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09 March 2022
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Story Dr Cornelius Hagenmeier
Internationalisation professionals attending the Dialogue on Innovative Higher Education Strategies National Multiplication Training workshop at the UFS.
Dr Segun Obadire (Univen) and
Dr Cornelius Hagenmeier (UFS), who serve as directors responsible for the international offices at their universities, are part of the training committee. The theme of the training programme is ‘Enabling Internationalisation in Light of the 2020 Policy Framework for Internationalisation of Higher Education in South Africa 2022’; it comprises two training workshops and several virtual engagements. The first training workshop was held at the UFS from 1 to 3 March 2022.
Trendsetters
Mrs Nontlanhla Ntakana and Mr Matome Mokoena are alumni of the biannual DAAD DIES Training Course on Management of Internationalisation (MOI) at the
Leibniz University Hannover in Germany. They seized the opportunity to forge a multiplication training that would impact internationalisation leaders and managers from across South Africa and empower them to leverage the 2020 Policy Framework for Internationalisation of Higher Education in South Africa to advance the internationalisation process at their institutions.
Internationalisation experts
Dr Nico Jooste and Mrs Merle Hodges served as external experts on the training committee. Both are internationally renowned experts in the field and former presidents of the
International Education Association of South Africa (IEASA). Mr Leolyn Jackson (Central University of Technology, CUT) and Prof Lynette Jacobs (UFS) also contributed to the first training workshop.
Structure
This programme commenced in February, with participants engaging in topical readings and submitting their first assignment. First, a virtual workshop introduced participants to the UNIVEN Moodle e-learning platform used for the course. The face-to-face workshop at the UFS will be followed by a second in-person training at the University of Venda in September 2022. Virtual workshops and support of the participants through a dedicated WhatsApp group and other mentorship programmes will ensure the continuity of the training between the face-to-face workshops. Participants who were unable to attend the UFS and UNIVEN workshops in person could participate via a virtual link, thus ensuring that no participant is left behind.
Participants
Twenty participants from eight public higher education institutions were selected by the training committee to participate in the training programme. Two participants from this year’s NMT cohort were also accepted into the DIES MOI course at the Leibniz University Hannover in Germany. They are
Prof Nontokozo Mashiya from the University of Zululand (Unizulu) and Mbali Mkhize from the
Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT). Participants in the first workshop have indicated that they gained a lot from the numerous exercises and activities in the programme. They also mentioned that the programme would change the outlook of internationalisation at their universities in the future.
UFS to celebrate Darwin Year
2008-11-10
The University of the Free State (UFS) will next year be celebrating Darwin Year with a comprehensive programme in which many of its departments will take part. The programme is spearheaded by the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, in cooperation with the National Museum.
“Next year it will be 200 years since the birth of Charles Darwin and 150 years after the publication of the first edition of his famous book ‘On the Origin of Species’”, says Prof. Jo van As, chairperson of the organising committee and head of the Department of Zoology and Entomology at the UFS.
“The programme aims to portray the influence of Darwin’s theory of evolution on various fields in the natural and agricultural sciences. It will start in February 2009 and end a year later in February 2010. We see this as a good opportunity to promote science in its broadest context,” says Prof. Van As.
According to Prof. Van As a scientific lecture programme on evolution and its impact on various fields will be presented on the Main Campus of the UFS in Bloemfontein on a monthly basis throughout next year. These will include topics such as the mechanisms of evolution: heredity and natural selection, extinction, the start of agriculture, human demography, human impact and the resistance to HIV/Aids antibiotics. The theme of the lecture programme is “The Story of Life”.
A stage play to commemorate the life of Darwin and celebrate his contribution to the understanding of life will also be performed during the Volksblad-kunstefees.
The National Museum will host different events and exhibits. “They will participate in the programme presented at the UFS, present temporary exhibitions to coincide with the programme on campus and also present their own events,” says Prof. Van As.
More information about the programme can be obtained from Ms Isabel Human at 051 401 2427 or humanci.rd@ufs.ac.za.
Media Release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@ufs.ac.za
10 November 2008