1.0 MODUS OPERANDI OF OUR STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAM
1.1 BETHLEHEM CITY – THE HUB OF OUR STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAM
The Base Camp and Hub of Student Exchange activities is the city of Bethlehem which is in the middle central part of South Africa in the pristine eastern part of the Free State Province. We duly remind our potential Exchange Scholars that although we recommend Bethlehem as the Base Camp and Hub of Student Exchange activities, we are adept to exercizing flexibility as and when our potential Exchange Scholars request us to organize other sites as their Base Camps and Hubs for their specific Exchange tour of duty.
Dihlabeng (a place of squirrels) is the African name for the city of Bethlehem and its surroundings. The Bethlehem Municipality is thus called Dihlabeng Local Municipality is headed by a Mayor whose office is based in the beautiful age old Victorian era sandstone Town Hall.
Dihlabeng Local Municipality comprises 4 satellite towns within a 70km radius namely Fouriesburg, Paul Roux, Rosendal and Clarens which straddles the Golden Gate National Park. To read more about Bethlehem city and its Dihlabeng Municipality visit www.dihlabeng.co.za
1.2 ACADEMIC AND/OR EXTRA MURAL STUDENT EXCHANGE FOR FREE
Our Student Exchange Program may be of Academic and/or Extra Mural nature. Student Exchange for academic purposes is conducted in 2 parts i.e. via e-Study & Full Time Contact Study.
The said Student Exchange Program is a value added Academic and/or Extra Mural Program that is offered pro bono (for free) jointly by our Centre for Foreign Students and the REWICO Centre for Co-ordination of academic activities. As a related matter, it is however essential to point out that unless otherwise stated, Exchange Scholars are duty bound (where applicable during their engagement in our Student Exchange Program), to pay for pertinent costs such as entrance at events, travel, accommodation, food, membership, professional registrations etc. With regard to making payments, Exchange Scholars may upon being advised by our institute, pay directly to the demanding entity or they may elect to pay Heedmorine Municipal Institute who will in turn forward such monies to the demanding entity.
To view Extra Mural and other activities that Heedmorine Municipal Institute has scheduled to be commemorated this academic year, you are encouraged to download the list of Events
1.3 NATIONWIDE TOURISM DURING STUDENT EXCHANGE
Being that South Africa is a comparatively large country that is endowed with pleasant weather coupled with numerous beautiful tourism attractions we tailor make our Student Exchange schedules to include nation wide tourism activities in addition to the accredited Academic and Extra Mural exchange activities. Suffice it to mention that our Student Exchange Program is free but participants must pay for cost of their own travel, entrance fees and accommodation.
The inclusion of nationwide tourism activities has attracted a lot of international Exchange Scholars largely because Heedmorine Municipal Institute is based in the city of Bethlehem which is in the middle central part of South Africa in the pristine eastern part of the Free State Province. The central position of the city of Bethlehem has made it convenient and cheap for Exchange Scholars to use Bethlehem as their “Base Camp” from where they will literallyÂÂÂÂÂ “Spring Board” (using hired cars) to visit the corners of South Africa on different days thereby receiving full “Value for money” during their Exchange Program in South Africa. The Spring Board Adventures has the following tourism corridors that are a must try for Exchange Scholars:
- Bethlehem – Cape Town CorridorÂÂÂÂÂ (The Wine Trail)
- Bethlehem – Karoo Corridor (The Desert Trail)
- Bethlehem – KwaZulu Natal Corridor (King Shaka Trail)
- Bethlehem – Limpopo Corridor (Mapungubwe Heritage Site / Baobab Trail)
- Bethlehem – Eastern Cape Corridor (Wild Coast Garden Route Trail)
- Bethlehem – Mpumalanga Corridor (Kruger National Park Trail)
To view more about South Africa and its beautiful sights and sounds, visit www.sa-venues.comÂÂÂÂ
1.4 DURATION OF THE STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAM
Depending on requirements of individual applicants (Exchange Scholars), the Student Exchange Program will have varied durations. Exchange Scholars who for instance want to use Bethlehem as their “Base Camp” from where they will “Spring Board” to visit the corners of South Africa on different days during their Exchange Program in South Africa will prefer a longer stay in our Student Exchange Program.
