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26 July 2022
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Story Bulelwa Moikwatlhai
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Photo Supplied
Experiencing the UFS in person for the first time are from the left: Sandor Potjer (VU Amsterdam), Bulelwa Moikwatlhai (UFS OIA), Ricarda Kochems (Bremen University, Germany), Froukje Pronk (VU Amsterdam) and Matome Mokoena (UFS OIA)
As the UFS COVID-19 Regulations and Required Vaccination Policy has been lifted with immediate effect – allowing 100% capacity of both students and staff members and a fully operational campus – the
Office for International Affairs welcomes its first physical exchange cohort after two years. The cohort of students hail from the various international partners of the UFS, namely the
University of Bremen in Germany, the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, and Sciences PO Bordeaux in France. The students will be hosted in the UFS faculties of the Humanities, Economic and Management Sciences, and Natural and Agricultural Sciences, respectively.
These students have been paired with
Umoja Buddy Programme ambassadors to help ensure their smooth transition and integration into student life at the UFS. Furthermore, the students received an invitation from the President of the
International Student Association (ISA), Courtney Madziwa, to join their association, thus exposing them to students from other countries to learn about the various cultures.
On 18 July, the Office for International Affairs (OIA) arranged a hybrid orientation programme for the exchange students, including those students who have not yet arrived on the Bloemfontein Campus. The students took part in an icebreaker activity, where they had the opportunity to learn from and teach other participants about their home countries. Dr Cornelius Hagenmeier, Director of the OIA, welcomed the exchange students to the Bloemfontein Campus, and expressed excitement to have physical exchanges again. Furthermore, the guest presenters ranged from student leadership, staff members, and service providers.
The presentations were practical, demonstrating, among others, how to create a password on the institutional website – presented by Mr Molemo Mohapi from UFS ICT. The presentation on how to fully utilise Blackboard was facilitated by Ms Vuthihi Mudau from the UFS CTL division. We take the safety of all our students seriously, so Ms Elise Oberholzer from the UFS Protection Services has given the students some tips on how to safeguard themselves.
Cornell academic focuses on international trade in inaugural lecture at the UFS
2013-11-12
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Prof Muna Ndulo
Photo: Stephen Collett
12 November 2013 |
Prof Muna Ndulo, Professor at the Cornell Law School, delivered his inaugural lecture as Extraordinary Professor in the Department of Mercantile Law at the University of the Free State (UFS). The topic of his lecture was: Facilitating regional and world trade through international trade.
With this topic, Prof Ndulo said that trade is a recognised contributor to the Growth Domestic Product of countries and its role can be used to reduce global poverty and inequality. “Although Africa’s GDP is 5-6% on average, with a positive increase in direct foreign investments, its meaningful participation in world trade has been decimal,” he said.
Trade between African countries is 12%, which is the lowest in the world. This is in comparison to intercontinental trade in European states (72%), North America (48%), Asia (52%) and 26% in Latin America. The EU and USA are Africa’s key export markets. High transport costs, import substitution, intra-regional transactions, conflict of rules and bills of exchange remain as challenges. There are also no common standards with regards to the development of manpower as an important factor in production.
Prof Ndulo suggested solutions which Africa can use to achieve harmonisation. This includes the introduction of normative rules designed in a framework of a treaty. A modern law approach could be used to develop legislation and ensure uniformity; and lastly, the formulation of commercial customs and practice. “Harmonisation demands a high level of expertise and quality research,” said Prof Ndulo.
He added: “When legislation is developed, it must resemble the needs of our trade laws in order to maximise benefits.”
He concluded that, for harmonisation to be achieved, the political environment must play a major role in regional and world trade.
Prof Elizabeth Snyman-Van Deventer, Head of the Department of Mercantile Law, made sincere closing remarks on how much we as a continent have become an enemy of our own self by not having trade relationships among ourselves as Africans. Prof Snyman urged those in the legal fraternity to be part of the harmonisation of trade laws and eliminate the barriers by improving legislation.