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Unisa renews strategic agreement with Ghent University

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On 23 March 2023, Unisa renewed its agreement with Ghent University (UGent), a strategic move that is in line with the university’s 150th anniversary theme, Reclaiming Africa’s Intellectual Futures, and which will see the institution making further inroads with international collaborations, further strengthening its academic mandate on a global scale.

UGent is known as a leading institution of higher education and research internationally, and one of the most prestigious universities in Belgium. An avowedly research-driven and socially minded university, UGent consistently rates among the top 100 universities in the world.

Signing on behalf of their institutions were Prof Mieke Van Herreweghe, Vice-Rector, UGent (centre left) and Prof Stephen Khehla Ndlovu, Vice-Principal: Strategy, Risk and Advisory Services, Unisa (centre right), flanked by Prof Guido van Huylenbroeck, Director of Internationalisation, UGent (left) and Prof Les Labuschagne, Executive Director, Research and Innovation, Unisa (right)

As a university that does not see borders or distance as obstacles hindering access to quality  and globally recognised education, Unisa’s international footprint is one of the key points strongly emphasised by Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Puleng LenkaBula, at the recent Management Lekgotla.

Prof Stephen Khehla Ndlovu, Unisa’s Vice-Principal of Strategy, Risk and Advisory Services, described this event as a momentous milestone, also noting the history of Unisa and its 150th anniversary as a leader in comprehensive open and distance eLearning. "Unisa is a very unique university in the sense that this year we are celebrating our 150th anniversary, not only as an established institution, but a leader in distance education," he said. "We have played a major role in the provision of higher education in South Africa. I hold in high esteem the partnership with UGent, and am confident in its fruitfulness towards innovation, collaboration and joint publications." 

UGent Vice-Rector, Prof Mieke van Herreweghe, articulated her delight in the signing of the agreement, expressing hope for future engagements in research and scholarships that will see the two institutions produce extraordinary academics.

Ndlovu signed on behalf of Unisa, while Van Herreweghe signed on behalf of UGent, surrounded by executive management members, heads of portfolios, and academics. Following the signing, the two institutions deliberated on the expansion of collaborations in other academic fields.

#Unisa150

* By Godfrey Madibane, Acting Journalist, Department of Institutional Advancement

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Publish date: 2023-03-24 00:00:00.0

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