Delegation Leiden University visits South Africa and Mozambique

Leiden University launched an Africa Strategy at the beginning of 2016, connecting all Africanists in Leiden, and also connecting them to selected knowledge centres in Africa and to other Africa-oriented knowledge centres in the Netherlands.  

A delegation of Leiden University visited South Africa (with a representation from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) and Mozambique (together with the University for Applied Sciences of The Hague). Existing relationships were strengthened and new ones explored with the University of the Western Cape, University of Cape Town, Stellenbosch University, the University of Pretoria, Wits University and Eduardo Mondlane University in Maputo, as part of a wider strategy to establish solid and long-term relationships with some thirty African knowledge centres.  

Ton Dietz

On the photo above: the delegation visits the University of Cape Town. From left: Marieke te Booij (Leiden University International Relations), Sandra Klopper (deputy Vice Chancellor UCT), Ton Dietz (African Studies Centre Leiden), Jeroen 't Hart (Leiden University Student and Educational Affairs), Lungisile Ntsebeza (UCT Centre of African Studies), Sakhela Buhlungu (Dean UCT Faculty of Humanities). 

The Leiden University delegation was hosted by Ambassador Gerards of the Netherlands Embassy in South Africa to initiate the new Leiden University Africa Strategy. From left: Alexander van der Kaa (Netherlands Embassy in South Africa), Samia Chasi (Nuffic Neso South Africa), Harry Wels (African Studies Centre Leiden/VU University), Jeroen 't Hart (Leiden University Student and Educational Affairs), Prof. Dr Simone Buitendijk (Vice Rector of Leiden University), Marisa Gerards (Netherlands Ambassador to South Africa), Ton Dietz (director African Studies Centre Leiden).