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19 March 2025 | Story Precious Shamase | Photo Andre Damons
SAMC 2025
Prof Jared McDonald, Associate Professor in the Department of History; Dr Grey Magaiza, Senior Lecturer: Centre for Gender and Africa Studies, and Prof Vasu Reddy, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Internationalisation at the University of the Free State (UFS).

The Second Southern African Mountain Conference (SAMC 2025) commenced on Monday, 17 March amid a tangible sense of anticipation and a collaborative spirit at the Champagne Sports Resort, nestled in the heart of the Maloti-Drakensberg. Delegates from across the region and beyond gathered, setting the stage for a week of insightful discussions and collaborative exploration under the theme, ‘Southern African Mountains – Overcoming Boundaries and Barriers.’

Hosted by the University of the Free State (UFS) and its Afromontane Research Unit (ARU), the conference opened with a series of welcome statements that emphasised the global significance of mountain ecosystems. Prof Ralph Clark, SAMC 2025 Conference Chair and Session Chair, initiated the proceedings, setting the tone for a conference focused on actionable solutions.

Collaboration transcends mountain borders

The global reach of the conference was immediately evident, with welcome addresses from key partners. Prof Roland Psenner, President of Eurac Research – speaking on behalf of the Global Mountain Safeguard Programme (GLOMOS) – highlighted the importance of international collaboration. Alex Hickman, Chairman of the African Mountain Research Foundation (AMRF), highlighted the critical work being done on the ground. Notably, a recorded message from Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, in support of the AMRF resonated with attendees, further amplifying the message of the conference.

Prof Hester C. Klopper, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the UFS – speaking on behalf of the ARU – stressed the significance of the venue, highlighting its role as a ‘meeting place’ where borders, ecosystems, and diverse stakeholders converge. "This location symbolises the very essence of our conference," Prof Klopper stated, "a space where we transcend boundaries to address the challenges facing our mountain regions".

Welcome statements were also delivered by Sara Manuelli from the Mountain Partnership, Ambassador Mirko Manzoni of the Embassy of Switzerland in South Africa, and Ndapanda Kanime, who represented the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

Dr Kelly Cerialo, representing UNESCO – the patron of SAMC 2025 – delivered a welcoming address that highlighted the organisation's commitment to supporting mountain research and conservation. The official opening was conducted by Leluma Matooane, representative of the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation.

Sharing insightful books, film, and mountains

Following the official opening, delegates attended a plenary keynote address by Dr Willem Daffue, which delved into critical aspects of mountain research. The morning session also featured a series of book launches, celebrating new publications from ARU and GLOMOS, including Sustainable Futures in Southern Africa's Mountains, Safeguarding Mountain Social-Ecological Systems, A scientific bibliography of the Waterberg, Makgabeng plateau, Blouberg, Soutpansberg and adjacent areas, and Christopher R Conz’s Environment, Knowledge, and Injustice in Lesotho: The Poverty of Progress.

Monday 17 March 2025 will be etched in the annals of Southern African mountain research and storytelling as the documentary film, Qwaqwa: Place of Barriers and Bridges, premiered to a captivated audience at the Second Southern African Mountain Conference (SAMC 2025). Hosted against the breathtaking backdrop of the central Maloti-Drakensberg, the film’s release marked a powerful moment of reflection and a catalyst for crucial dialogue.

Executive produced by Prof Vasu Reddy, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Internationalisation at the University of the Free State (UFS), and Prof Jared McDonald, Qwaqwa: Place of Barriers and Bridges offers a poignant and unflinching look at the complex social and environmental realities of the Qwaqwa region. The film, screened on the conference's opening day, served as a compelling visual narrative bridging academic discourse with the lived experiences of mountain communities.

Dialogue, networking, conference continues

Delegates, researchers, and stakeholders from across the globe witnessed the film's debut, recognising its significant contribution to understanding the challenges and opportunities within the Maloti-Drakensberg landscape. The film's premiere was not merely a screening; it was a watershed moment, sparking immediate conversations about the interplay between human activity and the fragile ecosystems of the region.

The film's release at SAMC 2025 highlighted the conference's commitment to fostering interdisciplinary dialogue and bridging the gap between research and real-world impact. By showcasing the human stories embedded in the mountains, Qwaqwa: Place of Barriers and Bridges provided a powerful emotional anchor to the conference's broader discussions on sustainability, conservation, and community resilience.

This premiere will undoubtedly resonate far beyond the conference halls, leaving an indelible mark on the collective understanding of the Maloti-Drakensberg region. The film's legacy will be one of inspiration, prompting further research, advocacy, and collaborative action to safeguard these vital mountain ecosystems for generations to come. The day will go down in history as a moment where film and scholarship intersected to illuminate the heart of the mountains.

The day concluded with a meet-and-greet hosted by the UFS Office for International Affairs, fostering networking and further collaboration among delegates.

The conference continues for the rest of the week, with a full programme of presentations, workshops, and field excursions. 

News Archive

UFS Winter Graduation Ceremony
2012-06-18

UFS awards record number of master’s degrees and doctorates

The University of the Free State (UFS) celebrated an increase in postgraduate successes with a record number of master’s degrees and doctorates that were awarded during the winter graduation ceremony at the Bloemfontein campus on Thursday 14 June 2012.

A total of 481 master’s degrees and 82 doctorates were awarded in two ceremonies in the Callie Human Centre on the Bloemfontein Campus. This is the most postgraduate qualifications to be awarded at a single graduation ceremony.

