University of the Western Cape strengthens partnership with Belgium university
The engagements by the two universities on Friday was to deepen ties between the two institutions on academic and operational levels. It was a precursor to the historic visit by Their Majesties, the King and the Queen of the Belgian people, to UWC on Saturday, 25 March 2023.
The VUB delegation comprised representatives from all disciplines who met their UWC counterparts to discuss possibilities to expand current collaborations and forge new partnerships.
UWC Rector and Vice-Chancellor Professor Tyrone Pretorius (pictured) welcomed the delegation. Thereafter discussions took place between VUB’s Vice-Rector of Internationalisation, Professor Karin Vanderkerken, and UWC Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research & Innovation, Professor José Frantz.
“There are areas in which we have advanced in research, innovation, teaching and learning, so we intend to rebuild those relations and see how we can work together to impact society through learning with, from and about each other,” said Prof Frantz.
She said any north-south partnership was significant as, in some ways, the challenges are the same, but there are different approaches to address them.
“Having a partner like VUB provides us with an opportunity to share what we are doing successfully, and they can share what they are doing successfully, and how we can use the best practices to address the gaps and challenges identified.”
Prof Frantz highlighted that during her visit to Belgium in November she listened to a presentation on the digital divide and the United Nations Social Development Goals (SDGs).
“It was from this presentation that I realised that inequalities (SDG 10) is a common context that we can use to work together. The important thing is that interdisciplinary research allows us to look at challenges through different lenses. We might think that only our lenses are important, but if you allow other institutions to look at it from their lenses, we might learn from each other. I think that is the value we can get from this partnership.”
In addition to rebuilding and broadening partnerships, UWC and VUB also have more staff and student exchange programmes, develop collaborative online international learning programmes, and share resources to read and publish in order to cut costs.
Prof Karin Vanderkerken and Prof José Frantz in disussion.
“With VUB we have worked through the Flemish Interuniversities Council (VLIR) programme on a broad project called: ‘Towards building a better society’, that was over a period of 10 years. As we move forward, our next theme that brings these two institutions together should be, ‘Let’s leave no one behind’, as this is aligned to the 2030 SDG goals,” said Prof Frantz.
Prof Vanderkerken said UWC is one of their strategic international partners, “and I think our research collaborations should not be limited but be broadened throughout the university. We have done preparatory work before coming here, and we see where there are possibilities. We see UWC as an equal partner with excellence in research, which is an added value for each of us”.
According to Prof Vanderkerken, they believe in limited partnerships (UWC is one of only two international partners they have) that should be sustainable and more impactful.
“We want to concentrate our efforts with good partners with expanded collaborations in education, internationalisation, exchange programmes and postgraduate students participation,” she said.