A Transformative Partnership – Bristol and UNISA

On 19th October, the Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of South Africa (UNISA), Prof Puleng LenkaBula, visited the University of Bristol for the first time. She was joined by Professor Puleng Segalo and seven other senior leaders to discuss and further the aims of the Africa Charter for transformative research collaborations and to sign a MOU for closer partnership working with Bristol. They also took a tour of Bristol’s medicine and veterinary science faculties.

The visit was tremendously successful and gave both institutions the opportunity to develop a closer working relationship underpinned by the Africa Charter principles and goals, a great example of not just holding the Charter “Either on our websites, or in our hearts, but actually in practice,” as Bristol Vice-Chancellor Professor Evelyn Welch said at its launch. UNISA is one of the core partners of the Charter, co-facilitated by PARC and the University of Cape Town and this visit also helped progress discussions about the Charter’s Secretariat.

Medicine and Veterinary Science

The University of Bristol is known as a leading institution for medicine and veterinary science, and meeting academics from these faculties, alongside strategic operations and planning experts, was helpful to inform UNISA’s future development of their own science teaching and facilities.

The meeting was a vibrant cross-pollination of ideas around how to move forward for the benefit of both institutions and achieve the aspirations laid out in the Africa Charter.

Some photos from the visit