2.0 ACCREDITATION STATUS OF OUR STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAM
The Student Exchange Program is accredited as a “Life Skills Program,” Being that the program is accredited, Exchange Scholars will have to complete specified life skills related day to day tasks that will be seamlessly incorporated into their other scheduled activities. The life skills tasks for example may include ensuring that before any trip, the Exchange Scholars have got the following ready: bearings, maps, appropriate clothing, costing, transport, emergency procedures, first aid kits, literature research about inhabitants and/or terrain of their intended destination etc.
3.0 CO-ORDINATION OF PERTINENT STUDENT EXCHANGE ACTIVITIES
The primary role of Heedmorine Municipal Institute in the Student Exchange Program is to use the program to establish inter institutional professional partnerships between Heedmorine Municipal Institute and other participating peer institutions locally and internationally.
Our concomitant role is to organize matters for Exchange Scholars and/or co-ordinate pertinent activities and/or to provide advice (for free) to Exchange Scholars so as to ensure Exchange Scholars meaningfully participate in exchange activities to their utmost satisfaction. An example of a co-ordination initiative is that Heedmorine Municipal Institute may organize cheap accommodation for Exchange Scholars with carefully screened and selected “Host Families.”
4.0 ACCREDITED CERTIFICATES & ALUMNI STATUS FOR EXCHANGE SCHOLARS
Our secondary role is to issue recognition (for free) in the form of accredited certificates and membership to our Alumni, to individuals who successfully complete our Student Exchange Program.
5.0 APPLICATION PROCEDURES FOR THE STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAM
5.1 BASIC EXCHANGE APPLICATION REQUIREMENT
In order to promote the Exchange Scholar Fraternity, Heedmorine Municipal Institute has decreed the following as the first and foremost admission requirement for the Student Exchange Program:
The basic exchange requirement is that potential exchange scholars must request to be friends of the Facebook page: HEEDMORINE SCHOLARS
5.2 WHO MAY APPLY FOR STUDENT EXCHANGE
Our Student Exchange Program is broad based, robust yet student friendly in that it is not specific to any particular field, qualification or course. Ideally, any individual student and/or alumnus who is academically associated with any institution locally or internationally and falls in any or all of the following categories may apply at any time of the year for the Exchange Scholar Status:
| No | CATEGORY | MAXIMUM DURATION |
| 1 | Animal Rights Lobby Individuals and GroupsÂÂÂÂ | 1 Month |
| 2 | Apprentice / On the Job Learning Seekers | 12 Months |
| 3 | Cultural & Language Individuals and Groups | 6 Months |
| 4 | Conference & Workplace Participants | 1 Month |
| 5 | Creative Artists such as Musical Individuals and Groups | 6 Months |
| 6 | Excursion Individuals and Groups including Summer Campers | 6 Months |
| 7 | Experiential Learning Seekers | 12 Months |
| 8 | Fishing / Angling (Sports Fishing) | 6 Months |
| 9 | Full Time Scholars who wish to enroll for our Semester courses | 12 Months |
| 10 | Human Rights Lobby Individuals and Groups | 1 Month |
| 11 | Interns | 12 Months |
| 12 | Professional Individuals and Associations | 1 Month |
| 13 | Religious Individuals and Groups | 1 Month |
| 14 | Researchers (Undergraduates, Post Graduates andÂÂÂÂÂ Post Doctorate Fellows) | 36 Months |
| 15 | Social Individuals and Associations | 1 Month |
| 16 | Sports & Athletics Individuals and Groups | 1 Month |
| 17 | Student Clubs and Student Forums / Fora | 6 Months |
| 18 | Study Groups / Case Study Groups | 6 Months |
| 19 | Summer Camping Individuals and Groups | 6 Months |
| 20 | Trophy Hunters (Professional Hunters) | 6 Months |
| 21 | Any other Individuals and Groups that are deemed acceptable | To Be Advised |
5.3 WHAT IS NEEDED WHEN APPLYING FOR STUDENT EXCHANGE
The following are needed when applying for the Student Exchange Program:
(a) Application Form APP 101
