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03 November 2023 | Story André Damons | Photo SUPPLIED
SDG Competition 2023
From left: Dr Brandon van Rooyen, Dr Anathi Makamane, Dr Yolandi Schoeman and Daniel Naudé participated and won the SDG Challenge South Africa. Pieter Bruwer is absent from the photo.

A team of exceptional students from the University of the Free State (UFS) has claimed victory in the prestigious SDG Challenge South Africa, a global competition that unites students and organisations to address the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs). This remarkable achievement not only underscores the skill and dedication of UFS students but also reinforces their commitment to forging a more sustainable and equitable world.

The group of students from different disciplines within the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences (NAS), came up with an interdisciplinary and forward-thinking approach which contributed significantly to their victory. The team members, including Pieter Bruwer, Dr Anathi Makamane, Dr Brandon van Rooyen (all from Sustainable Food Systems and Development), Daniel Naudé (Department of Agriculture Economics), as well as Dr Yolandi Schoeman (a postdoctoral fellow in the Centre for Environmental Management (CEM) from the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, each brought their unique expertise to the challenge.

Prof Jan Willem Swanepoel, Associate Professor in the Department of Sustainable Food Systems and Development within the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, provided invaluable mentorship to the team. The students were also supported by Robyn Mellett from OMI Solutions.

Dr Schoeman says the SDG Challenge, designed to confront global challenges, connects students and organisations from across the globe, fostering collaboration towards achieving the UNSDGs, which encompass critical issues such as climate change and the reduction of global inequalities. Teams from South African universities, including the University of Cape Town, Stellenbosch University, and the University of KwaZulu-Natal, partnered with leading companies to address specific challenges tied to their corporate missions.

Develop a waste management strategy

Team UFS joined forces with Ivanhoe Mines, a prominent mining company operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo to develop a waste management strategy for the Kamoa-Kakula Copper Complex. This endeavour was laden with complexities due to the limited waste management options available in the area. The challenge was not just about managing multiple waste streams from the mining complex, but also about addressing socioeconomic and biodiversity challenges stemming from the burgeoning population in the region, which led to a range of environmental concerns.

“In response, the UFS team innovatively conceived ÉcoFlotille, a solution that not only tackled essential waste management issues but also promoted biodiversity net gain. The plan extended its reach to support local agribusinesses and small and micro-enterprises through the repurposing and reuse of waste materials, while presenting a unique biofinancing opportunity. The EcoFlotille solution represents a distinctive aspect of their triumphant journey.

“ÉcoFlotille not only aligns with the SDGs but also plays a crucial role in realising the vision of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which emphasises the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. Additionally, it aligns with the goals of Agenda 2063 for Africa, striving to advance the continent’s development objectives and create a prosperous and harmonious future for the region,” says Dr Schoeman. 

The scalability of ÉcoFlotille across Africa holds great promise. Its innovative waste management approach and biofinancing potential could serve as a model for addressing similar challenges in diverse regions of the continent. This opens up opportunities for wider adoption and positive impacts throughout Africa.

Creating a more sustainable and equitable world

The SDG Challenge South Africa is an integral part of Soapbox’s global mission to mobilise university students and organisations in working collaboratively toward the UNSDG. These goals aim to address the world’s most pressing challenges, requiring collective efforts to achieve sustainable economic growth, environmental sustainability, and social inclusion by 2030.

The UFS’s remarkable success in the SDG Challenge not only highlights the university’s dedication to fostering global citizenship and sustainability but also underscores the remarkable potential of its students in driving positive change in Africa and the world.

According to Dr Schoeman, the UFS team’s victory in the SDG Challenge stands as a testament to their unwavering commitment to creating a more sustainable and equitable world. Their innovative solution, ÉcoFlotille, serves as a beacon of hope, illustrating how the vigour and ingenuity of the younger generation can propel us closer to realising the UNSDG by 2030, effectively ticking all 17 SDG boxes.

Solving a real-world problem

Prof Swanepoel says the SDG Challenge is a global competition that unites students and organisations to address the UNSDGs. These goals encompass some of the most pressing challenges facing our world today, such as climate change, poverty, and inequality.

According to him, by participating in the SDG Challenge, the UFS students had the opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills to solve a real-world problem experienced by one of the biggest mining houses in the world. They gained valuable experience in collaborating with the private sector.

“I am immensely proud of the students' achievement in the prestigious Soapbox SDG Challenge South Africa. Their interdisciplinary approach and forward-thinking mindset are a testament to the calibre of education and mentorship they receive at the UFS,” Prof Swanepoel says. 

“Furthermore, I am confident that the skills and experience gained through the SDG Challenge will help the students to make a positive impact on the world. They are the next generation of leaders who will be responsible for addressing the complex social and environmental challenges Africa face. I also believe that coming out as victors in this competition would open more doors for them and the university in the private sector.”

News Archive

Ford foundation funds higher education redesign
2005-06-23

 

The Ford Foundation has pledged a grant of almost R280 000 for redesigning higher education delivery at three campuses in the Free State.

According to Prof Magda Fourie, Vice-Rector: Academic Planning at the University of the Free State (UFS), the three campuses that will be affected by the strategic reconfiguration of higher education delivery are the Qwaqwa campus at Phuthaditjhaba and the Vista campus of the UFS in Bloemfontein and the Welkom campus of the Central University of Technology (CUT).

Prof Fourie says the three campuses were all affected by the restructuring of higher education, in line with the National Plan for Higher Education.

The Qwaqwa campus of the UFS that was part of the former University of the North was incorporated into the UFS in January 2003.  Likewise the Bloemfontein campus of the former Vista University was incorporated into the UFS in January 2004.

The Welkom campus of the CUT was also part of the former Vista University and was incorporated into the CUT in January 2004.

“These incorporations pose a challenge in that we have to think creatively about the best ways of using these three campuses to service the higher education, training, skills development and human resource needs of the Free State,” Prof Fourie said.

“The grant from the Ford Foundation will primarily be used to draw up strategic funding proposals for the three campuses.  The Qwaqwa campus of the UFS is a priority to us given the poverty and unemployment in a largely rural area of the Free State,” said Prof Fourie.

“A detailed consultation process will be undertaken in the Qwaqwa campus sub-region which will hopefully result in a comprehensive and a coherent suite of higher education activities being established on this campus,” said Prof Fourie.

“It is envisaged that the Qwaqwa campus will become a centre of excellence in the area of rural development.  This vision is based on a focused integration of the core functions of a university – teaching, research, and community service – around the issue of rural development,” said Prof Fourie.

Prof Fourie said that various educational offerings including among others short courses, bridging and foundation programmes, and degrees could be offered, with a particular focus on providing courses of relevance to students from the local rural community and students from elsewhere with an interest in focusing on rural development studies.

She said the redesign of the three affected campuses is being managed as a project of the Free State Higher Education Consortium (FSHEC) consisting of all the higher education institutions operating in the Free State.

“The aim of the project is to establish how the Qwaqwa and Vista campuses of the UFS and the Welkom campus of the CUT can be used effectively to meet regional education and training needs, to serve the strategic priorities of the two higher education institutions and contribute to the sustainable development and poverty alleviation of the region,” she said.

The planning for the Vista campus of the UFS is still in an early stage.  “We are looking at the possibility of developing this campus into a hub of education and training opportunities for Bloemfontein and Free State region.  Further plans will be communicated later in the year,” said Prof Fourie.

Media release

Issued by:  Lacea Loader
   Media Representative
   Tel:  (051) 401-2584
   Cell:  083 645 2454
   E-mail:  loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za

23 June 2005
 

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