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20 July 2022 | Story Nonkululeko Nxumalo | Photo Supplied
UFS Academic staff job shadow in Germany
From the left: Helene van der Merwe (Lecturer: Sustainable Food Systems and Development), Herkulaas Combrink (Lecturer: Economic and Management Sciences, and Interim Co-director of the Interdisciplinary Centre for Digital Futures), Prof Dirk Fornahl (Research associate/researcher at Friedrich Schiller University Jena), Dr Karen Booysen (Lecturer: Business Management), Ketshepileone Matlhoko (Junior Lecturer: Sustainable Food Systems and Development), Gretha Lotz (Technopolis intern), Prof Johan van Niekerk (HOD: Sustainable Food Systems and Development), Prof Katinka de Wet (Associate Professor: Sociology, and Interim Co-director of the Interdisciplinary Centre for Digital Futures)


A group of academic staff and PhD students from the University of the Free State (UFS) recently visited the Friedrich Schiller University Jena (FSU) in Germany for a three-week (27 May-16 June 2022) regional innovation training workshop and job shadowing. The opportunity was extended to the university’s Interdisciplinary Centre for Digital Futures (ICDF) as well as the faculties of Natural and Agricultural Sciences and Economic and Management Sciences.

Building a regional innovation cluster for agriculture

With this training, the UFS, in collaboration with the FSU, the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), the Department of Small Business Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (DESTEA), the Department of Agriculture (DOA), and other industry partners, aims to build a regional innovation cluster for agriculture in the South African perspective that drives innovation, technology advancement, and trade methodology among academic institutions, the government, and industries.

“The collaboration between the UFS and the FSU will have significant benefits for both universities in terms of knowledge sharing and learning. However, the biggest benefit of this project is to build a better community, facilitate innovative solutions for future challenges, and provide academic collaborations,” said Herkulaas Combrink, Interim Co-director of the ICDF.

Another regional innovation cluster in the agricultural sector is arranged within the Cape Winelands region and is centred on wine and liquor production. The projects between the UFS and the relevant stakeholders will grow other agricultural spheres such as textiles, livestock, and diverse crop irrigation.

“We are interested in a broad topic focused on climate change in the challenging context of developmental issues, inequalities, pressing issues of food insecurity, and demands/ opportunities brought about by the Fourth Industrial Revolution,” Prof Katinka de Wet, Interim Co-director of the ICDF, highlighted.

According to Combrink, the UFS has been engaging online and in person with academic staff from FSU since 2021 to build the skills and capacity to drive this regional innovation.

“Academic institutions, government, and industry rely on these integral bridges to drive a sustainable digital future as well as to capacitate the next generation with the skills to increase the level of innovation required to remain relevant in the context of tomorrow,” he also said.



News Archive

Five universities gather together for National Serenades
2012-08-29

Date: Saturday 1 September 2012

Time: 18:00 – 19:00 (winners will be announced at 23:00)

Place:

  • Centenary Complex - 1st Performance
  • Callie Human Centre - 2nd Performance
  • Kovsie Church – 3rd Performance
    - Winners will be announced in the Callie Human Centre

This year, five universities will once again showcase their song and entertainment talent on the stage.

The serenade competition is an annual event between the University of Stellenbosch, University of Pretoria, North-West University, University of Johannesburg and the University of the Free State since 1997.

Each university has a men’s and ladies’ group taking part and each group consists of 10 to 20 members.

Participants only have 17 minutes to show what they are made of.

The serenade competition is the most popular cultural activity on each campus and more than 100 residences compete for a place in the final rounds.

The media are invited to attend the event.

Please confirm attendance with Amanda Tongha at tonghaa@ufs.ac.za

  • The final concerts will be streamed live via our website on Saturday 1 September 2012 from 18:30.
    Please click on the following link for the broadcast: www.ufs.ac.za/ufslivestreaming  
     
  • Twitter hashtag:  #UFSNationals
     

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