(b) ID Document or Passport Certified Copy
(c) Full Transcript of results from other institution
(d) Certificate copy of pertinent certificate(s)
(e) 3 Colour Passport size photos
5.4 HOW TO GET APPLICATION FORM FOR THE STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAM
Application forms for RPL (Form APP 101) may be obtained through any of the following methods:
(i) SMS (a) Your Names (b) Your E-Mail Address to: 083 275 7100 and we will e-mail Application Form APP 101 to you OR
(ii) Request for Application Form APP101 from registrar@heed.org.za OR
(iii) ObtainÂÂÂÂÂ Application Form either from our website www.heed.org.za or by clicking here Form APP 101
(vii) You may also send us a message on our Facebook page which is: HEEDMORINE SCHOLARS
6.0 FOREIGN STUDENTS & FOREIGN STAFF ADVISORY SERVICES
Heedmorine Municipal Institute has, through its REWICO Centre for Co-Ordination of Academic Activities and the Centre for Foreign Students, designed an advisory service for foreign students and & Visiting Lecturers & Researchers who show interested in engagement in either Full Time Study and/or Student Exchange and/or sabbatical engagements respectively.
The said advisory services are designed to comprehensively advise interested parties on any or all of the following pertinent matters:
- Provision of information about Heedmorine Municipal Institute to foreign students who are interested either in Full Time Study and/or Student Exchange
- Explanation of various Post Graduate programs that are tenable at different institutions
- Interpretation of designs and expected outcomes of various Student Exchange Programs
- Visa Requirements
- Currency conversion and currency related matters
- Diseases that are endemic in places where students wish to travel
- Pertinent prophylaxis for diseases that are endemic in places where students wish to travel
- Cultural Briefings and De-briefings
- Risk profile of places and countries where they wish to travel
- Availability of web based exchange groups on web engines such as Face Book etc
- Travel Costs and rebates thereof
- Bursaries that encompass Student Exchange and Full Time study for foreign students
- Studentships that support Student Exchange
- Fellowships that are associated with exchange students & sabbatical staff (i.e. visiting lecturers & researchers)
- etc
7.0 SUBMITTING OF APPLICATION FORM
There is No Closing Date for receiving applications for Student Exchange. Applications areÂÂÂÂ received throughout the year. Applications must be sent to HEED Administrator PO Box 1360 Florida 1710 or sent via e-mail to the Co-ordinator of Academic Activities on: rewico@heed.org.za
8.0 A SYNOPSIS OF BETHLEHEM CITY IN SOUTH AFRICA AND SURROUNDING TOWNS
Download this info, including sights and destinations, where to stay and what to do, by clicking here.
9.0 OTHER PROGRAMS THAT ARE RUN BY HEED
In order to understand the extent of our academic engagement, we encourage you to view our current list of Registered Students & Guest Lecturers
To view Extra Mural and other activities that Heedmorine Municipal Institute has scheduled to be commemorated this academic year, you are encouraged to download the list of Events
Empowerment and development enthusiasts are encouraged to read about the followingÂÂÂÂÂ programs and/or procedures that are concurrently run by HEED and are found on this website on the Home page:
- Academic Programs & Faculties
- Alumni Matters & Graduate Employment Opportunities
- Advocacy
- Bursary Applications Selection And Forwarding
- Community Awareness
- Conference Co-Ordination
- e-Study
- Evaluation and Benchmarking of Foreign Qualifications and Foreign Academic Credits
- Extra Mural Activities
- Fellowship, Internship, Bursaries, Scholarship & Studentship (FBSS)
- Infrastructure Resource Mobilization
- Intellectual Property Support
- Internet for All
- Machinery And Equipment Mobilization
- Non Profit And Community Based Organisation Support
- Research, Publications & Guest Lecturer Program
- Self-Help Volunteer Support
- Small, Medium & Micro Enterprise (SMME) SupportÂÂÂÂÂ
- Study Guides & Examination (Log-In)
