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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.
Five Kovsies competing at National Championship for Physically Disabled
2016-03-18
Students from the University of the Free State (UFS) will compete at the Nedbank National Championship for the Physically Disabled in Bloemfontein from 21–23 March 2016. From back left is Johann van Heerden, Prof Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the UFS, and Danie Breitenbach. Front from left is Louzanne Coetzee and Dineo Mokhosoa.
Photo: Jóhann Thormählen |
Five students from the University of the Free State (UFS) will be taking part in the Nedbank National Championship for the Physically Disabled from 21–23 March 2016 in Bloemfontein. Dineo Mokhosoa, Juanré Jenkinson, Louzanne Coetzee, Danie Breitenbach and Johann van Heerden will represent the Free State at this event – one of the last opportunities to qualify for the Paralympic Games.
According to Martie Miranda, Head of the Center for Universal Access and Disability Support (CUADS) at the UFS, these students have shown they can achieve anything. “The Center for Universal Access and Disability Support is extremely proud of our students with disabilities who excel in sport and wish our students the best of luck with the national championships,” she said.“They confirm that ‘impossible’ is just a word.”
Most of the students already have excellent national and international rankings in their respective categories.
Mokhosoa (Cerebral Palsy), is ranked first in South Africa in discus, shot-put and long jump. This Social Work student also has two South African records in shot-put and long jump respectively behind her name. Jenkinson (Cerebral Palsy) is ranked eighth in the world in shot-put.
Coetzee (blind), who competes in the 800 m, 1 500 m and 5 000 m, is fifth in the world in the 800 m and ninth in the 1500 m. Breitenbach (blind) runs 400 m, 800 m and 1 500 m. Breitenbach, a Law student, is ranked fifth in the world in the 800 m.
Van Heerden (Cerebral Palsy) competes in swimming in the 50 m, 100 m and 200 m breaststroke. The Education student is ranked third in the 50 m, seventh in the 100 m and third in the 200 m in the world.
The Paralympic Games is taking place in September 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.