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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.
Beauty from UFS a national Miss Earth finalist
2016-08-19
Elnè van Coller, final-year
Occupational Therapy student at
the University of the Free State
was selected as a national
finalist in Miss Earth South Africa
(SA) leadership programme on
1 August 2016.
Photo: Miss Earth SA
“Greening my community and touching lives is my purpose in life. We were put on this beautiful Earth to serve others and make a difference in the world.”
This is what Elnè van Coller, final-year Occupational Therapy student at the University of the Free State, had to say after being selected as a national finalist in Miss Earth South Africa (SA) leadership programme.
She has set out to be the change. Not only does she want to see change in her own community but in the rest of the world. The reason she entered the Miss Earth SA programme is to inspire others.
Leadership programme to inspire others
The Miss Earth SA is a leadership programme which aims at empowering young South African women with the knowledge and platform to create a sustainable difference. It helps create awareness of sustainable development, the environment, wildlife, and the conservation of the natural legacy.
“Miss Earth SA is an amazing platform for me to develop leadership skills, raise awareness, and be actively involved in environmental affairs as well as serving the community,” said Elnè.
Getting the community involved is important
The theme for this year’s Miss Earth SA programme is Waste Stops With ME, so clean-ups are a major part of the programme. Elnè started a Facebook page, Team Up-To-Clean-Up Bloemfontein. “This page is to share environmental facts, inform the people of Bloemfontein about the clean-ups, as well as get them involved”.
The Miss Earth SA gala week will take place in Johannesburg from 5 – 9 September 2016 when the Miss Earth SA 2016 will be announced.