Å·ÃÀÈÕb´óƬ

2018: Looking Back and Moving Forward

Unquestionably, the University of Å·ÃÀÈÕb´óƬ (UM) System/University of the Western Cape (UWC) partnership has achieved much over the past 32 years, producing publications, significant external grants and artistic successes. These achievements are detailed in the 2017 Summary Report described below. In addition to enhancing the professional lives of many professors, UMSAEP has helped a number of UWC lecturers earn a Ph.D., and both UWC and UM students have received the opportunity to study abroad and gain a broader perspective.

"This partnership has produced multiple publications, significant external grants and artistic successes."

As we reflect back, it is important to acknowledge the pivotal role that long-time UWC International Director Professor Jan Persens had in building and nurturing the longstanding UM /UWC relationship. This newsletter includes a tribute to Jan, who passed away in 2018. One of the strengths of this partnership, however, is that it endures even with the loss of one of its key architects. In part, that is because it continues to evolve while celebrating its past.

2018 saw Rector Tyrone Pretorius travel to Columbia in July to meet with UM President Mun Choi for the first time. In 2019, President Choi will visit UWC for the first time. UWC Deputy Vice Chancellors Vivienne Lawack and Jose Frantz also visited Å·ÃÀÈÕb´óƬ this past year. These visits between our leaders continue to strengthen research collaborations between our two universities.

Equally important are our ongoing conversations about distance learning. Please read my six approaches to enhance distance learning between our universities for actionable ideas and ways to get involved. I believe that leveraging technology to enhance our students’ experiences through distance learning is critical for our partnership to take a quantum leap forward.

Best wishes,

Rod Uphoff, Director of UMSAEP and Professor Emeritus

2017 Summary Report

The Board of Curators launched the University of Å·ÃÀÈÕb´óƬ South Africa Education Program (UMSAEP) in 1986 in response to student protests about the evils of apartheid in South Africa. Although the UM/UWC partnership has been enormously successful, there had been no attempt to systematically gather data on the UMSAEP’s accomplishments until the 2017 Summary Report.

Read the full report on our website to learn more about the products of our partnership, including awards, grants, publications, artistic successes, course development, and expanding opportunities for students.

In Memorium

Professor Jan Persens served as the UWC International Director for many years. He passed away on June 9, 2018, at the age of 71. Jan will be sorely missed by many people in both South Africa and the United States. The remarkable relationship between the University of the Western Cape and the UM System in many respects is a tribute to Jan's tireless efforts. 

"Quite simply, Jan is a person who will not be forgotten."

Jan’s engaging, warm personality made him extremely popular with all who worked with him. He was one of those rare people who was very humble despite being incredibly smart and funny. Quite simply, Jan is a person who will not be forgotten. To read about the truly remarkable life of Jan Persens and the critical differences he made in the world, please see the linked obituary published by the Sunday Times.

Faculty Exchanges

Since the inception of the program in 1986, faculty exchange visits have been the hallmark of the UMSAEP partnership. Professor Sam Otten’s report on his collaboration with UWC Professor Raj Govender provides a qualitative analysis of the high school geometry curriculum in South Africa and exemplifies why this program has been so successful.

"These faculty exchange visits are the hallmark of the UMSAEP partnership."

MU’s Dorina Kosztin’s report describes the collaborative project she and Meera Chandrasekhar have undertaken with UWC’s Mark Herbert and Ron Engelbrecht. Their project focuses on enhancing high school physics education in the Western Cape region through educator training.

Other 2018 reports and those from earlier years are also available at our website.

Student Exchanges

Over the years, a growing part of our program has been our student exchanges, which provide extraordinary experiences and opportunities for students at UWC and the UM System. Hundreds of UM System students have had life-changing experiences on short-term study abroad programs at UWC, and each UM System university has had a study abroad program at UWC at some point over the past ten years. The UWC law faculty and the MU School of Law have run a joint winter school program at UWC each year since 2004.

Increasingly, more UWC and UM System graduate students are participating in exchanges. Last year, for example, UWC student Lee Ann Niekerk conducted research with plant sciences faculty at MU and greatly benefited from the exchange. Every year, several Henry Mitchell Scholarships are awarded to deserving UWC and UM students. One of last year’s Henry Mitchell scholars, UWC’s Phindulo Mavhina, completed her first semester at University of Å·ÃÀÈÕb´óƬ-St. Louis and had a great experience at UMSL.

