The Embassy of the Netherlands recently visited the University of the Free State (UFS) with a view to reinforcing the existing relations between South Africa and the Netherlands, specifically focusing on virtual collaborations and opportunities with the UFS.
The delegation, which was led by
Berto Bosscha, Education and Science Attaché at the embassy, reflected on the strategic direction of internationalisation and the cooperation between the two countries in the field of education, science, and innovation. Speaking about virtual collaboration on the Qwaqwa Campus, Bosscha said South African universities are a gateway to Africa. “Eighty percent of South Africa’s goals around education and science are similar to the goals in the Netherlands, which is a good basis for cooperation and collaboration.”
On the Bloemfontein Campus the next day, Bosscha reinforced the need to find ways of strengthening internationalisation strategies in a way that best suits both countries.
“Knowledge diplomacy and national policies are seminal to capacity building and intensifying the relationship between the Netherlands and South Africa (SA),” he said.
Virtual engagement beneficial for student participation
Like many other countries, the Netherlands is currently considering the future strategic direction for internationalisation. Historically, internationalisation and higher education collaboration between the Netherlands and South Africa have often been associated with the mobility of students and academics. This approach has been successful, albeit resource limitations meant that student participation was limited. Consequently, a change of the strategic approach with an increased focus on virtual collaboration is under consideration.
Prof Lynette Jacobs, Research Portfolio Lead in the
Office for International Affairs at the UFS, outlined the existing disparities between the two countries that need consideration when implementing policies on virtual collaborations and mobility, such as the apparent digital divide. “To curb these challenges, the overall success of virtual North-South collaborations is highly dependent on shared values and trust capital,” she proposed.
Dr Cornelius Hagenmeier, Director of the International Office at the UFS, highlighted the
iKudu project as a perfect example of a successfully contextualised renewed collaboration. The iKudu project, which is a concept of
Internationalisation of the Curriculum (IoC), integrates
Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL). From this consortium, 10 papers have been produced, with the goal of forming a sustainable network with vast pedagogies that connect students across the world. “We need to connect to Africa and look at the prospects for tripartite collaborations between the North and South-South regions,” he said.
Alignment with SDG’s important
Prof Gerhard Bosman, a pioneer of COIL, emphasised the importance of aligning COIL projects with the Sustainable Development Goals. “By so doing, COIL and other forms of virtual exchanges can sufficiently advance the rationales of policy making.”
Courtney Madziwa, Student Representative Council (SRC) member, said, “COIL is presenting a new avenue of learning; albeit there are existing challenges, these should not affect communication and the sharing of knowledge.”
In support of Madziwa,
Prof Liesl van As, Professor of Zoology and Entomology, added that the doors are indeed open for collaboration. “We need to explore the digital system to inculcate skills in students. This will, in turn, create a sense of security for those who are especially shy. This is an act of practising and promoting academic justice.”