Professor Mzubanzi Bismark Tyobkeka (2nd from left) Principal and Vice-Chancellor, North-West University, South Africa and Professor Sir Hilary Beckles (2nd from right) Vice-Chancellor, The University of the West Indies, shake hands following the signing of a MOU between the two institutions at The UWI Regional Headquarters, Mona. Flanking the two Vice-Chancellors, are Professor David Mxolisi Modise, Executive Dean, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, North-West University (left) and Ms Sandrea Maynard, Pro Vice- Chancellor, Global Affairs, The UWI (right).
Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, Vice-Chancellor of The University of the West Indies has hailed the recent signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with South Africa’s North-West University as “historic and emotional”.
Commenting on the partnership between The UWI and North-West University, he referenced the Caribbean's close bond with South Africa, saying, “…we were in the trenches with you in the fight against Apartheid”. Vice-Chancellor Beckles pointed to similarities between the two universities being multi-campus academies, noting that The UWI serves across five campuses and North-West possesses three. He also noted similarities between the demographic and student population size as well as the universities’ commitment to quality delivery and formal global institutional accreditation.
The MOU established a framework for collaboration between the two institutions for activities such as exchanges of students and academic staff, capacity building, joint research, publications, seminars, conferences, public lectures and the development and delivery of courses.
Professor Bismark Tyobeka, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of North-West University said that his university was “proud to be associated with The UWI, which shared similar aspirations to be a world-class university with significant global ranking".
North-West University was formed in 2004 by the merger of the historically black university of the North-West, the Sebokeng Campus of the historically black Vista University and the historically white Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education. Its formation in the post-South Africa- Apartheid is seen as “a strong symbolic act of reconciliation and nation building”.