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#AfricaMonth2024: Championing global citizenship and African higher education

31 May 2024 | Story Valentino Ndaba | Photo Matome Mokoena

The University of the Free State (UFS) recently hosted a compelling event at its Bloemfontein Campus in celebration of Africa Day. Under the theme “World Citizenship and African Higher Education: Preparing Students for a Connected World”, the gathering, organised by the Office for International Affairs, brought together distinguished speakers and scholars to explore the significance of Africa Day and the pivotal role of African institutions of higher learning in shaping a global mindset.

In his opening address, Prof Francis Petersen, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the UFS, emphasised the importance of commemorating Africa Day as a means to honour the continent's history, celebrate its diversity, and reaffirm commitments to unity, peace, and progress in Africa. “Events of this nature remind us that Africa is rising and increasingly claiming its rightful place as a thought and leadership influencer in the global community of nations. How we, as the UFS, embrace this as an opportunity for innovation and impact is of critical importance to our institutional vision, which we call Vision 130, setting out our collective intent to the year 2034, when the university will mark the 130th anniversary of its founding,” he added.

Addressing inequality and colonial legacies

A panel discussion featuring prominent speakers delved into critical issues affecting African society and higher education. Advocate Thando Gumede, a respected human rights and feminist activist, passionately advocated for substantive equality and the dismantling of systemic barriers to empower black women in society, with a particular focus on academic institutions. Gumede emphasised the persistent issues facing African women and girls, particularly black women, in the economy and leadership roles. “It’s now 2024, and yet a black government has purposefully and intentionally failed to meaningfully address the laws, systems, and colonial ideologies that ultimately led to the socioeconomic and political paralysis and violation of African women and girls today, especially black women within the economy and roles of leadership,” she asserted.

She further elaborated on the metaphor of tiptoeing around a house, symbolising the cautious and ineffective efforts to address these deep-seated issues. Advocate Gumede’s call to action was clear: "We have been tiptoeing in this house for 30 years, not wanting to bump the nice transparent vases around the house. We have been silently tiptoeing around this house so as to not wake up the masters. We have been unable to breathe in this house because we have been giving excessive amounts of oxygen to those who don't need it as much as we do. And so, what I'm trying to say is that unless we are willing to tear the entire house down and smash the foundation that it once stood on, there ain’t nothing going to change. Folks, we need to destroy the house and go build something new somewhere else."

Decolonising academic discourse and promoting inclusivity

Other panelists included Prof Itumeleng Mosala, an academic specialising in theology and religious studies, who passionately highlighted the need to decolonise theological discourse and challenge Eurocentric narratives for a more inclusive academic environment. Additionally, Prof Vasu Reddy, Vice-Chancellor: Research and Internationalisation of the UFS, stressed the value of embracing diverse perspectives and knowledge systems to cultivate critical thinking and intercultural understanding among students.

Promoting social justice through higher education

Dr Phethiwe Matutu, CEO of Universities South Africa (USAf), spoke about the pivotal role of higher education institutions in promoting social justice through global engagement and addressing historical injustices to build a more equitable society. “Success in higher education hinges on multiple components, including access, resources, and the integration of indigenous knowledge systems. Embracing indigenous knowledge is vital not only for cultural affirmation but also for global advancement, with numerous universities and organisations making significant strides in this area.”

“Pedagogies that promote social justice, such as peer learning and reflective teaching, are essential. These methods validate students' knowledge and encourage comprehensive learning. The Ubuntu pedagogy, which emphasises care, collaboration, and language, is particularly affirming and relevant in advancing education,” she added.

Towards equity and renewal

Three recommendations were proposed for consideration: undoing the residue of colonial leadership ethos, leveraging African knowledge systems in education, and continuously questioning and reflecting on practices to ensure alignment with values and genuine progress.As the event concluded, Prof Petersen urged attendees to reflect on the insights shared and consider their roles in driving positive change within their communities and institutions. The UFS Africa Day event served as a platform for robust discourse on advancing global citizenship and African higher education, reaffirming the institution's commitment to excellence, inclusivity, and the pursuit of knowledge for societal transformation.

News Archive

The launch of a unique conservation project

2011-06-06

Our Department of Animal, Wildlife and Grassland Sciences launched a very special pilot project at Woodland Hills Wildlife Estate in Bloemfontein on Friday 03 June 2011, which aims to eventually aid in the conservation and study of one of Africa’s most graceful animals.

The project aims to provide the scientific basis needed for making future decisions in the best interests of the giraffe in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in the Northern Cape and involves collaring and monitoring the behaviour and movement of these animals via GPS.

Based on the public interest in the giraffe and the increased impact of the growing giraffe population on the vegetation in the area, SANParks has been considering the translocation of a number of Kgalagadi giraffe. Due to limited information regarding their adaptation success and potential impact on their new environment, thorough planning and subsequent monitoring of the species is required.

Mr Francois Deacon from our university decided to undertake a PhD study to address the existing challenges. This will be the first study of its kind, undertaken on giraffe.

He says he decided on this project because of his love for animals and conservation. “There are nine sub-species of giraffe and seven of these are already endangered. I want to involve people and make them aware of the plight of the animals and the need for conservation,” he said.

The project kicked off on Friday morning, with a group of students and curious nature-lovers tracking a herd of giraffe at Woodland Hills. The challenge laid in identifying one of the animals which could easily be collared with a GPS device, tranquilising it, and applying the device, without harming the animal.

After a young bull was identified, it was up to Dr Floris Coetzee, a veterinarian, to get close enough to the animal to tranquilise it, and to the group of students to catch it and hold it down. All this was done perfectly and the animal was fitted with its new collars. The collars were designed and made by Mr Martin Haupt, who gained extensive experience in the design of similar collars for other research studies.

Mr Deacon will spend the following two weeks personally monitoring the animal constantly, to ensure that the collars do not cause any discomfort or injury and to determine whether it should be removed or adapted.

It has taken Mr Deacon over a year to plan the collaring process and the associated study. He says the main challenges in the project are financial, since it will cost approximately R500 000 to run over five years.

Thus far he has been supported by Mr Pieter Malan of Woodland Hills, Mr Cas Kempff of Cas Kempff Consulting Engineers and Prof. Frans Swanepoel of the UFS’ Directorate of Research Development, all of whom have been benefactors of the project.
Information gathered from the pilot project will provide the data to assess how to best fit the collar onto the giraffe to ensure that the animal is comfortable and that the collar will last in the wild. Scientific data will be generated and processed for use by the Woodland Hills Wildlife Estate management.

Should the pilot project be successful, between four and eight giraffe in the Kgalagadi will be tracked using the satellite GPS collars. The GPS collars will enable the constant recording of the location of individual giraffe for up to 2 years. This will allow control and monitoring of the animals in real-time.

The main benefits of the project include, amongst others, improved decision-making, informing tourism development, education and community involvement, improved sustainability and improved cross-border collaboration between South Africa and Botswana.

Anyone who wishes to get involved with the project or get more information, should contact Me. Sonja Buhrmann at sbuhrmann@vodamail.co.za or 0827735768.

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