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03 October 2024
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Story Ansie Barnard
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Photo Supplied
From left to right: Londeka Mkhwanazi, Semither Mkhize, Salima van Schalkwyk, Slindokuhle Ndlovu, Asanda Mpinga, Mantombi Molefe, Ntombinkulu Khumalo, Mosebjadi Chauke and Thembinkosi Mkhwanazi.
The Amrut Foundation, in partnership with the University of the Free State (UFS), successfully hosted its Inaugural Innovathon at the UFS Qwaqwa Campus. This competition is designed to identify and support innovative products and services that not only generate profit but also contribute to the public good, with a strong emphasis on ethical business practices. Through this collaboration, students gain national exposure for their businesses and receive support to create sustainable social enterprises.
Five teams of student social entrepreneurs from the Qwaqwa campus were shortlisted to participate in the regional finals. Their selection was based on ventures that adhered to a social entrepreneurship model and demonstrated plans for long-term profitability and sustainability.
During the Innovathon, a panel of judges from the UFS, the Amrut Foundation, and the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) selected two outstanding teams to represent the UFS at the national finals, which will take place in October. The winning ventures, Biofly-Pro and Root Rescue were each awarded R20,000 to further develop and expand their initiatives.
Hemang Desai, Executive Director of the Amrut Foundation, expressed his enthusiasm for the event: "Amrut is proud to co-host the Free State leg of the inaugural Innovation Challenge with the UFS. Supporting students with entrepreneurial ambitions that align with societal care is one of our key focus areas."
Dr Grey Magaiza, Senior Lecturer and Deputy Director for the Centre for Gender and Africa Studies at the UFS, highlighted the importance of social entrepreneurship: “Social entrepreneurship is a collaborative effort towards creating sustainable and ethical business processes. The two winning projects embody these principles, and we look forward to their continued growth. In line with our Vision 130, social entrepreneurship can serve as a critical lever for university-community engagement.”
Congratulations to Biofly-Pro and Root Rescue on their well-deserved achievements!
Inaugural lecture on high energy universe delivered at the UFS
2009-03-25
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Prof. Pieter Meintjes from the Department of Physics at the University of the Free State (UFS) recently delivered his inaugural lecture on the Main Campus in Bloemfontein. The topic of the lecture was “The high-energy universe: Exotic objects and cataclysmic outbursts”. According to Prof. Meintjes, head of the department’s Astrophysics Group, we are entering a golden age regarding synergies of very large and very small objects. “Astrophysicists are playing a leading role in studying nuclear fusion in extreme environments such as neutron stars and graviation spots. This knowledge can be used by future generations to produce useable energy. Rotating gravitation spots can also produce “wormholes” in the universe, which makes space trips on galactic outer galactic scale a reality for generations to come. “The Astrophysics Research Group already plays a prominent role in multi-wavelength astrophysics in South Africa,” said Prof. Meintjes. At the inaugural lecture were, from the left: Prof. Hendrik Swart, head of the Department of Physics, Prof. Meintjes, Prof. Teuns Verschoor, Acting Rector, and Prof. Herman van Schalkwyk, Dean of the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at the UFS.
Photo: Stephen Collett |