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EMS honours student Alexander Solomons awarded 2024/2025 Ernst Mach Grant

22 August 2024 | Story Mbali Moiketsi

Alexander Solomons, an honours student in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences at the University of the Free State (UFS), has been awarded the prestigious Ernst Mach Grant for the 2024/2025 academic year. This competitive grant will enable Solomons to participate in an exchange programme at FH Salzburg University, one of Europe’s leading institutions for higher education and research, in Salzburg, Austria.

The Ernst Mach Grant, named after the renowned physicist and philosopher Ernst Mach, is funded by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science, and Research. It aims to foster international academic exchange and support students who demonstrate exceptional academic merit and a strong commitment to their field of study.

“Spending time abroad did not seem like something that I would be able to do so early in my life,” Solomons said. “Coming from Scottsville, Kraaifontein, in the Western Cape, I never thought that I would be able to take part in opportunities such as this one.”

“Alexander’s selection as an Ernst Mach Grant recipient is a testament to his hard work, dedication, and the high standards of academic programmes at the UFS,” said Lynette Jacobs, Acting Director in the Office for International Affairs at the UFS.

During his time at FH Salzburg University, Solomons will have the opportunity to immerse himself in a vibrant academic environment, engage with leading scholars in his field, and access cutting-edge resources and facilities. “I will have the opportunity to deepen my knowledge and engage in a different form of high-impact learning,” he said. “Professionally, international experience can be valuable in the advancement of my career. Being exposed to global practices as well as networking has the potential to enhance my career prospects and potentially open doors for me in the country I originate from and internationally.”

Jacobs added that this programme will not only enhance Solomons’ academic and professional development but also strengthen the international ties between the UFS and FH Salzburg University.

"I am thrilled to witness the incredible opportunities scholarship programmes offer to our students,” she said. “Scholarships like the Ernst Mach Grant not only provide financial support but also open doors to unparalleled academic and cultural experiences. I strongly encourage all UFS students to explore these opportunities and apply for scholarships. Studying abroad can be a life-changing experience, offering new perspectives, fostering personal growth, and building a global network.”

In addition to his academic pursuits, Solomons will serve as an ambassador for the UFS, sharing his experiences and insights with his peers and faculty members at FH Salzburg University. He intends to integrate the knowledge gained into research and projects he takes on in the future. He believes the exposure to diverse opinions can help him approach problems from a more global perspective, and help him think in a more adaptable and inclusive manner.

“His participation in this exchange programme will contribute to the ongoing efforts to promote international collaboration and cultural exchange within our academic community,” Jacobs said.

Students and staff interested in applying for scholarships are welcome to contact Mbali Moiketsi, Study Abroad Officer in the Office for International Affairs on the top floor of the Theology Building. Information about scholarships is shared regularly through channels such as newsletters, social media, and the UFS website.

News Archive

“I, too, am an African,” says visiting US drama professor

2013-03-06

Africans are of blood and of soil, says Prof Charles Dumas in his inaugural lecture at the UFS. Speaking on the topic I, too, am an African, Prof Dumas reminisced about his life and experiences on the continent.
Photo: Minette Grove
05 March 2013

Lecture (pdf)

What is an African? Is it those born in Africa, defined in racial and genealogical terms, or those who identifies with the continent in nationality and ancestral location? Did the descendants of enslaved Africans in the US, the Caribbean or Brazil lose their Africaness when their ancestors were put on slave ships to the New World?

These were some of the questions raised by Prof Charles Dumas, visiting senior professor in the Department Drama and Theatre Arts, in his inaugural lecture at the university.

Proclaiming attachment to the continent, Prof Dumas told his audience there are two types of Africans: Africans of the blood and Africans of the soil. In a speech titled, “I, too, am an African,” he stated that he lay claim to his ancestral birthright not because of blood relationship to an identifiable ethnic group or birthright to the continent, but because he earned it.

“I suggest another way that one can be an African, is through trial and struggle to be reborn an African in spirit. It is a ritual journey that may be taken by anyone. For, after all, if we are to believe the anthropologists who tell us that human life as we know it began in the Olduvai Gorge, genetically we are all African in origin.”

Prof Dumas, a senior professor at Penn State University in the USA, took the audience on a journey of his experiences on the continent, starting in 1978 when he first came to South Africa as a legal observer. Noticing the changes between Apartheid and today’s South Africa, he said this generation are committed to learn from each other – and that is the most important, he said.

“With their hopes and aspirations they earnestly desire to live in the new South Africa that we promised them. We must support them in their effort. It is time we stored our old baggage in the closet.”

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