DiMTEC has reason to celebrate

Dr Andries Jordaan (second from right) with some of the people who received their master's degrees. From the left are Kehinde Balogun, the couple Olive Chisola-Darris en Clement West Darris, and the couple Everson Ndlovu en Patience Sibongile Ndlovu.
Photo: Leatitia Pienaar
18 June 2012

DiMTEC had reason to celebrate at the winter graduation ceremony. The Disaster Management Training and Education Centre for Africa delivered a healthy crop of 32 master’s degrees and one doctorate.

This was the most master’s degrees that the centre has been awarded at one opportunity. The doctorate, however, was not at DiMTEC – Andries Jordaan, the director of the centre, obtained his Ph.D. in Agricultural Economy.

It was also the first time that two couples received their master’s degrees at the centre at the same time.

Speaking at the event, Dr Jordaan said former students of the centre were using their expertise worldwide. Some of them are in senior positions at the United Nations, in African countries, Afghanistan, and elsewhere. DiMTEC’s students hail from 17 African countries, including French-speaking countries.

“I am proud that we have a footprint right across Africa,” he said.

Three travel all the way from Europe for their MBAs

Smiles on an important day. From the left are: Kasina Baker, Friederike Hackelberg, and Johanna Kössler and her parents and sister.
Photo: Stephen Collett
18 June 2012
No distance, time or money could prevent three MBA graduates from Europe from attending the winter graduation ceremony in Bloemfontein. Two of them were exchange students who were so captivated by the university and the country that they undertook their MBA studies at the Business School.

Friederike Hackelberg of Bremen, Germany, was an exchange student in 2008 and extended her stay to do an MBA. Johanna Kössler of Bolzano, Italy, was also an exchange student who succumbed to the charms of the UFS and South Africa. She brought her parents, George and Nannie, and her sister, Magdalena, with her to attend the graduation ceremony.

Kasina Baker of Warsaw, Poland, began her studies while her husband was working in Kenya. She wanted to study at a quality institution and thus chose the UFS's Business School.

Jessica gets three prestigious medals

Jessica Potgieter (right) was the first student in almost three decades to receive three prestigious medals at the Winter Graduation Ceremony. She received the Dean's medal as best Master's student in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, the Senate Medal as best Master's student at the university and the Award for Scientific Achievement by the South African Association for the Advancement of Science. She is seen here with her mother, Mrs Ilse van Rhyn, and Dr Khotso Mokhele, Chancellor.
Photo: Johan Roux
18 June 2012
Three daughters, three degrees for proud Kovsie mom
Liezel Alsemgeest and Adri Kotzé.
Photo: Leonie Bolleurs
18 June 2012

Adri Kotzé, Faculty Manager in the Faculty of Law, is a very proud parent. In the course of one year, all three her daughters will receive degrees from the University of the Free State (UFS). First in line is the eldest, who received her Ph.D. in Business Management at the Winter Graduation Ceremony.

Liezel is a lecturer in the Department of Business Management at the UFS, where she lectures, publishes and hopes to further her research in finance. “I enjoy working at the university because you have the freedom to do your own thing and focus on whatever you like,” she says.

The title of Liezel’s thesis is Customers’ perception of business units within an agricultural business in South Africa. Her focus is on the subjects of customer satisfaction and financial management, with a specific focus on the management of agricultural businesses.

Middle sister Corné will be graduating with a master’s degree in Occupational Therapy in December, while the youngest, Adéle, will receive her B.A. in Media Studies and Journalism at the Autumn Graduation Ceremony in 2013.

“I am very proud of all three my daughters,” says Adri.

Sasolburg minister receives Dean's Medal for best master's degree in Theology
Rev. Frans Redelinghuys.
18 June 2012

Rev. Frans Redelinghuys of the Reformed Church in Sasolburg received his master’s degree in Theology at the University of the Free State’s Winter Graduation Ceremony. Rev. Redelinghuys was also awarded the Dean’s Medal as the best master’s degree student in the Faculty of Theology.

The focus of his dissertation is Spirituality. “My lecturers are all people who practice what they preach and they have shared their knowledge with me.,” he says.

“My studies also contributed to my personal development,” says Rev. Redelinghuys.

Student from the Netherlands receives degree at UFS Winter Graduation Ceremony

Deborah Van den Bosch-Heij.
Photo: Leonie Bolleurs
18 June 2012

Deborah Van den Bosch-Heij from the Netherlands was awarded a Ph.D. at the Winter Graduation Ceremony by the Faculty of Theology of the University of the Free State (UFS). Her thesis, Spirit and healing in Africa: A reformed pneumatological perspective, is an interdisciplinary investigation of the relationship between the Holy Spirit and healing in Southern Africa. The research addresses the need for a reviewed and contextually reformed approached to healing.

Deborah started her career as a minister at the Valkenburg Congregation of the Protestant Church in the Netherlands in 2001. She was appointed by the missionary department of her church to lecture at the Justo Mwale Theological University College in Lusaka, Zambia in 2005. It was here that she decided on the topic of her thesis. Prof. Rian Venter from the Department of Systematic Theology at the UFS, who is also involved at the Justo Mwale College, is Deborah’s promoter and assisted her in her studies whilst she was in the Netherlands. It was also Prof. Venter who made Deborah aware of the importance of interdisciplinary research.

Well-known judge's granddaughter receives degree

Judge Joos Hefer and Annelie de Man.
Photo: Leonie Bolleurs

Annelie de Man, a law researcher at the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein received her master’s degree at the Winter Graduation Ceremony of the University of the Free State (UFS). She is Judge Joos Hefer’s granddaughter. Annelie was also awarded the Dean’s Medal as the best master’s degree student in the Faculty of Law.

“Today is one of the biggest highlights in my career,” says Annelie, who received exposure to the field of law from a young age.

In September, she will be leaving for Italy to study for a master’s degree in European Human Rights at the European Inter University.

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