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Deadline for application to the SKILL programme June 1st!

Would you like to broaden your scope en broaden your skills in the Netherlands?

SKILL offers South African Master's students the opportunity to follow one or two skills-oriented Master's courses at one of the participating Dutch universities. The courses in the Netherlands are currently offered at four  Dutch universities: VU University Amsterdam, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Delft University of Technology and Maastricht University.

The courses on offer are in the fields of: Water and Water Management, Agriculture, Transport and Logistics, Tourism and Finance and Accounting.

The deadline for application for the courses starting in September is June 1st.

Students can find all necessary information concerning procedures, as well as a list of courses and a registration form, on this website under SKILL.

We hope to welcome you in the Netherlands in September!

Stephen Ellis'Seasons of Rain available as from 15 June!

Desmond Tutu Professor Stephen Ellis's new book Seasons of Rain will be in Dutch bookshops as from 15 June! It has already appeared in South Africa (see our last blog) and in England. The book, about the role of Africa in the world, contains a foreword by Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

On 19 June, Stephen will be interviewed on Dutch radio, on Bureau Buitenland of the VPRO between 19.00 and 20.00 hrs.

A special presentation of the book is being prepared, more details will follow soon!

Maastricht University joins the SKILL programme!

Maastricht University has joined the SKILL programme! From September 2011 onwards, students can apply for courses at the Business School of Maastricht University, as well as VU University Amsterdam, Wageningen University and research Centre and Delft University of Technology.

 Maastricht University (UM), the most international university in the Netherlands, stands out because of its innovative approach to learning and international outlook. The School of Business and Economics (abbreviated as SBE) is a high-level European school in the fields of Economics and International Business Administration. SBE provides high-quality education to students, conducts excellent research, and offers an international perspective in both education and research.  

Interested? For more information see www.savusa.nl under SKILL.

We hope to give you a warm welcome in September!

SKILL promotion at the ‘European Study Fair’ at University of Johannesburg, May 20-21

On May 20-21, the European Study Fair will take place at the University of Johannesburg for students interested to complete a part of their study in Europe. SKILL will be represented through Royal Netherlands Embassy who generously funds the SKILL programme.
SKILL offers Master’s students  the opportunity to complete a part of their coursework in the Netherlands in the fields of Water and Water Management, Agriculture, Transport and Logistics, Tourism and Finance and Accounting. SKILL alumni will be present to share information about their experiences studying at a Dutch university.

From September 2011 onwards students can also take Master courses at the renowned School of Business and Economics at Maastricht University. Courses are also still offered by VU University Amsterdam, Delft University of Technology and Wageningen University.
Our partner Erik Hofstee from Exactica, specialized in PhD studies will also be present at and provide information regarding the SKILL pre PhD courses and the possibilities of taking PhD coursework in the Netherlands after completion of the PhD research proposal.
We hope to welcome you the 19th of May in Johannesburg and possibly in the Netherlands! 

27 January 2011: Desmond Tutu opens Institute in Bloemfontein

Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu held the opening speech at the launch of the Institute for the Study of Race, Reconciliation and Social Justice. He described the establishment of the Institute as the beginning of a healing process. The IISRRJ is an initiative and part of the University of Free State in Bloemfontein.

The Institute proposes to be a leading international site for research on race, reconciliation and social justice. The mission of the Institute entails the study of the manifestations of race in higher education, linking such analysis to the related matters of reconciliation and social justice in the South African context against the background of racial, ethnic and tribal conflicts elsewhere in the world.

Source: Sunday Times, Facebook.

Introducing a new director for SAVUSA

Introducing a new director for SAVUSA

Geert Savelsbergh has recently started as SAVUSA's new director. He is succeeding to dr. Harry Wels who has in the last seven years led SAVUSA into successful strategic alliances with universities in South Africa. Dr. Wels is pursuing his scientific career at the Athena Institute of the Vrije Universiteit.

