Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
Categories
UFS News Media Release Research
Years
2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Months
January February March April May June July August September October November December
Previous Archive
30 March 2022 | Story Nonsindiso Qwabe | Photo Nonsindiso Qwabe
US Consul
US Consul General Vincent Spera (centre) and his delegation, alongside Dr Cornelius Hagenmeier (UFS), Dr Jesse Lutabingwa (App State), Morena Tsholo Mopeli (Mopeli Royal family representative), Qwaqwa Campus principalship, and Dr Grey Magaiza and Prof Geofrey Mukwada (UFS project coordinators, far right).

“There are many shared values between the US and SA, such as a commitment to institutions, the belief in the importance of science and research, investment in education, and a commitment to human rights. This comes through in partnerships such as this; science-based, collaboration-based partnerships designed at their core to strengthen the University of the Free State and the Appalachian State University.”

These were the words of the US Consul General in Johannesburg, Vincent Spera, during his visit to the Qwaqwa Campus on Wednesday 23 March 2022.

His visit reaffirmed the long-standing partnership between the University of the Free State Qwaqwa Campus and the Appalachian State University in North Carolina, USA.

Consul general commends research partnership

Spera said as the representative of the US Government, it was powerful and important to learn more about the research and capacity-building initiatives that are taking place as a result of the partnership between the two institutions.
The US Consulate is a key link in the strategic partnership between the two institutions. In 2020, the US Embassy and Consulates in South Africa funded the implementation of projects at the two institutions through the R8 million mountain-to-mountain research grant.

Since then, the grant has introduced two master’s degree offerings in Community Development and Mountain Environments, five meteorological weather stations – with one based on the Qwaqwa Campus, leadership capacity building for black women in academia, and doctoral research projects. This grant is funded by the US Embassy and Consulates in South Africa.

“It’s exactly why we have these university partnerships, and it’s really meaningful to see it in practice,” he said.
Spera and his delegation were given an overview of the ongoing projects by the UFS project leaders, Dr Grey Magaiza and Prof Geofrey Mukwada, and the Appalachian State University project leader and Vice-Chancellor for International Education and Development, Dr Jesse Lutabingwa.

The long-term relationship began in 2008 as a framework for academic and scientific cooperation across multiple scopes of teaching and research activities for students and staff members on the Qwaqwa Campus.

News Archive

We show our colours in support of autism awareness
2012-04-11

The Main Building on our Bloemfontein Campus will be illuminated in blue till the end of April to show support for autism awareness.
Photo: René-Jean van der Berg
12 April 2012

The Main Building on our Bloemfontein Campus will be illuminated in blue till the end of April to show our support for autism awareness, together with the rest of the world.

April is Autism Awareness Month and various iconic landmarks worldwide will be lit up in blue to honour those with autism.

Autism is one of only three conditions that are commemorated by the World Health Organisation.

Autism is a neurological condition that can be diagnosed in children as young as three years old. Worldwide one out of every 100 children is diagnosed within the autistic spectrum. This means that in South Africa a child is born with autism every hour and in the Free State some 400 children per year are born with the condition.

“Despite the high prevalence of autism in South Africa, South Africans know very little about it,” says Dr. David Griessel, an autism expert of the UFS’s Department of Paediatrics and Child Health. “Stories and films that attempt to portray autistic characters often create the wrong impression among the public concerning this complex illness. This distorts the reality since every child with autism is unique,” says Dr. Griessel.

He says it is important that all children with signs of autism are referred for evaluation as early intervention can prevent autism from further disrupting normal development.

Therapists and teachers who specialise in autism-specific treatment play an important role in this regard.

“However, there are no well-established services for toddlers in the Free State. Fortunately, there are classes developing in schools such as Lettie Fouché, Willem Postma and Pholoho, as well as in Kroonstad and Welkom. The Free State Autism Association has established a private school that offers a service to seven learners.”

For more information on autism in children or for information on special projects in the Free State, contact Dr. Griessel at +27(0)51 405 53177 or +27(0)51 405 3181.

We use cookies to make interactions with our websites and services easy and meaningful. To better understand how they are used, read more about the UFS cookie policy. By continuing to use this site you are giving us your consent to do this.

Accept