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03 October 2024 | Story Ansie Barnard | Photo Supplied
Amrut Foundation 2024
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! 

News Archive

Kovsies foster closer ties with Asian universities
2012-03-19

 

The UFS’s exhibition at the second International Seminar and QS MasterClass on Internationalisation of Higher Education (iQS) in Thailand.
19 March 2012


We increased our stature in Asia by presenting the International Seminar and QS MasterClass on Internationalisation of Higher Education (iQS) in Thailand in cooperation with four universities from the region.

The UFS presented the seminar together with Mahasarakham University of Thailand, Guangxi University for Nationalities in China, Universiti Teknologi Malayisiaand the University of the Philippines Diliman. The UFS’s involvement in the seminar is the result of a cooperation agreement that was signed with Mahasarakham University, the host of the seminar. The UFS is the first university in Africa that has a cooperation agreement with Mahasarakham.
 
Prof. Driekie Hay, Vice-Rector: Academic, and Prof. Annette Wilkinson, Professor-Researcher at the Centre for Teaching and Learning, represented the UFS. They ensured that delegates to the seminar were aware of what was happening at Kovsies. Prof. Hay took part in a panel discussion. She also delivered a paper in which she looked at the implications of internationalisation on curricula. The UFS also had an exhibition at the event.
 
Prof. Wilkinson said the seminar offers universities in that part of the world the opportunity to improve their position internationally by exchanging knowledge and ideas. She said the approximately 130 delegates showed considerable interest in the UFS.
“A number of Mahasarakham University’s lecturers and management, as well as some of the other delegates, expressed an interest in visiting the UFS and in fostering closer ties.”

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