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UFS and the University of Zambia launch transformative student delegation visit

20 November 2024 | Story Zinzi Zumana | Photo Supplied

UFS X Zambia 2024 — UFS and UNZA delegates engaged in a vibrant cultural exchange in Lusaka, Zambia, marking the beginning of a transformative partnership focused on student success, student well-being, and social justice.

The University of the Free State (UFS) and the University of Zambia (UNZA) have embarked on an inspiring international collaboration, with a delegation from the UFS touching down in Lusaka for a week of cross-cultural exchange and educational advancement. This visit – led by the Executive Director of Student Affairs at the UFS, Temba Hlasho – ran from 11 to15 November 2024 and brought together a select group of students and staff to engage in a transformative exchange aimed at strengthening the bonds between these two esteemed institutions.

At the heart of the UFS-UNZA partnership is a shared commitment to holistic student development and social justice. Both institutions seek to cultivate globally minded graduates who are ready to tackle regional and international challenges. The UFS has strategically aligned with UNZA in pursuit of these goals, recognising their compatible institutional visions and their mutual focus on student success, innovation, and building sustainable communities.

In its Strategic Plan for 2027, UNZA emphasises goals of excellence in teaching, research, community service, and digital innovation, while the UFS Vision 130 underscores a dedication to fostering holistic student success. Together, the two institutions are driving forward a vision that merges academic excellence with social responsibility and well-being.

The choice of Zambia as a partner is not accidental. With a deep history of solidarity dating back to the 1980s, South Africa and Zambia share a longstanding cultural connection, now improved by this educational partnership. This visit is rooted in the shared mission to empower the next generation, reinforcing both countries’ commitment to inclusive, thriving educational environments where young people can flourish.

The UFS delegation set out to accomplish several impactful objectives during their time at UNZA, including global collaboration and knowledge exchange, student support and wellness initiatives, commitment to social justice and community engagement, as well as leadership development and academic excellence.

This visit marks the beginning of an exploratory and reciprocal partnership that will extend well beyond the week. Moving forward, the UFS and UNZA will engage in sustained dialogue and collaborative projects across a range of student support initiatives, ensuring that each institution can evolve with new insights and strategies.

As the delegation visit unfolded, both the UFS and UNZA celebrated the dawn of a transformative partnership that bridges borders, unites cultures, and advances a shared vision for student success and social impact. This collaboration is poised to empower students with the skills and perspectives necessary to become leaders in their communities and on the global stage.

Together, the UFS and UNZA are setting a powerful example of international academic partnership, one that promises to foster impactful and lasting change for students, faculty, and the broader society.

News Archive

UFS extends footprint abroad

2015-12-14

In its constant pursuit of research excellence, the UFS has this year performed well in mainly two areas.

Apart from the research done by the UFS on national level, e.g. the involvement of its researchers with the SKA telescope, the pioneering work they do with the satellite tracking of giraffes, as well as research on trauma, forgiveness and reconciliation – to name but a few of the research areas, the university also has a research focus abroad.

Japan, Europe, America and Botswana. These are just some of the places where academics from the university are involved in research abroad.

Japan

Dr Dirk Opperman, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology, and Carmien Tolmie, a PhD student in the same department, visited the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology in Onna, Japan, during November and December 2014. During the visit, experiments were performed in the Microbiology and Biochemistry of Secondary Metabolite Unit of Dr Holger Jenke-Kodama.

This formed part of a larger NRF-funded project on carcinogenic toxins produced in certain Aspergillus fungi. These fungi infect food and feedstuff and are a big concern in developing countries because it may lead to severe economic losses. The research ultimately aims to find inhibitors to block the production of these fungal toxins.

Europe and America

In 2012, an international network was established in the frame of the FP7-PEOPLE-2011-IRSES programme, called hERG-related risk assessment of botanicals (hERGscreen). The South African group included Dr Susan Bonnet and Dr Anke Wilhelm, both from the UFS Department of Chemistry.

Extracts from more than 450 South African plant species have been investigated systematically to assess the potential cardiotoxic risk of commonly consumed botanicals and supplements. The idea of the project, funded by the European Commission, is to identify safety liabilities of botanicals.

Other international partners included the University of Innsbruck, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, University of Basel, University of Vienna, University of Florida, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina.

Botswana

A memorandum of understanding was signed between the UFS and Botho University in Botswana in September 2015, which will be valid for three years.

The agreement, includes student and staff exchange programmes, collaborative research, teaching and learning and community engagement activities, sharing of results, and PhD/ MPhil guidance.

Young researchers

Another research focus of the UFS is the development of its young researchers. In 2015, the UFS has delivered 13 Y-rated researchers. Ten of the researchers are from the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences and three from the Faculty of the Humanities. Three of them received an Y1 rating from the NRF.

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