The largest delegation of its kind ever to visit Stellenbosch University (SU), recently visited various centres of the institution. Diplomatic staff representing 16 countries – Angola, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Madagascar, Mauritius, Namibia, the Philippines, Romania, Russia, Slovenia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Vanuatu and Zimbabwe – visited Stellenbosch earlier this month.
The visit was an initiative of Prof Prieur du Plessis, Deputy Dean of the Consular Corps, Honorary Consul General of Slovenia and also a member of the SU Council. The group, all members of the Consular Corps of Cape Town, visited the University's LaunchLab, the African Centre for HIV/Adis Management and the JS Gericke Library.
“The members of the Consular Corps of Cape Town were particularly impressed with the LaunchLab, HIV Centre and research initiatives in general taking place at Stellenbosch University,” said Du Plessis. “The world-class resources at the University create a wonderful opportunity for members of the Corps, representing 50 countries, to forge cooperation agreements with the University.”
In welcoming the delegates, prof Wim de Villiers, SU Rector and Vice-Chancellor, said that that University is not only a national asset, but also an international asset. “Aproximately a 100 of our academic staff members are from other countries and a further 250 research assistants , temporary staff and professors extraordinary are from other countries. 14% of our students are international students representing a 107 countries. 56% of these students are from other African countries.”
De Villiers said that the institution is very proud of contributing to the human capital of Africa. “Last year alone we awarded 419 masters degrees and 95 PhDs to black, coloured and Indian students – many of them through advanced courses through our African Doctoral Academy. This helps to counter the effect of the African brain drain and the building of capacity in Africa. What is needed is that Africa translate its good economic performance over the last decade into broad based human development to tackle the many societal challenges out there. We need the right kind of research – locally relevant, but globally competitive. Then Africa can participate fully in the global knowledge economy.”
The University can however not do it on its own, De Villiers said, and would like to explore further collaboration with those present. “Collaboration is crucial in the information age and Stellenbosch University is very keen on internationalisation to build knowledge coalitions. To illustrate this is that we have more than 150 international bilateral agreements, including 18 agreements for joints degrees up to PhD level. And in Africa alone we have 350 active projects in 43 countries. And the vast majority of the countries here today participate actively.”
De Villiers also referred to the University being in the news lately and that it stands accused of being stuck in the past of discriminating against black students and by excluding students by using Afrikaans as a medium of instruction. He denied the allegations and said that the institution has been working very hard to become more inclusive and welcoming in practice.
“We know that even though we're 21 years into democracy, were still dealing with the legacy of our past and including some individuals attitude which is out of sync with our constitution. So when some students say they experience problems, I do hear them.
“The time is long gone that SU is an apartheid university. 38% of our students are black, coloured or Indian – compared to only 5% in 1990. The aim is to have 50% black, coloured and Indian students by 2020. Of our more than 30 000 students a third are postgraduate. Here nearly 50% are black, coloured and Indian."
Prof Eugene Cloete, Vice-Rector: Research and Innovation, also spoke at the event and gave an overview of research priorities at the University – encapsulated by the word “WEALTH” with the W standing for Water and Women, the E for Energy and Education, the A for Agriculture and Access, the L for Land and Leadership, the T for Technology and Transformation and the H for Health and Housing.
Cloete also informed the visitors that for the last three years already SU is the most research productive university in the country and recently moved up 88 positions on the QS World University Rankings.
Caption: Mr Philip Marais (far right), CEO of the LaunchLab, addressing delegates. (Photo: Anton Jordaan)
