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22 November 2024 | Story Lunga Luthuli | Photo Supplied
International Audit Week 2024
UFS students at Coventry University’s International Audit Week, marking a historic first for South African and Global South universities participating in this prestigious global accountancy gathering.

In a significant first for any university in South Africa and the Global South, five students from the University of the Free State (UFS) participated in Coventry University’s prestigious International Audit Week (IAW). This global gathering of top accountancy students from various countries took place from 28 to 30 October 2024 in England.

The UFS School of Accountancy earned the invitation through a Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) project initiated earlier this year. Prof Frans Prinsloo, Vice-Dean for Learning, Teaching, Innovation, and Digitalisation in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, said, “Our participation signifies a major step in our internationalisation strategy. We were the first university from the Global South to attend, showcasing our students’ exceptional skills and fostering global collaboration.”

Trailblazing students

The selected students – Charlene Black, Twisiso Mathonsi, Heike de Nysschen, Charlize Oosthuizen, and Boitumelo Radebe – are among the top performers in the Postgraduate Programmes in Chartered Accountancy (PGCA). These future chartered accountants were chosen based on their stellar mid-year results, as final marks were unavailable before the trip.

Black expressed her excitement, stating, “Being selected to represent UFS at such a prestigious event was a tremendous privilege. It reinforced my decision to pursue the CA(SA) qualification and inspired me to make impactful contributions to the profession.”

Mathonsi, equally thrilled, reflected on the significance of the experience, saying, “Attending IAW was a dream come true. It validated my hard work and gave me a unique opportunity to engage with global perspectives on auditing.”

International insights and learnings

The week’s highlights included interactive sessions and industry tours. Black found the visit to Morgan Motors particularly inspiring, noting, “Witnessing their manufacturing process and reliance on paper-based job cards was fascinating. It was a reminder of the diverse practices within industries globally.”

Mathonsi recalled the collaborative activities, particularly a group project at Shakespeare’s birthplace. “It was both fun and insightful, emphasising teamwork across cultural and linguistic differences,” he said.

The students were exposed to cutting-edge developments in auditing, including the integration of artificial intelligence. These insights deepened their understanding of global industry trends and standards, such as the IFRS Foundation Standards and International Standards of Auditing, and highlighted differences in professional qualifications and practices between South Africa and the UK.

Sponsorship and support

This historic participation was made possible by the generosity of sponsors, who contributed over R250,000. The Raubex Group led with R150,000, followed by Rain Chartered Accountants (R50,000), Core Bloemfontein (R20,000 and K-Way jackets), the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (R20,000), and Interstate Bus Lines (R10,000).

Prof Prinsloo emphasised the importance of such collaborations: “Our visionary sponsors recognised the immense benefits of this initiative for our students. Their support underscores the value they place on nurturing future leaders.”

Global impact and future plans

The experience not only elevated the students’ aspirations but also boosted the UFS’s international reputation. “Our students’ technical competence often surpassed that of their peers, cementing UFS as a global player in accountancy education,” Prof Prinsloo noted.

Looking ahead, the School of Accountancy plans to expand its international partnerships and aims to host the International Audit Week in Bloemfontein by 2026. For Mathonsi, the advice to future students is clear: “Work hard even when no one is watching; dedication always pays off.”

The UFS delegation’s success at IAW exemplifies the university’s commitment to excellence, global engagement, and producing graduates poised to make a difference on international and local platforms.

News Archive

Using sugar to make the world a sweeter place
2017-10-13

Description: Deepback sugar Tags: Sugarcane, Dr Deepack Santchurn, Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute (MSIRI), Department of Plant Sciences 

Dr Deepack Santchurn, former PhD student in the
Department of Plant Sciences at the UFS,
and plant breeder in the  Mauritius Sugar Industry
Research Institute, with Prof Maryke Labuschagne, left,
Dr Santchurn’s study leader.
Photo: Charl Devenish



Besides it mainly being used for sugar production, sugarcane has emerged as an important alternative for providing clean renewable energy. Dr Deepack Santchurn, who works in the sugarcane breeding department of the Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute (MSIRI), believes if he could contribute towards a more environment-friendly and renewable energy through the use of sugarcane biomass, he would consider himself having made a great leap towards a better world. 

Sugarcane is mostly known and exploited for the sugar in its cane stem. According to Dr Santchurn it is not the only thing the crop does well. “Together with certain grasses, it is the finest living collector of sunlight energy and a producer of biomass in unit time. Sugarcane is now recognised worldwide as a potential renewable and environment-friendly bioenergy crop.” 

Significantly more bioenergy can be produced from sugarcane if the production system is not focused on the production and recovery of sucrose alone but on the maximum use to the total above-ground biomass. Diversification within the sugarcane industry is of paramount importance. 

He has been able to identify a few high biomass varieties that can be exploited industrially. One of the varieties is a commercial type with relatively high sugar and low fibre in the cane stem. Dr Santchurn explains: “Its sucrose content is about 0.5% less than the most cultivated commercial variety in Mauritius. Nevertheless, its sugar yield and above-ground biomass yield surpass those of the commercial varieties by more than 24%. The genetic gains compared to commercial varieties were around +50% for total biomass yield and +100% for fibre yield. Its cultivation is strictly related to bio-energy production and the extracted juice can be used as a feed-stock for ethanol and other high-value products.”

Dr Santchurn received his PhD at the UFS’s Department of Plant Sciences during the Winter Graduation Ceremonies in June this year. His study leader was Prof Maryke Labuschagne from the Department of Plant Sciences. 

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