IN CASU: U-M African Presidential Scholars program [ UMAPS ]

FROM: The Acting Dean: Academic Development 2009-03-26 Unit for Academic Development Central University of Technology, Free State Private Bag X20539 Bloemfontein 9300 REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA TO: The Director: African Studies Centre The University of Michigan African Studies Centre International Institute School of Social Working Building University Avenue Suite 2620 Ann ARBOR, MICHIGAN 48109 1106 IN CASU: U-M African Presidential Scholars program [ UMAPS ] Dear Kelly Askew Thank you for the kind invitation to our Central University of Technology, Free State, to propose a possible candidate to expand opportunities for our academe in joint research programmes on African affairs. Our university is situated in Southern Africa, which forms part of the Southern African Development Countries (SADC). Academically, we resort within the Southern African Regional Universities Association (SARUA) as part of the Association for African Universities (AAU). Consequently, we decided to nominate Dr Karel J de Beer, Director: Academic Support and Research for the responsibility due to his research on Open and Distance E-Learning within the region as well as the importance of our community engagement, especially in possible Conflict Management (Civil Education). We hereby commit ourselves to continuing to remunerate Dr De Beer’s academic salary while on CUT official leave at Michigan. The candidate’s strengths and merits could be traced in the attached curriculum vitae which furnishes us with ample and proven evidence that he has distinguished himself as a skilled researcher. He is pursuing one of our university’s main objectives, namely accredited Community Engagement programmes, especially in peacekeeping and conflict resolution. From his proven liaison with external stakeholders in our region as well as in our adjacent Northern Cape Province, he is aware of the need for real life skills in developing communities as well as in the micro-meso and macro public sectors. Due to UMAPS wide scope of research in relation to career development, this fact enhances our university’s ideal to expand career opportunities for our student cohort as well as for our upcoming novice researchers. UMAPS mentors could be identified as the beginning of further exchange programmes between our two universities. We regard UMAPS as an academic avenue to build research capacity for our younger academe as well as to open the opportunity for advanced research fellows. Thank you. DR BC VAN DER MERWE