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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.
State of our campuses: UFS Bloemfontein and South Campuses closed on Tuesday 20 September 2016
2016-09-19
After much consideration, the senior leadership of the University of the Free State (UFS) decided to close the Bloemfontein and South Campuses on Tuesday 20 September 2016.
Bloemfontein Campus:
No academic and administrative services will be available and no lectures and/or tests will take place.
The decision comes after all academic activities were suspended this afternoon because of a growing unease on campus and disruption of some academic activities by groups of students resulting from this morning’s announcement on tuition fees by the Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Blade Nzimande.
The closing of the campus will afford an opportunity to the senior leadership to further engage with the Student Representative Council (SRC).
South Campus:
Because of problems with bus transport from the Bloemfontein Campus to the South Campus, no academic services will be available tomorrow. No lectures and/or tests will therefore take place. Administrative services will, however, continue, and staff on the South Campus have to report for work.
Qwaqwa Campus:
Academic and administrative services on the Qwaqwa Campus will continue as normal tomorrow.
Information about the situation on the campuses will be shared as and when it becomes available during the course of tomorrow.