As chair  holder of the Desmond Tutu chair for Youth, Reconciliation and Sport, Geert Savelsbergh has been involved in SAVUSA's projects for some time. As a director, Savelsbergh aims to build on SAVUSA’s international reputation established under the leadership of dr. Harry Wels. He views the integration of SAVUSA into the new VU International Institute as a challenge, especially with regard to the trend among South African Universities towards internationalization into the African continent and beyond. In view of its close working relationships with its South African partners, the SAVUSA program will also be part of this development.

SUMMARY CV
Geert J.P. Savelsbergh is the Desmond Tutu chair for Youth, Sport and Reconciliation, Head of the Motor Control group at MOVE and visiting professor in Perceptual-Motor Development and Learning at Manchester Metropolitan University, UK. In the period 1991-1996, he was a research fellow of the Royal Netherland Academy of Arts and Sciences and in 2008 he received an honour doctorate of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Ghent, Belgium. His research interest is the visual regulation of movement, and he has published over 135 papers in international peer reviewed scientific journals. He is the editor of the Infant behavior and Development journal and associate editor of the International Journal of Sport Psychology. He has (co)-supervised 19 PhD projects and is currently supervising 11 PhD projects in the Netherlands, Belgium and the UK.

Launch of the Jelle Zijlstra chair

The Jelle Zijlstra Chair in International Finance at WITS Business School was officially launched on 18 November 2010. The launch was hosted by Dr. Wendy Ngoma (Acting Head of WBS) and HE Rob de Vos (Ambassador of the Netherlands in South Africa).

Prof. dr. Eric Schaling (WITS and VU) is the holder of this chair, which involves cooperation between the University of the Witwatersrand’s Business School, VU University Amsterdam and the Royal Embassy of the Netherlands in South Africa. The chair is sponsored by the Embassy through the SKILL (Stimulating Knowledge Innovation through Life-Long Learning) programme coordinated by SAVUSA.

More details will follow soon.
Picture, from left to right: Prof. dr. Eric Schaling, Prof. Katherine Munro (Acting Dean of the Faculty of Commerce, Law, and Management), Prof. Loyiso Nongxa (Vice –Chancellor WITS), HE Rob de Vos and Dr. Wendy Ngoma.

22 november 2010 Booklaunch A Family Feud

 
 The recently published book A Family Feud.Afrikaner Nationalism and Dutch Neo-Calvinism by Prof. Em. Gerrit Schutte  (see picture left) of VU University  Amsterdam was  launched on 22 November, in the presence of the author and Peter Goossen, Ambassador of South Africa to the Netherlands. 

After a short introduction by professor Geert Savelsbergh, Gerrit Schutte gave a presentation of his book, a revised and abridged translation of De Vrije  Universiteit en Zuid-Afrika 1880-2005.  
A response by Dr. Henk van Rinsum (University Utrecht) followed, in which respective differences between both universities (VU and UU) as well as their relations with South Africa were addressed. Both speakers emphasized that in the context of the new – post-apartheid – South Africa, this publication marks the end of an era.
René Smit, Chairman of the Executive Board, then handed over the first copy of the book to ambassador Peter Goosen (see picture right).  

 7 Okt 2010 Extra PhD scholarship for Archbishop Desmond Tutu

On 7 October, Archbishop Desmond Tutu celebrated his 79th birthday, the official start of his retirement from public life as he had announced earlier this year. As a present and sign of gratitude SAVUSA and The National Research Foundation (SA) offered him an extra PhD to be added to the already existing program of Desmond Tutu scholarships.

Last week, Desmond Tutu professor Eddy van der Borght intended to hand over the present to Desmond Tutu’s secretary at the Tutu Office, when he had the unexpected pleasure to meet him there in person.

The PhD scholarship concerns the heritage of the Archbishop as public theologian. It is an additional 18th scholarship added to the existing program of Desmond Tutu scholarships between the VU University Amsterdam and the NRF.