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16 October 2023 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Sonia Small
Dr Grey Magaiza
Members involved in the Mountain-to-Mountain collaboration between the two institutions recently met at ASU to seek further collaboration beyond the completion of the current project. Pictured here is Dr Grey Magaiza, Lecturer and Head of the UFS Community Development Programme on the Qwaqwa Campus.

A three-year collaboration between the University of the Free State (UFS) and the Appalachian State University (ASU) in Boone, North Carolina in the United States, is coming to an end. The Mountain-to-Mountain Collaboration under the US University Partnership Initiative in South Africa is funded through the US Embassy and Consulates in South Africa.

From the start, this project had four specific objectives. It wanted to develop and offer an interdisciplinary master's degree in Mountain Studies and another in Community Development on the UFS Qwaqwa Campus. 

Furthermore, the collaboration included the installation of four climate monitoring stations in the Maloti-Drakensberg (South Africa), which will form part of a global network of climate change monitoring sites.  A further objective of the grant was to establish and offer a formal leadership mentorship programme for younger black women in academia and support services at the UFS.

According to Dr Grey Magaiza, Head of the UFS Community Development Programme (Qwaqwa), mutual synergies were identified due to the mountainous locations of both campuses (Qwaqwa and AppState), and the Mountain-to-Mountain project between the two universities was conceptualised. 

The stated objectives and more were achieved.

Grant implementation progress

Dr Magaiza says four meteorological stations have been installed in the Drakensberg and data is now streaming through for climate monitoring. 

The new master's programme in Community Development has successfully received accreditation from the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) and will be offered in 2024 or 2025, pending internal logistical processes. The new interdisciplinary master's degree in Mountain Studies is currently under review.

Additionally, an innovative mentorship programme was designed to support the academic and administrative development of 12 black female support and academic staff. Some have since completed their postgraduate studies, and as a result of this collaboration, an article has been accepted for publication in a book chapter. Other female colleagues have also improved their operational competencies in their workplaces. Dr Magaiza remarked, “This aspect of the project has created a network of aspiring and ambitious young female staff members seeking to expand their footprint.”

Also resulting from this initiative were two engaged scholarship initiatives with civic sector organisations in Qwaqwa. These engagements led to the formation of the Maluti-a-Phofung Sustainable Development Forum to engage on development issues in Qwaqwa.

Future steps

Dr Magaiza is excited about the future prospects created by this project. “There have been some signs of potential collaboration in the UFS Department of Geography, for example, Ethnobotany and the Centre for Appalachian Studies. All these partnerships will improve the academic profile of the UFS and enhance international collaborations,” he believes. 

He is also of the opinion that the increased internationalisation footprint brought about by this project, coupled with the much-needed partnership, will go a long way in enhancing the global standing of the UFS as a research-led institution. “The partnership will also see the entrance of the UFS into nuanced scholarly areas such as mountain studies and mountain medicinal research,” he says. 

Dr Magaiza feels a productive and impactful research agenda is critical for any university. “This partnership is supporting the UFS in achieving its strategic imperative to be a globally competitive research-led institution. The postgraduate programmes also enhance our student-centric appeal, while the mentorship programme reaffirms the institution’s ethic of care as critical to the upward mobility and support for female staff members.”

Members involved in the Mountain-to-Mountain collaboration between the two institutions recently met at ASU to seek further collaboration beyond the completion of the current project.

News Archive

UFS school of management offers educational workshop to alumni and public
2004-08-27

“The most important responsibilities of the University of the Free State ’s (UFS) School of Management towards its alumni are the provision of quality academic programmes and continuing quality service.” This is according to the Director of the School, Prof Helena van Zyl.

“One of these services is to offer workshops in order to refresh alumni’s better knowledge and to expose them to the latest developments in several fields and disciplines. Such an opportunity is being arranged by the MBA Alumni on 11 September 2004 , when alumni and members of the public are welcome to join in an interesting workshop,” said Prof van Zyl.

The three subjects that will be discussed will of such a nature that all professional and non-professional persons – from lawyers to general practitioners and people in the business world – will benefit from it.

Prof Teuns Verschoor, Vice-Rector: Academic Operations at the UFS will discuss The effect of the promotion of access to information on medical practitioners, patients and their next of kin.

Prof Verschoor’s second presentation will give insight into The professional as an expert witness in court. Medical practitioners will obtain one CPD ethics point for participating in the workshop.

Another highlight of the workshop will be Prof Mukul Gupta from India , who will give a presentation on marketing lessons learned from India .

The first two sessions, led by Prof Verschoor, will take place from 10:00 to 12:00 . The workshop presented by Prof Gupta, will be from 13:00 to 15:00 . The workshop will take place in the CR Swart Auditorium on campus at a cost of R100 per person. Those interested can contact Mr Danie Bredenkamp at 082 5530 535 or banket@mweb.co.za.

More than 100 MBA students have graduated since 2001 and all of them are invited to the Annual General Meeting, which will take place in the CR Swart Auditorium after the workshop.

The annual MBA Alumni Banquet, exclusively for Kovsie Alumni with an MBA qualification from the UFS, will take place on the evening of 11 September 2004 .

For more information Sarien can be contacted at (051) 401-9195 or crouss.ekw@mail.uovs.ac.za.
 

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel: (051) 401-2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za
27 August 2004

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