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20 July 2022 | Story Lacea Loader
The University of the Free State (UFS) has formed a partnership with ZZ2 – a well-known South African farming and fresh produce company. The partnership includes the establishment of a company, FreeFarm Innovation, as a vehicle for combined outputs of the university and ZZ2’s diverse, but complementary capabilities, skills, and resources. 

Several opportunities relating to research, commercialisation, and the enhancement of various agricultural products have been identified and will form part of the operations of FreeFarm Innovation. 

New solutions and practices for the agricultural sector

“Universities are key role players in bridging the theory-practice gap by ensuring that we generate functional knowledge. The UFS is constantly exploring meaningful partnerships to support the improvement of local and global communities and industries. We are excited about the collaboration and partnership with ZZ2 in developing new solutions and practises for the agricultural sector” says Prof Corli Witthuhn, Vice-Rector: Research and Internationalisation at the UFS. 

“We look forward to involving our top researchers and students in projects under the umbrella of FreeFarm Innovation. Additional areas of collaboration will include, among others, soil science, marketing, logistics, water quality, production systems, plant breeding, entomology, chemistry, and animal science” says Prof Witthuhn. 

Shared benefit for partners

“As one of the oldest, most respected institutions of higher education in South Africa, the UFS brings experience, top-class researchers, facilities, technology, and knowledge to the partnership. This is enhanced by ZZ2’s established, reputable, and successful business and network structure within the agriculture sector, both locally and globally,” she says. 

The initial key to the partnership will be the development of effective fertilisation products and strategies. “The values of the university to not compromise on quality and impact aligns with ZZ2’s focus on fresh product quality. Further alignment is also achieved through the employee training programmes and the ZZ2 academy,” says Prof Witthuhn.

News Archive

The management teams of the University of the Free State and the Vista University Bloemfontein campus set the wheels rolling for the incorporation of
2003-05-22

The management teams of the University of the Free State and the Vista University Bloemfontein campus set the wheels rolling for the incorporation of the Vista Bloemfontein campus into the UFS.

The incorporation process will be dealt with in two phases. The first phase would be preparing for a possible incorporation on 1 January 2004, including possible streamlining and review of programmes. The second phase would be part of developing the long term vision or optimal reconfiguration of the Vista facility (within the UFS as a multi-campus institution) in the interests of higher education in the Free State and the communities surrounding the two campuses in Bloemfontein.

At a meeting at the UFS both parties reached consensus about the process and set about establishing task teams to deal with critical issues, such as governance and management, financial management, human resources, information systems, library services, student support and administration, academic planning and academic programmes.

Prof Talvin Schultz, Head of the Vista Bloemfontein campus, committed this campus to making the process of incorporation into the UFS an exemplary process. UFS Rector Prof Frederick Fourie said the Free State should continue its tradition as a province where things happen and where higher education transformation has proceeded faster than elsewhere in the country.

Both emphasised the need for an inclusive process of consultation with staff, students and the community on key aspects of the incorporation.

They indicated that all planning should take into account a possible date of incorporation of 1 January 2004, pending finalisation by the respective Councils. The Councils of both institutions need to give feedback to the Minister of Education on the date of incorporation by the end of June, and the task teams must deliver an initial report on progress before then.


Prof Talvin Schultz (Vista Bloemfontein campus) and Prof Frederick Fourie (UFS)

 

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