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06 October 2022 | Story Samkelo Fetile | Photo Rian Horn
Depiction of an Exchange Student
The world awaits. The University of the Free State (UFS) is continually looking for ways to provide opportunities for students who want to study abroad and gain other academic and social living experiences. Ten UFS students are currently on exchange programmes in Spain and Germany getting some international experience.

The University of the Free State (UFS) is continually looking for ways to provide opportunities for students who want to study abroad and gain other academic and social living experiences. Ten UFS students are currently on exchange programmes in Spain and Germany getting some international experience.

The student exchange is part of the Erasmus+ International Credit Mobility (ICM) Programme, in partnership with Universidad Rey Juan Carlos de Madrid in Spain, Fulda University of Applied Sciences in Germany, and the Alliance 4 Universities consortium hosting students for a semester.

 

Erasmus+ ICM

The Erasmus+ ICM grant agreements are devoted to increasing the quality of higher education and one of the ways is through staff and student mobility, which are financed through grants that facilitate mobility. It permits students to study at institutions in Erasmus+ partner countries. Candidates for study at these institutions must first go through a selection process, whereafter nominations will be sent to the partner universities.

 

UFS Exchange Programme

The programme offers more than just providing students with international experience or introducing them to other cultures and activities. It also helps students to explore new professional prospects and expand their network in preparation for future employment or even business partnerships. Registered UFS students have an opportunity to study for a semester abroad at one of the university's European partners.

Studying abroad is not always an option for everyone, and most of time limited it is to those who could afford to travel. Erasmus+ Key Action 107 and International Credit mobility programmes offer fully funded grants to increase mobility.

Five students from the current cohort are on exchange at the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos de Madrid (Spain;, three at the Fulda University of Applied Sciences (Germany); and two will complete their student mobility at the Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona through the Alliance 4 Universities (Spain). Students are expected back at the end of January 2023.

 

Strengthening relationships

By sending students on exchanges, the UFS strengthens its links and collaborations with other universities throughout the world. It also positions the UFS as an active participant in collaborations, increasing the possibility that the UFS will be granted additional opportunities. Students gain a competitive edge for future career opportunities, benefiting the UFS community with the information and experience gained.

Interested in Study abroad opportunities? Visit the website of the Office for International Affairs to find out how you can study abroad at partner institutions.

News Archive

Chemistry postgraduates tackle crystallography with eminent international researcher
2017-04-04

Description: Dr Alice Brink Tags: Dr Alice Brink

Department of Chemistry senior lecturer, Dr Alice Brink(left),
hosted outstanding researcher, Prof Elspeth Garman (right)
from the University of Oxford in England to present a
crystallography lecture.
Photo: Rulanzen Martin



“Crystallography forms part of everyday life.” This is according to Prof Elspeth Garman, eminent researcher from the Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford in England, who was hosted by Dr Alice Brink, Department of Chemistry at the University of the Free State (UFS) Bloemfontein Campus. Prof Garman presented a lecture in the Department of Chemistry, titled ‘104 years of crystallography: What has it taught us and where will it lead’. She also taught the postgraduate students how to refine and mount protein structures in cold cryo conditions at about -173°C.

What is Crystallography?
Crystallography is the scientific technique which allows for the position of atoms to be determined in any matter which is crystalline.
 
“You cannot complete Protein Crystallography without the five key steps, namely obtaining a pure protein, growing the crystal, collecting the data, and finally determining the structure and atomic coordinates,” said Prof Garman. Apart from teaching, she was also here to mentor and have discussions with UFS Prestige Scholars on how to face academic challenges in the professional environment.

Discovery of the first crystal structure of a TB protein
Prof Garman successfully determined the first crystal structure of a Tuberculosis protein (TBNAT), a project that took about 15 years of research. In partnership with the Department of Pharmacology at Oxford University and an outstanding PhD student, Areej Abuhammad, they managed to grow only one TBNAT crystal, one-fiftieth of a millimetre. They also managed to solve the structure and publish it.

Dr Alice Brink, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Chemistry, says, “It’s an incredible privilege to have Prof Garman here and to have her share her wisdom and knowledge so freely with the young academics.”

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