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Boosting third-income aspirations: Visiting Fellow offers grant-writing expertise

21 June 2024 | Story Precious Shamase | Photo Suplied

The University of the Free State (UFS) welcomes Prof Jesse Lutabingwa, a visiting Fellow from the Appalachian State University (AppState) in the United States. Prof Lutabingwa arrives under the prestigious Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship Programme (CADFP), bringing a wealth of experience to support the university's ‘third-income aspirations.’

Prof Lutabingwa’s long-standing connection with the UFS began in 2009 when he played a pivotal role in establishing a collaborative partnership between the two institutions. At the time, he was serving as Associate Vice-Chancellor for International Education and Development at AppState. Now, he returns not as an administrator, but as a faculty member eager to share his expertise and deepen this valuable connection.

"I have always wanted to participate in CADFP to give back to the African continent," Prof Lutabingwa explains. "This fellowship allows me to engage with the UFS community on different issues and contribute to the professional and individual growth of faculty, staff, and students, ultimately serving our communities better."

Empowering through grant writing

A key aspect of Prof Lutabingwa’s fellowship is a series of grant-writing workshops designed to empower UFS faculty, researchers, and postgraduate students, particularly on the Qwaqwa Campus.

"Many find the idea of proposing research grants daunting," Prof Lutabingwa says. "My goal is to elucidate the process. With more than 33 years of experience and more than 65% success rate, I am here to share the knowledge I have gained as a grant writer and reviewer."

These workshops will equip participants with the skills and strategies needed to craft compelling proposals, significantly increasing their chances of securing funding. Access to grants is crucial, Prof Lutabingwa emphasises, as it allows researchers to pursue innovative work that benefits society while offering valuable training opportunities for students.

Collaboration for research impact

Prof Lutabingwa’s contributions extend beyond workshops. He will collaborate with Dr Grey Magaiza, Director of the Centre for Gender and Africa Studies, and other faculty members on co-authoring two research articles. This collaboration aims to strengthen the UFS' research profile and contribute to a more impactful research landscape.

Dr Magaiza highlights the significance of Prof Lutabingwa’s visit: "Jesse is at the heart of the UFS-AppState partnership. Now, as a Carnegie Africa Diaspora fellow, he can engage with us in a new way, pouring his expertise back into this space. His grant-writing workshops and collaborative research efforts will be instrumental in achieving our third-stream aspirations."

Excited about the future

The fellow’s enthusiasm for this fellowship is noticeable when he speaks and engages with colleagues on campus. "Words cannot express my excitement," he shares. "I am grateful for this opportunity to collaborate, engage in research, and connect with various individuals on campus."

The UFS community warmly welcomes Prof Lutabingwa and anticipates a fruitful fellowship that will empower faculty, strengthen research, and propel the UFS – particularly the Qwaqwa Campus – towards achieving its third-income aspirations.

News Archive

Launch of the Africa office of the IIDE

2006-05-25

Attending the launch of the Africa office of the IIDE were from the left Prof Sytse Strijbos (Chairperson of IIDE Europe), Rev Kiepie Jaftha (Chairperson of the IIDE in Africa’s Board of Directors and Chief Director: Community Service at the UFS) and Prof Frederick Fourie (Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS).

Attending the launch were from the left Prof Lucius Botes (Director: Centre of Development Support at the UFS), Dr Samuel Kareithi (Head: Community Development at the Cornerstone Christian College, Cape Town), Rev Kiepie Jaftha (Chairperson of the IIDE in Africa’s Board of Directors and Chief Director: Community Service at the UFS), Prof Sytse Strijbos (Chairperson of IIDE Europe) and Dr Ezekiel Moraka (Vice-Rector: Student Affairs at the UFS).

Africa office of IIDE launched on UFS main campus

The Africa office of the International Institute for Development and Ethics (IIDE) was today (26 May 2006) launched on the Main Campus of the University of the Free State (UFS) in Bloemfontein.

“The IIDE specialises in the studying and research of general questions of developmental theory and practices and provides services and support in education, strategic planning, policy formulation, advocacy and capacity building of development agencies,” said Rev Kiepie Jaftha, Chairperson of the IIDE in Africa’s Board of Directors and Chief Director: Community Service at the UFS.

According to Rev Jaftha the IIDE in Africa will focus on the conceptual and normative aspects of developmental processes in Sub-Saharan Africa. “We want to foster local and international partnerships with various relevant role-players in civil society, the private sector and public sector in the SACD region and later expand our operations to the rest of Africa,” said Rev Jaftha.

The IIDE in Africa cooperates with a similar foundation in Europe, functioning as the IIDE Europe. This institute was founded in 2003 and its head office is situated in the Netherlands. The UFS is a funder of the IIDE in Africa together with the Paul Foundation and private sponsors from the Netherlands.

“We have already started with various projects which are in various stages of implementation,” said Rev Jaftha. Some of these projects include, among others, the broadening of the master’s degree in Christian Studies of Science and Society (MACSSS) which is currently housed at the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam to tertiary institutions in South Africa such as the UFS, the University of Stellenbosch and the Potchefstroom Campus of the Northwest University.

“Another project is an investigation into the possibility of initiating a broad development initiative in the poverty stricken Qwaqwa area. This initiative will attempt to concentrate on issues like the training and empowerment of prospective entrepreneurs in the region, the identification of prospective entrepreneurs for the rendering of development support and the monitoring of the impact of information and communication technology on local communities during the implementation of sustainable development initiatives,” said Rev Jaftha.

“The establishment of the Africa office of the IIDE on the UFS Main Campus is an indication of one of the aims of the UFS to play a role in South Africa and Africa. It also signifies our aim to contribute meaningfully to research and development and to establish links between the academe and practice,” said Rev Jaftha.

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel: (051) 401-2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za
26 May 2006

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