April 24, 2006
By Shamin Chibba
A GROUP of Jozi students have headed off to the chilly Alpine city of Turin, in Italy, on an exchange programme.
The study programme is part of the Piedmont region's international co-operation programme with the Joburg Metro. In Italy from 16 April to 5 May, 10 students from the University of the Witwatersrand and the University of Johannesburg are involved in sociological activities in the European city. This follows a visit by Italian students to Johannesburg in 2005 on a similar study tour.
According to Benita Young, the facilitator of the City's international relations unit, the trip is a study tour for students from previously disadvantaged backgrounds. "They are going to learn more about specific subjects. They will be engaged in sociological activities with particular reference to topics of racial integration, social policies and training. They will get an Italian perspective on these topics."
In 2004 Mally Mokoena, then a City councillor, initiated the partnership between Italy's Piedmont region and Johannesburg. The City's library services and international relations unit, in co-operation with Italy's Consortium for Research and Continuing Education (Corep), made the tour possible.
Corep combines the University of Turin, the Polytechnic of Torino, the University of Oriental Piedmont and a host of government and business partners. It aims to get the educational institutions and government and business sectors to work together to achieve a high level of innovation through scientific and methodological research.
The Joburg students travelling to Italy were some of the best first years in 2005 in social sciences, international relations and education.
Their itinerary includes visits to the three Turin universities, where they will meet Italian students involved in similar sociological studies. They will also visit BIT, the Bureau of Work Abroad, and the South African consulate in Milan. The South African consul-general is expected to join the students on the 27 April to celebrate Freedom Day.
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