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UFS’ Prof Hussein Solomon fosters cross-cultural dialogue in India

04 October 2024 | Story Dr Nitha Ramnath | Photo Supplied

International Young Scholars Conference 2024 — International Young Scholars Conference.

The University of the Free State (UFS) continues to advance its global academic collaborations, as evidenced by the recent keynote address delivered by Prof Hussein Solomon at the prestigious International Young Scholars Conference at Jawaharlal Nehru University on 3 October 2024. In addition to his keynote, Professor Solomon presented a thought-provoking lecture titled "India’s Contribution in Ensuring Africa’s Security" at Jamia Millia Islamia on 4 October 2024, highlighting India’s significant role in the African security landscape.

Throughout his visit to India, Prof Solomon actively participated in multiple conferences at various universities and institutions, reinforcing the importance of academic dialogue between the two regions. His engagements reflect UFS’s unwavering commitment to fostering international knowledge exchange and collaborative partnerships.

A notable outcome of this visit is the pending finalisation of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Delhi University. This agreement aims to expand the current partnership with Jawaharlal Nehru University from a faculty-level agreement to a comprehensive, institution-wide collaboration across multiple disciplines beyond the humanities. This development will facilitate joint research initiatives, collaborative PhD supervision, and joint funding proposals, marking a significant step forward for both institutions.

Reflecting on the potential of these partnerships, Prof Solomon remarked, “The Indian academic landscape is incredibly dynamic. With India poised to become the world’s largest economy by 2050, strengthening ties with Indian institutions provides the UFS with immense strategic opportunities.”

Prof Solomon’s academic contributions extend beyond administrative agreements. He is co-editing a forthcoming book on BRICS and climate change with Prof Bashabi Gupta from the Department of Geography at Delhi University. This work aligns with the upcoming BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, later this month. Moreover, plans are underway for a second volume, as well as a new book focused on feminist decoloniality from African and Asian perspectives, which seeks to amplify marginalised voices in global scholarship.

In line with the UFS’s dedication to expanding its international reach, Prof Solomon continues to build on existing relationships and pursue new collaborations with Indian scholars, particularly within the BRICS and BRICS Plus frameworks. These efforts will enhance academic exchange and research opportunities, further positioning UFS as a key player in global academic discourse.

As UFS broadens its global footprint, such initiatives not only elevate the institution’s reputation but also enrich the academic experiences of its students and researchers, promoting a more interconnected academic landscape.

News Archive

Academics should strive to work with students towards publishing, says NRF-rated researcher

2017-07-17

Dr Rodwell Makombe, Y-gegradeerde navorser.
Foto: Thabo Kessah

“The National Research Foundation (NRF) is a prestigious research institution and to be recognised by such an institution means that my work is worthwhile. This alone motivates me to do more research.” This is how Dr Rodwell Makombe reflected on his recent recognition as an NRF-rated researcher – one of the few on the Qwaqwa Campus. He is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of English at the University of the Free State’s Qwaqwa Campus.

“This recognition is indeed an important milestone in my research career. It means that my efforts as a researcher are recognised and appreciated. The financial research incentive will enable me to engage in more research, attend conferences, and so forth,” he said.

Comparing research in the Humanities and Sciences
Dr Makombe’s research area is broadly postcolonial African literature, but he is particularly interested in postcolonial literatures and resistance cultures. He is currently working on a book project entitled Visual Cultures of the Afromontane.

When asked what he thought about Natural Sciences being in the lead as far as research is concerned, he said that this is mainly caused by funding opportunities.

“It means that my efforts as a
researcher are recognised and
appreciated.”

“It is easier to access funding for research in the Natural Sciences than for the Humanities. Researchers in the Humanities usually do research without any form of funding. However, there are also differences in the way research is done in the Sciences than in the Humanities. Science researchers tend to work together on different projects, which make it easier for them to have their names on publications, no matter how small their contribution. This is also connected to the issue of funding,” he added.

He continued: “Since research in the Humanities is largely unfunded, it is difficult for researchers to establish research groups. Another issue is that most academics in the Humanities do not necessarily teach modules within their research interests. Therefore, they tend to be overloaded with work as they have to do research in one area and teach in another area.”

NRF-rating and funding
For Dr Makombe, the solution to this challenge lies in academics in the Humanities working towards publishing with their students. “This way,” he said, “both the students and the academics will get publications that will help them to get NRF-rating and other forms of research funding. Modules in the Humanities need to be aligned to academics’ research interests to avoid mismatches between teaching and research.”

He previously worked at the University of Fort Hare and the Durban University of Technology and has published several articles in both local and international journals.

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