A delegation from UMP which was led by Vice-Chancellor Professor Thoko Mayekiso, from 01 to 04 May 2023, met with UMES administrators, faculty and researchers from the schools of Agricultural and Natural Sciences, and Business and Technology, to explore collaborative activities.
"There are many similarities between the two universities in the areas of agriculture, natural sciences, hospitality management and information technology," said Dr Moses T. Kairo, Dean of UMES' School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences.
"Faculty may find it advantageous to collaborate on research opportunities as well as engage students in experiential learning programmes."
"Collaboration is the way forward to address the challenges the world faces today and in the future," Anderson said.
"This memorandum of understanding signifies a friendship to stimulate scientific cooperation and strengthen teaching, research and outreach activities to promote development in South Africa, broaden the international experience of UMES students and faculty, and promote cross-cultural knowledge and understanding."
The South African visitors toured the UMES campus along with the Paul S. Sarbanes Coastal Ecology Centre near Assateague Island. Departmental visits focused on engineering and aviation sciences; hospitality and tourism management; agriculture, food and resource sciences, human ecology and natural sciences, which align with academic programmes at the University of Mpumalanga.
"The University of Mpumalanga places great value on collaboration, and we have identified partnerships as drivers enabling us to achieve our vision as 'a leading African university creating opportunities for sustainable development through innovation," said Professor Mayekiso.
A quote by theoretical physicist and Nobel Prize laureate Kenneth G. Wilson seems a fitting summary: "The hardest problems of pure and applied science can only be solved by the open collaboration of the world-wide scientific community."
@ Story and picture supplied by University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES).