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02 November 2023
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Story Kekeletso Makau
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Photo SUPPLIED
The UFS Heads of Mission Breakfast event attracted a distinguished delegation of foreign diplomatic missions.
The second Heads of Diplomatic Mission breakfast was hosted by the University of the Free State (UFS) in collaboration with the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection (MISTRA) in Pretoria, South Africa on 26 October 2023.
The event served as an opportunity to position the UFS as a preferred partner for international collaboration in higher education, research, and innovation – following the success of the inaugural event in 2022. More than ten diplomatic missions were represented by distinguished foreign mission representatives who shared in the deliberations on this year’s theme, namely partnerships and collaborations.
The keynote address was delivered by the UFS Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Prof Francis Petersen, with contributing presentations from MISTRA researcher Laurence Caromba, UFS Professor of Pharmacology, Prof Motlalepula Matsabisa, and Senior Lecturer from the Centre for Gender and Africa Studies, Dr Grey Magaiza. A key goal of Prof Petersen’s presentation was to highlight the benefits of reciprocal collaboration and co-creation of knowledge with international partners, including industry partners. Contributing presentations posited the UFS as a partner of interest in research, innovation, and technology in the international arena and showcased the value of university and diplomatic partnerships in support of the UFS Internationalisation Strategy and Vision 130.
Caromba, a MISTRA researcher, reiterated the importance of collaboration between universities, research institutes, and the diplomatic community, further reaffirming the partnership value proposition entrenched in the UFS-MISTRA collaboration in co-hosting this year’s event. MISTRA, a renowned influential think tank, served as an excellent partner for the event.
The UFS currently boasts more than 100 vibrant international partnerships and is the incumbent coordinator of large EU-funded Erasmus+ projects among South African universities, with UFS researchers having co-authored more than 5 000 scientific publications with universities worldwide (2018-2022).
An engaging question-and-answer session concluded with insights and further action items for continued engagement post the event.
Kovsie-Alumni Trust provides financial support to gifted young persons
2009-07-08
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Kovsie-Alumni Trust of the University of the Free State (UFS) provides financial support to gifted young persons. This year, the Trust has already granted R24 000 to students with disabilities and R28 500 to ad hoc applications for financial support. Amongst others, financial support of R224 888 was given to students from the Alumni Donation Funds. The contributions of generous donators to the Trust Fund are used to award academic, cultural and sport bursaries to deserving prospective as well as current Kovsie students. Here are, from the left: PK Nkate, a blind honours student in Business Management, who received R6 000 from the Trust, Ralph de Kramer, who received R3 500 for his ad hoc application; back: Adv Seef Hefer, Chairperson of the Trust, Ms Francis Hoexter, member of the Trust, Leendert Kramer, who received R60000 for his ad hoc application and Mr Ryno Opperman, member of the Trust. Other bursaries were awarded to Eleanor Bernard and Nandi Venter, Master’s students from the Department of Afrikaans and Dutch, French and German, who each received half of the NNP bursaries with the total value of R20 000 and Magteld Smith, a blind Ph.D. student in BA to whom the Sapcor Bursary was awarded. Carien Gordon, Geoff Bezuidenhout and Ilana van der Merwe received R6 000, R3 500 and R3 500 respectively, according to their ad hoc applications.
Photo: Dries Myburgh |