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UFS and DSTI host the 2025 G20 research working group and bioeconomy meetings

23 February 2025 | Story André Damons | Photo Supplied

UFS Main Building — The University of the Free State in partnership with the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), will form the backdrop for the G20 Research and Innovation Working Group (RIWG) and G20 Initiative on Biochemistry (GIB) meetings in February.

The University of the Free State (UFS) will form the backdrop for the G20 Research and Innovation Working Group (RIWG) and G20 Initiative on Bioeconomy (GIB) meetings on 23 and 24 February 2024.

UFS has, over the years, distinguished itself as a leader in the research and development, particularly in the biodiversity space through its African Medicines, Innovations and Technologies Development (AMITD) platform, which was established in collaboration with the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) and its entity, the Technology Innovation Agency. It was therefore an obvious choice for the institution to again partner with the DSTI to host the G20 meetings.

The G20 is an international forum comprising many of the world's largest developing and developed economies, established to tackle pressing global economic and financial issues.

South Africa holds the G20 Presidency this year – only five years before the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development deadline. This is the first time the G20 is being hosted on African soil.

South Africa's presidency takes place when the world is facing a series of overlapping and mutually reinforcing crises, including climate change, underdevelopment, inequality, poverty, hunger, unemployment, technological changes, and geopolitical instability.

The G20 RIWG provides a platform for addressing global challenges through research, technology and innovation. The DSTI will lead the RIWG under the leadership of Minister Blade Nzimande and explore this year's theme, "Equity in science and innovation-based approaches to sustainable development".

Prof Nzimande, along with Prof Hester Klopper, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of UFS, will both deliver opening remarks at the meeting.

The session on 23 February will be the first to include G20 officials engaging with indigenous knowledge holders, students and researchers in the bioeconomy.

Prof Motlalepula Matsabisa, Director of the Department of Pharmacology and AMITD at UFS, says the university was an excellent choice to host the sessions because of its trusted relationships with indigenous communities and focus on inclusive research and development.

The G20 dialogues aim to be inclusive and provide a space for members of the public to voice their aspirations and to capture their needs around the indigenous knowledge and biodiversity in which they play an integral role.

"I am honoured to be part of this global event. I am so happy that AMITD is now globally recognised. We will exhibit our research conducted with communities on the internationalisation of South African science research in traditional medicines and biodiversity, and its formal commercialisation," said Prof Matsabisa.

"We are the leader in traditional medicines research and development.

"South Africa always leads in global debates and sets the stage for African views to be heard. We will contribute to policies on global biodiversity and bioeconomy and commercialisation of our natural resources through equity, sustainability and solidarity.

Prof Matsabisa believes this event will also highlight the goals of the DSTI's 2019 White Paper on Science, Technology and Innovation and the implementation of its 2022-2032 Decadal Plan.

He hopes to see tangible and meaningful outcomes from the G20 discussions that will be implemented by the USA when it takes over the G20 Presidency for 2026.

News Archive

UFS hosts a successful New Music Indaba

2015-08-18

Held at the University of the Free State’s Odeion School of Music (OSM), the NewMusicSA’s New Music Indaba 2015 featured works which Clare Loveday described as “breathtaking, discreet, and perfectly balanced.”

Loveday, one of South Africa’s acclaimed music critics and was Composer-in-Residence for the annual Johannesburg International Mozart Festival, attended the Indaba from 21-26 July 2015. In a review of Saturday’s gala concert, she referred to recitals of this nature as an “essential part of the South African musical landscape, providing musicians and composers a space in which to express their world.”

Staff and students of the OSM were extensively involved in facilitating the festivities as a symbol of commitment to South Africa and international contemporary art music. The OSM Camerata under the baton of Xavier Cloete performed two works by South African composer Hendrik Hofmeyr well as a work by young Argentinian composer Diego Soifer entitled Mille Regretz .The festival featured music theory lectures, a variety of workshops, roundtable discussions ,concerts as well as an outreach programme.

Loveday described the highlight of her Indaba experience as “A delicate construction of sounds and silences that drew the listener into a focused and intense sound world,” a highlight created by the visiting German composer, Charlotte Seither’s “Far From Distance” for piano, clarinet, and cello. The concert evening culminated with Diale Mabitsela's "Friday Nights at Six," adding to the spectacular nature of the festival.

Throughout the week, classical chamber works featuring South African New Music Ensemble (SANME), the Choir of Christ Church Arcadia, and the Odeion Vocal Consort were performed and well-received. Bringing the five-day event to a conclusion was a choral mass at the Bloemfontein Anglican Cathedral, featuring an “Agnus Dei” written by George T. King.

Douglas Scott, Curator of the 2015 Indaba, reflected on it as a great success, saying that, “most of the participants agreed the event was a wonderful opportunity simply to hear different voices from the composition community juxtaposed with one another.”

From Scott’s perspective, the principal goal was to foster communication between artists with different visions, and to reach out to the local community.

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