"Hundreds of UM System students have had life-changing experiences on short-term study abroad programs at UWC."

News in Brief

If you would like to read more about student study abroad experiences, student reports from previous years are available.

2019 UMSAEP Awards

The UMSAEP Committee met in Columbia on in August to consider 2019 award applications for UMSAEP Faculty Exchange Grants and South African Partnership grants. UWC’s Deputy Vice Chancellor Jose Frantz and International Director Umesh Bawa participated by Zoom. Names of awardees and their collaborators can be found on our website.

UWC/UM Graduate Recognized for Justice and Law Career

The UM System and UWC should be proud of Sentable Makara, who was recognized this past year by The Mail and Guardian as one of the top 200 Young South Africans. Makura is one of 17 UWC students who earned an LLM in Dispute Resolution at the MU School of Law. Two other UWC/ MU LLM grads have clerked for the South African Constitutional Court and several others have previously been or are currently UWC faculty lecturers.

Upcoming UMSAEP Symposiums at UM System Universities

This April, several UM System campuses will hold symposiums for current and past participants to showcase the UM/UWC partnership and collaborative projects, as well as provide information on how to apply for a UMSAEP grant. The symposiums are scheduled as follows:

•  UMSL: Friday, April 5, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m., Room 331, Social Science and Business Building

•  MU: Monday, April 8, 3:00 – 4:30 p.m., Columns C&D, Reynolds Alumni Center

•  UMKC: Thursday, April 11, 3:00 p.m., Room (TBD)

Attend one of these symposiums to learn more about this remarkable partnership. At Å·ÃÀÈÕb´óƬ S&T, please contact Jeanie Hofer to schedule departmental or individual meetings on April 9 to learn more about the UMSAEP program and application.

US-SA Higher Ed Network and the USDP

In April 2018, UWC was notified that the collaborative project proposal to participate in the University Staff Doctoral Programme (USDP) was approved by the South African Department of Higher Education and Training.

The University of Å·ÃÀÈÕb´óƬ and Rutgers - Newark are UWC’s two American partners in this collaborative project. The aim of the USDP is to enable academics at the SA universities to achieve doctorates, and one of the first activities was to recruit ten SA academics who will participate in the project. This year, five Ph.D. candidates were selected: three from UWC and two from the University of Pretoria. Next year, five more will be selected with the goal that each will earn a Ph.D. within four years.

This USDP project is part of the broader goal of the South African Department of Higher Education and Training to transform SA by increasing the number of women and black South Africans with Ph.Ds.

Committee Member Retirements

Joel Glassman, UMSL’s Associate Provost for Academic Affairs and Academic Director of International Studies and Programs, retired this fall after 45 years at UMSL. Joel was also the longstanding Chair of the UMSAEP committee and worked for over 20 years to promote the UM/UWC partnership. George Sipos replaces Joel as UMSL campus coordinator and senior international officer and executive director. Jeanie Hofer was named UMSAEP committee chair.

Jim Scott, MU’s Vice Provost of International Programs, also retired on Jan 1, 2019. Jim was a member of the UMSAEP committee for 12 years and a strong supporter of the UWC/UM partnership. Mary Stegmaier replaces Jim on the UMSAEP committee and as interim vice provost for International Programs

Finally, UMSL's Prof. Lois Pierce retired after almost twenty years on the UMSAEP committee. UMSL Prof. Jean-Germain Gros replaces her on the committee.

Henry Mitchell Scholarship Application Deadlines Announced

Last year, Demarcus Biggs (UMSL) and Phindulo Mavhina (UWC) traveled as Henry Mitchell Scholars. Two MU students, Ke Goa and Samuel McInturf, were selected for 2019. We also anticipate that two UWC students will receive Henry Mitchell awards.

The UM application deadline for the Mitchell Scholarship for fall 2019 semester study at UWC is March 1, 2019. Fall semester classes start at UWC on July 23, 2019. The application deadline for the winter 2020 semester at UWC is September 15, 2019.

To apply, complete the Henry Mitchell Scholarship application. Completed applications should be sent to the international office on your campus.