University collaboration provide a huge amount of opportunities for students and staff. It also offers research opportunities, cultural awareness and international experiences, including opportunities for study abroad programmes, staff and student exchanges.
UCLL delegation photographed with Univen staff after the meeting
The phrase resonates very well with the University of Venda (Univen) and University Colleges Leuven-Limburg (UCLL) as they aim to expand their existing collaboration. On 07 February, Univen and UCLL held a meeting at Council Chambers to discuss ways on how to expand and strengthen the existing collaboration.
L-R: Dr Segun Obadire, Acting Director International Relations, Greet Raymaekers, Mobility Officer Technology; Chris Huybrechts, International Relations Advisor and Prof Jan Crafford, Acting Vice-Chancellor and Principal
The visitors were welcomed to the University by the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof Jan Crafford who expressed delight in the plan to expand the existing collaboration. He promised to fully support the efforts which he believes will positively impact our research output. The delegation also visited the Office of the Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic, Senior Prof Base Khoza. She interacted with the visitors on the possibility of collaborating with UCLL on Health Sciences programmes.
We want to strengthen this collaboration- Dr Obadire
The Acting Director International Relations, Dr Segun Obadire, gave an overview of Univen-UCLL partnership and stated that the collaboration which was a quadruple between UNIVEN, UCLL, Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) and Belgium Campus, Pretoria started in 2011 and the exchange programme being implemented in the Department of Early Childhood Education, School of Education is doing very well.
Dr Obadire said the plan to expand and strengthen the existing collaboration by diversifying into various other fields was for optimal spread of the gains of our collaboration which is based on the principle of reciprocity and mutual benefit to both institutions. “This year we have three students from UCLL who are currently working at the Tshishonga Primary School, Thohoyandou until May 2018. Their participation will contribute to the intervention on the improvement of the standard of education in schools in Thohoyandou area.” Dr Obadire added. Students on exchange programme visit UNIVEN every year since 2011 while efforts are underway to increase the staff and students visit to UCLL.
We also offer short international programmes- Huybrechts
An International Relations Advisor in the Faculty of Management and Technology at UCLL, Mrs Chris Huybrechts said the purpose of the meeting is the exchange of students for study purposes, project work in laboratories, exchange of faculty, to teach and to conduct research.
Huybrechts also gave overview about UCLL. “We also offer short international programmes,” Huybrechts added. She mentioned that the participation of UNIVEN representatives at the workshops on SmartCities 16-20 April 2018 and Summer School 27 May – 16 June 2018 in Hasselt, Belgium will be an important starting point for the future collaboration.
The Dean of School of Environmental Sciences Prof John Odiyo making inputs during the meeting
The Dean of School of Environmental Sciences, Prof John Odiyo talked about ‘University Town Concept’. Prof Odiyo said the ‘University Town Concept’ is basically about how a tertiary institution becomes a ‘University Town’ through purposely focusing its research, innovation and enterprise that aims to impact on its town. Present at the presentation were academics from the Schools of Mathematical and Natural Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Agriculture and Education.
L-R: Mrs Greet Raymaekers (Mobility Officer Technology and Biomedicial Laboratory at UCLL), Mrs Chris Huybrechts (middle) during the laboratory facilities tour visit led by Prof Wilson Gitari (right)
Issued by:
Department of Communications & Marketing
University of Venda
Tel: (015) 962 8525
Date: 12 February 2018
