoured
Prof Paul Holloway (Natural and Agricultural Sciences) and Marius Botha (Law) will receive honorary doctorates during the afternoon ceremony on 7 December 2017, while Joyene Isaacs (Natural and Agricultural Sciences) will be honoured with a Chancellor’s Medal.

Prof Holloway is an internationally acclaimed expert in the science and technology of surfaces, thin films, and nanoparticles, and Botha has played a significant role in financial planning in South Africa. Isaacs is the Head of Department of the Western Cape Department of Agriculture, and her department has been nominated by the South African Institute of Government Auditors as the best government department. 

Young leader, young alumnus, and humanitarian

Likeleli Monyamane, Leah Molatseli, and Dr Imtiaz Sooliman will be the guest speakers at the ceremonies.

Monyamane, a UFS Council member, will address graduates on 6 December 2017 during the morning ceremony. She is one of 15 young leaders selected to represent Lesotho as participants in the Mandela Washington Fellowship in the United States. In 2016, Molatseli, the speaker during the afternoon session on 6 December 2017, launched South Africa’s first legal ecommerce website, Lenoma Legal, and is the university’s most recent Young Alumnus of the Year.

Dr Sooliman, the speaker at both ceremonies on 7 December 2017, is the founder and Director of the Gift of the Givers Foundation. He has received more than 100 national and international awards, citations, commendations, and special recognition for his humanitarian work.

Date: 6 December 2017
Time: 09:00: All qualifications up to Honours degrees in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences (including the Business School) and the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences
14:30: All qualifications up to Honours degrees in the Faculties of Education, Law, the Humanities, and Theology

Date: 7 December 2017

Time: 09:00: All qualifications up to Honours degrees in the Faculty of Health Sciences and Educational qualifications in Open Distance Learning – South Campus
14:30: Master’s and Doctoral degrees in all faculties

For information about the ceremonies, click here to visit the graduation home page.

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