Pictured, left to right, Dr. Edward Minnock, Callie Grant, President Mohler-Faria, Carol Thomson and Dr. Brenda Molife

South African Educators Visit Campus to Discuss Partnership

Posted on June 23, 2008 - Permalink
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Visitors from the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa met recently with BSC President Dana Mohler-Faria, and a handful of administrators and faculty members, to discuss the ongoing relationship between the two institutions.

Callie Grant and Carol Thomson, lecturers at UKZN, have maintained strong ties with faculty members at BSC since the partnership's origin in 2002, collaborating on various projects throughout the years. The work has included the creation and monitoring of professional development models that address the particular challenges that South African teachers face. Some of the issues addressed include key barriers to learning, including race, class, gender, nationality, language and sexuality.

Dr. Edward Minnock, vice president of external affairs; Dr. Brenda Molife, executive assistant to the president; and Dr. Ruth Farrar, a professor of elementary and early childhood education, also attended the meeting, which took place in the president's office. Dr. Farrar and Dr. Rebecca Corwin, who is retiring this week from BSC's early childhood education department, have been involved with the project since its start.

All present said they agreed the partnership has been beneficial to both institutions, including the cooperative research, faculty and student exchange programs and the sharing of academic policies. President Mohler-Faria said he may visit UKZN in the future as the partnership continues.

"We're always interested in maintaining global relationships," he said.

BSC has partner institutions in the Middle-East, Asia, South America and Europe as well. (Story and photo by Robert Matheson, Office of Institutional Communications)