Latest News Archive
Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
29 March 2023
|
Story Samkelo Fetile
|
Photo Simba Matema
From left to right: Prof Jean Bernard Lekana-Douki, Director General at the CIRMF; Prof Francis Petersen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS; and Prof Jean-Fabrice Yala, Scientific and Technical Director at the CIRMF.
The University of the Free State (UFS) recently welcomed senior members from the International Centre for Medical Research in Franceville (CIRMF), Gabon to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two entities.
CIRMF is a non-profit medical research centre that was established in 1974. Its primary focus is on diagnosing infectious diseases that pose immediate problems in Gabon and the Central African sub-region. The centre is dedicated to improving public health through various initiatives, including the training of Gabonese health executives in doctoral and post-doctoral education.
“The signing of the MoU with CIRMF is a step in the right direction as the UFS continues to strengthen its footprint on the African Continent. This is seminal in driving the university’s internationalisation processes and opening an avenue to expanding research networks, especially in the African continent,” said Bonolo Makhalemele, Coordinator of strategic projects at the Office for International Affairs, UFS.
In the interest of developing broader research collaborations, the CIRMF delegation met with some UFS academics in a series of engagements, particularly in the Health Sciences Faculty and the Natural and Agricultural Sciences Faculty. “The integration of knowledge and practices that emanate from the continent provides opportunities for the co-creation of knowledge that can be shared with the rest of the world,” said Kagiso Ngake, Coordinator for Partnerships, Collaborative Degrees, and Outgoing Mobility at the Office for International Affairs, UFS.
A concrete roadmap was established to formalise the collaborations that resulted from these engagements and will commence as soon as April 2023. “We have laid a solid foundation and are on the way to a strong and rich partnership!” exclaimed Prof Jean Bernard Lekana-Douki, Director General at the CIRMF.
Prof Francis Petersen, Rector, and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS, further highlighted how the newly established partnership with the CIRMF aligns with the mandate of the UFS Vision 130 of expanding the UFS Africa research network.
75-year-old UFS student follows her dreams
2017-07-17
Dr Hanneke Meyer, who graduated from the
University of the Free State, completed her
Bachelor’s degree in Theology
with distinction.
Photo: Siobhan Canavan
“It does not matter how old you are, it is all about where God wants to use you, and I believe that this is where He wants me now.”
These were the words of 75-year-old Dr Hanneke Meyer, who recently graduated from the University of the Free State. She completed her Bachelor’s degree in Theology with distinction.
Never too old to learn
Dr Meyer, who was a teacher by profession, says she spent all her years teaching others, and when she had children, she went on to teach them too. She then decided it was time for her to get back to her books and become a student again.
After her retirement, Dr Meyer sat quietly and thought what it was that she actually wanted to do in life. She then decided to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Theology but only registered for a few subjects.
“I registered for a few subjects but as time went by, I felt that this was something that I really wanted to do, and this was something that I wanted to finish. I believed that this would be the course where God would use me for His kingdom.”
UFS faculty best of its kind
Dr Meyer said completing this degree was completely worth it. She would do it over and over again if she could. “I am proud of this university and the faculty too. I believe that the Faculty of Theology and Religion is the best of its kind in the country.”
She encouraged the youth to continue learning. “Don’t ever stop learning. Always be a student because one is never too old to learn.”