The UMass-South Africa Connection
UMass and South Africa Links
In a visible demonstration of its commitment to
social justice, UMass Amherst was among the first public universities
in the U.S. to divest of stock holdings of U.S. firms that did
business with then apartheid South Africa. In 1992, the University
hosted a visit by Nobel Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Building
on the visit of Archbishop Tutu, the International Programs Office,
with support from management faculty member Mzamo Mangaliso, established
an educational exchange program in 1993 with the University of
Fort Hare, the oldest Historically Black University in South Africa.
In recent years, the University community has developed
linkages with institutions and organizations in South Africa to
continue to engage in the work of community building, human enablement,
and institutional transformation in the post-apartheid era.
The University was selected in 1998 to participate
in the Tertiary Education Linkages Project (TELP), a project sponsored
by the USAID that has resulted in a strong partnership between
UMass and the Medical University of Southern Africa (MEDUNSA)
in Pretoria.
The Western Massachusetts Writing Project is involved
in supporting South African writing teachers in underpriviledged
areas. UMass also has linkages with the University of Cape Town,
the University of the Western Cape, and Peninsula Technikon. Over
the years, the University has facilitated numerous intercultural
educational exchanges of students and faculty between the U.S.
and South Africa.
UMass Amherst has been the academic home of hundreds
of South African scholars, including alumna Dr. Makaziwe Mandela,
former President Nelson Mandela's daughter, who is now general
manager of the Southern Africa Development Bank, as well as alumna
Dr. Mapule Ramashala, Vice-Chancellor of the University
of Durban-Westville.
Faculty with South African roots and special interests
in South Africa teach in departments across the campus, including:
