Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items

UFS and US Consulate strengthen century-long academic partnership

05 September 2025 | Story Kagiso Ngake and Dr Nitha Ramnath | Photo Stephen Collett

The University of the Free State (UFS) recently had the honour of hosting Stephanie Bunce, Consul General of the United States (US) in South Africa, and her delegation on the Bloemfontein Campus. The visit came at a significant moment, shortly after the first 100 days of Prof Hester C. Klopper’s tenure as Vice-Chancellor and Principal.

The meeting marked an important introduction between two leaders new in their respective roles: Prof Klopper at the UFS, and Consul General Bunce, who began her posting in Johannesburg in September 2024. Their discussions offered an opportunity to align the strategic ambitions of the UFS with the priorities of the U.S Mission in South Africa, while reflecting on the longstanding and fruitful relationship between the UFS and American universities.

Consul General Bunce commended the depth of UFS’s academic partnerships with the United States and expressed enthusiasm about the university’s future direction. “I’m really excited to hear what you’re looking for in the next few years and how we can continue to work together,” she said.

Advancing clinical training and collaboration

The delegation toured the world-class Clinical Simulation and Skills Unit (CSSU), where Prof Mathys Labuschagne, Head of Clinical Simulation and Skills Unit, School of Biomedical Sciences, and his team showcased how advanced simulation technologies prepare students for clinical practice. “Hands-on practice in a safe, non-threatening environment is one of the best ways to build confidence and skills,” explained Prof Labuschagne.

The CSSU was developed based on a model from Penn State University following a visit 15 years ago - a collaboration that has continued to thrive. “Collaboration with US universities opens doors for joint teaching, student exchanges, and research partnerships that drive innovation,” Prof Labuschagne added.

Deepening a century of partnership

Collaboration between the UFS and the U.S universities dates back more than a century. In the 1920s, the University of Michigan established the Lamont-Hussey Observatory on Naval Hill, and Harvard University relocated the Boyden Observatory to Maselspoort. Both observatories, now part of the UFS, symbolise a legacy of shared scientific discovery.

These historic ties have since evolved into formal agreements with universities across the United States. Between 2020 and 2024, the US was the leading country collaborating with the UFS, producing more than 929 co-authored publications across 648 institutions. Today, partnerships continue to expand through research, academic exchanges, and staff mobility programmes that leave a lasting impact on students and society alike.

Consul General Bunce highlighted the distinctive nature of these partnerships. “In many countries, academic exchange is driven by government. Here, it grows organically from strong relationships and programmes.”

Prof Lynette Jacobs, interim Director in the Office for International Affairs, emphasised the value of these ties: “Our partnership with the United States shows how a strong and mature relationship can drive diversified internationalisation, advancing our strategic goal of global engagement with real impact. We look forward to welcoming the Consul General on our other two campuses.”

Driving innovation and commercialisation

In her address, Prof Klopper outlined the university’s vision to translate research into real-world solutions and commercial opportunities. “The UFS is learning from many American universities’ innovative models, which leverage multiple income streams and strong industry partnerships,” noted Prof Klopper. Prof Klopper emphasised that diversifying income is not only about sustainability but also about ensuring research has impact. Recent spin-off companies are an example of this vision becoming reality.

Charting the future

The US delegation expressed strong interest in UFS’s areas of strength, including community engagement, entrepreneurship, and student success initiatives. They also highlighted the potential for US students to study at the UFS, with consular support services in place to assist visiting students in emergencies.

“It is wonderful to see relationships that grow and change but continue to bring in new partnerships and exchanges,” Consul General Bunce remarked.

With plans for new mobility schemes, joint research projects, and a shared commitment to innovation, the UFS and its US partners are well-positioned to shape the next chapter in their century-long story of collaboration.

News Archive

Historians must place African history on world stage – Dr Zeleza

2017-05-30

From the left: Panellists Rev Henry Jackson,
Prof Irikidzayi Manase and Arno Van Niekerk at a book
launch and panel discussion on Africa Day hosted by the
UFS Sasol Library.
Photo: Mamosa Makaya

“African historians must take seriously the challenge of placing African history in world history, and in the history of our species, Homo sapiens.”

With these words, Dr Paul Tiyambe Zeleza, Vice Chancellor of the United States International University-Africa in Nairobi, Kenya, stressed the continent’s challenge.

According to him the contest should continue to recover and reconstruct Africa’s long history. Liberating African knowledges can be done by: “Provincialising Europe that has monopolised universality, universalising Africa beyond its Eurocentric provincialisation, and engaging histories of other continents on their own terms.”

University celebrates Africa Month in various ways
Dr Zeleza delivered the ninth Africa Day Memorial Lecture, titled The Decolonisation of African Knowledges, at the University of the Free State (UFS). The lecture, hosted by the Centre for Africa Studies (CAS), took place on 24 May 2017 in the Equitas Auditorium on the Bloemfontein Campus and was one of the ways in which the UFS celebrated Africa Month.

Scholars should immerse themselves in these thoughts
Dr Zeleza focused on two issues, which he said were interconnected. They were the unfinished project of decolonising African knowledges and the continent's positioning in global knowledge production.

He said Africa’s scholars and students should “immerse themselves in the rich traditions of African social thought going back millennia”. According to him the continent’s research profile still remains weak in global terms.

“It is imperative that the various key stakeholders in African higher education from governments to the general public to parents, and to students, faculty, staff, and administrators in the academic institutions themselves, raise the value proposition of African higher education for 21st century African societies, economies, and polities.”

“Colonialism is associated with injustice
and inequality, but what happens when
our liberators become our oppressors?”

Library celebrates with panel discussion and book launch
The UFS Sasol Library celebrated Africa Day by presenting a book launch and panel discussion on 25 May 2017, on the pertinent and current political theme of land redistribution with a comparative basis of land invasions in Zimbabwe.

Prof Irikidzayi Manase discussed his book White Narratives: The Depiction of Post-2000 Land Invasions in Zimbabwe, accompanied by Rev Henry Jackson who wrote Another Farm in Africa. A perspective of the economic implications of land redistribution in South Africa was discussed by panellist Arno Van Niekerk: Senior Lecturer of Economics at the UFS Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences.

Inequality still an African problem
The content of the books are a stark reminder of the burning issues of inequality and loss of identity of those who lost their farms in Zimbabwe, a collection of memoirs by white farmers and their families. Rev Jackson gave a religious perspective on reconciliation, forgiveness and the question of land ownership, saying that healing of injustice begins with forgiveness of past transgressions.

Van Niekerk highlighted that while land issues were important, “social cohesion is affected by the economic decisions that will be made”. In closing, Prof Manase called for serious consideration of what the future may hold. “Colonialism is associated with injustice and inequality, but what happens when our liberators become our oppressors?”

The panel discussion was attended by staff and students of the university, and was lit up by robust discussions on possible historical and future solutions to the question of land, decolonisation and political power struggles in Southern Africa and lessons to be learned from Zimbabwe.

UFS celebrates Africa Month (24 May 2017)

Back

Economic and Management Sciences

Education

Health Sciences

The Humanities

Law

Natural and Agricultural Sciences

Theology and Religion

Open Distance Learning

Business School

We use cookies to make interactions with our websites and services easy and meaningful. To better understand how they are used, read more about the UFS cookie policy. By continuing to use this site you are giving us your consent to do this.

Accept