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Environmental Management gives postgraduates an international experience

02 February 2022 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Leonie Bolleurs

Summer school web read more — Chané Enslin, master’s student in the UFS Centre for Environmental Management (CEM); Stephanie Graumnitz, Institute of Hydrobiology at the Technical University Dresden (TUD); Dr Dirk Jungmann, Head of Ecotoxicology and Biomonitoring in the Institute of Hydrobiology at TUD; Sihle Mlonyeni, master’s student in the Faculty of Applied Science at the Cape Peninsula Technical University; Dr Marinda Avenant, Senior Lecturer in the CEM at the UFS; Akani Baloyi, master’s student in the UFS Disaster Management Training and Education Centre for Africa; and Sphindile Dlamini, master’s student in the Department of Zoology and Entomology on the UFS Qwaqwa Campus.

The Centre for Environmental Management (CEM) at the University of the Free State (UFS), in collaboration with Dr Dirk Jungmann from the Technical University Dresden, recently presented a virtual summer school on Blackboard, titled: Monitoring of surface water quality: General framework, tools and implementing disaster management aspects in urban areas.

The international group of 30 persons who attended the summer school mostly comprised postgraduate students and employees from, among others, the UFS and other tertiary institutions such as the Technical University Dresden (TUD), the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), UNISA, the University of the Western Cape, Stellenbosch University, the University of Lesotho, and the University of Zimbabwe. Members of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research also attended the summer school.

Experts present

Dr Marinda Avenant, Senior Lecturer in the CEM, believes the summer school provides students with a wonderful opportunity to be exposed to a topic, such as aquatic biomonitoring, over and above their normal postgraduate studies. “The presenters are all experts in their field and come from a range of disciplines (from hydrology and chemistry to the social aspects of water), as well as from different countries and perspectives,” she adds.

Some interesting topics covered during the summer school included a panel discussion on water management challenges in Southern Africa. Head of CEM, Prof Paul Oberholser, participated in this live discourse. In 2021, he won the NSTF-Water Research Commission (WRC) Award for his contribution to water resource management in SA over the past five years.

Also contributing a perspective on surface water quality was affiliated professor in CEM, Prof Anthony Turton, who delivered the keynote address on Managing surface water quality as an element of disaster management in urban areas.

Dr Alice Ncube from the UFS Disaster Management Training and Education Centre (DiMTEC) presented on women and disasters (including a case study on a stokvel in Botshabelo), and Dr Inga Jacobs-Mata from the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) provided a social perspective on the water resources sector.

Students excel

Five master’s students representing the UFS, the Technical University Dresden (TUD), as well as the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), assisted with the organisation of the summer school. The Volkswagen Foundation in Germany, which funded a first summer school in 2019, provided funding that was used to appoint the five students.

According to Dr Avenant, they made provision for the appointment of these students in their project proposal to the Volkswagen Foundation. “The students played a key role in the planning of the virtual summer school; they specially came up with ideas to make the virtual sessions more interesting,” she says.

Among others, they managed the technical aspects of the sessions, introduced the speakers, arranged social activities for the virtual platform, and they produced podcasts. The podcasts of the speakers were distributed to the participants over the extent of two months, in order to learn more about the presenters.

“We were really impressed with the work of the students, who are all from the natural sciences,” says Dr Avenant.

News Archive

UFS intensifies its advocacy on humanity and solidarity to Japan

2011-03-08

Staff and students from our university, marching for humanity
Photo: Stephen Collett

Staff and students from the University of the Free State (UFS) representing various associations and student bodies, together with Kovsie supporters, braved the cold and wet weather yesterday (17 March) as they embarked on a march for humanity. This occurred just two days after an urgent meeting had been called by the Dean of Student Affairs, Mr Rudi Buys to create a platform for students to deliberate on mechanisms to be used in supporting Japan, which is facing immense challenges, thereby responding to their unfortunate current situation. It is also a day after the direct conversation between the UFS and the South African ambassador to Japan, Mr Gert Grobler, a Kovsie alumnus.

The visibly spirited group started their march from the Main Building on the UFS Main Campus in Bloemfontein. Within minutes the Callie Human Centre – assembly point for the participants – was occupied by students and staff members who arrived in their numbers, carrying banners with messages of support for Japan.

Modieyi Motholo, ISC Chairperson, read a memorandum in the presence of more than 300 students. “We, the community of the University of the Free State, as sons and daughters of South Africa and the world, by our very action in this march today, celebrate our shared humanity, declare our solidarity with the people of Japan, and join the movement to build a culture of Human Rights. We declare our commitment to the cause of human dignity and equality, and the promotion of human rights, non-racialism and non-sexism,” read the memorandum.

“Japan is far; we shall never be able to take the entire Kovsie community there to assist the Japanese in rebuilding their homes. However, we can show our solidarity and raise an awareness for their unfortunate circumstances by our numbers,” Modieyi said.

Mr Buys admitted to being overwhelmed by the united Kovsie community he witnessed standing up for a cause they believed in. On receiving the memorandum on behalf of the UFS management, he stated: “There is a different and new set of values in our student community. We have the best students in the world, driven by a pioneering spirit aimed at building a new society. We have come so far in a short period of time. You deserve recognition as a student population.”

The march was also organised to declare the UFS’s support and solidarity for the people of Japan. The solidarity campaign has further been intensified with the establishment of committees comprising fundraising, research, marketing and awareness, spirituality and volunteers. Nida Jooste, the ISC Vice-Chairperson, said that the research committee was busy conducting a comprehensive study on how the UFS can be of assistance to the Japan. “With the report we will be able to design and implement programmes that will be aligned with the needs of the people of Japan. “In the meantime, we will carry out small projects that will keep the flame of solidarity burning on our campus,” she concluded.

Noticeable amongst the attendees were Mr John Samuels, the current Director of the International Institute for Studies in Race, Reconciliation and Social Justice.

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