On 27 January 2023 the Netherlands' education and science attaché in South Africa paid a visit to the Optentia research unit of the North-West University (NWU).

Berto Bosscha met with senior management to share information on the newly created position of education and research attaché at the Netherlands Embassy in South Africa.

According to Prof Ian Rothmann, director of Optentia, Berto also took the opportunity to learn more about education and research at the NWU.

“Mr Bosscha was invited by Optentia after numerous Optentia members met him during the 10th World Science Forum in Cape Town in December 2022. On 9 December 2022a declaration of the 10th World Science Forum on Science for Social Justice was also adopted,” he adds.

The declaration addresses science for social justice as a responsibility, an opportunity, and a commitment in terms of five themes:

· Science for human dignity: What is the role of science in fighting poverty, unemployment, inequality and exclusion?

· Science for climate justice: How can science working with civil society lead the way in correcting the failure of climate policy?

· Science for Africa and the world: How to unleash the potential of African science in global cooperation

· Science for diplomacy: How can science reboot multilateralism and global solidarity?

· Justice in science: How to ensure science reflects the society we want

Berto Bosscha, education and research attaché at the Netherlands Embassy in South Africa, recently visited the NWU’s Optentia research unit.