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10 September 2021 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Sonia Small (Kaleidoscope Studios)
Dr Molapo Qhobela, the newly appointed Vice-Rector: Institutional Change, Strategic Partnerships and Societal Impact, will be speaking at the International Summit on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Africa 2021.

Dr Molapo Qhobela, the newly appointed Vice-Rector: Institutional Change, Strategic Partnerships and Societal Impact at the University of the Free State (UFS), will be speaking at the three-day International Summit on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Africa 2021. The summit will take place as follows:

Date: 13-15 September 2021 
Platform: A virtual gathering (register for the upcoming virtual summit)

Together with a wide array of thought leaders, including specialists, senior researchers, CEOs/directors, and the top structures of international organisations, he will address and engage with an audience of academics, practitioners, government authorities, representatives from civil society, and donors and sponsors from across the globe on the topic Partnerships for impact in Africa (session on 15 September from 12:30 to 14:00).

According to the host of the event, the University of Cape Town, the key aim of the International Summit on the SDGs in Africa is to mobilise collaborative efforts that will accelerate African-led activities in support of achieving the African Union's Agenda 2063 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – a shared blueprint for working towards global peace and prosperity by 2030. The summit is also designed to identify concrete opportunities for research collaboration that will accelerate the achievement of the SDGs and Agenda 2063.

The talks, panel discussions, workshops, and breakout sessions will revolve around clear steps for implementation.

For more information, visit: http://www.sdgsafricasummit.uct.ac.za/

Background of Dr Molapo Qhobela

Dr Qhobela’s leadership and strategic direction have been sought by several large and complex organisations during his career. He is the immediate former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Research Foundation, and also the former Chair of the Global Research Council as well as the Agricultural Research Council. He is currently the Chairperson of the Tertiary Education and Research Network of South Africa. Dr Qhobela holds a PhD in Plant Pathology from the Kansas State University in the United States of America.

News Archive

SRC elections: A first for UFS main campus
2005-08-14

Students on the main campus of the of the University of the Free State (UFS) will this week for the first time vote for the Student Representative Council (SRC) using two voting systems: proportional representation (PR) and first-past-the-post. 

According to the Vice-Rector, Student Affairs, Dr Ezekiel Moraka, this year’s elections are a milestone for the UFS as it will be the first time that the main campus SRC will be elected according to the amended SRC constitution, which was approved by the UFS Council in June 2005.

“It is also a major breakthrough for student governance and transformation of the UFS main campus and constitutes a legitimate basis for the democratic participation of all students at the UFS main campus in the governance of the university,” said Dr Moraka.

The amended constitution of the main campus SRC determines that nine of the 18 SRC members must be elected by means of proportional representation and nine on the basis of an individual, first-past-the-post election.
 
According to Dr Moraka, the introduction of the proportional representation system follows earlier calls by some student formations, notably Sasco and the ANC Youth League, for such a system to be introduced at the UFS main campus in Bloemfontein.

The new main campus SRC constitution is the result of consensus reached during a lengthy negotiation process involving diverse student formations such as Sasco, the ANC Youth League, the Young Communist League, the ACDP, HEREXVII, KovsieAlliance, as well as the democratically elected SRC members of the main campus.

“Independent persons such as Mr Jack Klaas and Mr Kobus van Loggerenberg, a former SRC President, facilitated the negotiation process,” said Dr Moraka.

Students on the main campus in Bloemfontein will vote for a new SRC on Monday 15 August 2005.

SRC elections will also take place on the other two campuses of the UFS, which have their own SRC structures.

Students on the UFS-Vista campus in Bloemfontein will vote for a new SRC on Monday 15 August 2005 and Tuesday 16 August 2005.

At the Qwaqwa campus of the UFS, students will vote for a new SRC on Friday 26 August 2005.

The election processes on all three campuses will be closely monitored by independent electoral bodies. 

After the three campuses have elected their respective SRCs a central SRC will be constituted.  The central SRC will have 12 members made up of delegates of the three campus SRCs, including the presidents of these three SRCs. The main campus will have five representatives, the Qwaqwa campus will have four representatives and the Vista campus will have three representatives.

Main campus voting schedule:
Monday 15 August 2005 from 07:00-21:00.  Ten voting stations will be set up across the campus.  The results will be announced on Tuesday 16 August 2005.

Vista campus voting schedule:
Monday 15 August 2005 and Tuesday 16 August 2005 from 09:00-18:00 in the administration building.  The results will be announced on Wednesday 17 August 2005.
 
Qwaqwa campus voting schedule:
Friday 26 August 2005 from 09:00-18:00 in the Senate Hall.  If there is no objection to the final results, it will be announced on the same day.


Media release

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

14 August 2005
 

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