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29 March 2023
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Story Samkelo Fetile
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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.
Badminton players bring national titles home
2009-10-27
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Kovsie badminton players Chris Dednam, Wiaan Viljoen and Roelof Dednam.
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Badminton players of the University of the Free State again won national titles at the recently completed South African senior badminton championships in Stellenbosch. Where Chris Dednam won a hat trick last year, he had to relinquish two of his titles, fortunately to his team mates, this year.
Annari Viljoen and Chris Dednam retained their mixed doubles title by beating the favourites and first-seeded pair from the Western Province, Dorian James and Michelle Edwards, in the finals with 18-21, 21-19 & 27-25. Annari and Michelle also won the women’s doubles title. They easily (21-13 & 21-12) beat the unseeded pair Lydia and Debbi Godfrey (WP) in the finals.
Wiaan Viljoen teamed up with Dorian James (WP) as the second-seeded pair in the men’s doubles to surprise Chris and Roelof Dednam (first seeded) in the finals with 21-18 & 21-16. Wiaan (first seeded), as well as Chris Dednam (fifth seeded), could not reach the finals in the men’s singles, which left it to their old Kovsie team mate Roelof Dednam to bring the title back to the Free State. Roelof (second seeded) beat the national junior champion and fourth-seeded Jacob Maliekal (Border) with 19-21, 21-13 & 26-24 in the finals. |