Professor Witness Mudzi
Duties: Director
Background Information and Future Prospects

Prof Witness Mudzi joined the University of the Free State’s Postgraduate School as Director from the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in September 2017. He has been involved with Higher Education for the past 20 years. He was involved with postgraduate coordination and teaching and served on many postgraduate-related committees while at Wits. Prof Mudzi has authored more than 25 articles in peer-reviewed journals and has supervised to completion many Master's and PhD students.

Prof Mudzi has a BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy from the University of Zimbabwe, and a MSc Physiotherapy and PhD both from Wits University. He will be the President of the South African Society of Physiotherapy from September 2017 to September 2019.

His vision for the Postgraduate School is for it to be the driving force for policy-making for postgraduate studies at the University of the Free State. He wants to help create an enabling environment for postgraduate students that will improve not only the student throughput but also the resultant publications from postgraduate student research. Prof Mudzi believes that this process should be achieved through teamwork by all university structures and stakeholders and that the process should be informed by clear policies, evidence and sound management practices. 

E: mudziw@ufs.ac.za

Ms Danila Liebenberg
Duties: Assistant Director
Background Information and Future Prospects

Ms Liebenberg accepted service in January 2016 and is currently the Assistant Director for the Postgraduate School. She is currently pursuing her PhD in Higher Education Studies.

E: liebenbergjd@ufs.ac.za

Dr Emmie Smit
Duties: Head-Academic Writing and Research Centre
Background Information and Future Prospects

Dr Emmie Smit was appointed as the Head for the Academic Writing in 2017. She has a National Diploma in Project Management (UFS), as well as a Postgraduate Diploma in Arts and Cultural Management (Wits). She also has two Master’s qualifications, one in Drama and Theatre Arts Management (UFS) and the other in Urban and Regional Planning (UFS). She has completed two postdoctoral studies in Higher Education Studies (Aarhus University, Denmark and UFS).

During the past decade at the UFS, she has lectured and supported at the Department of Drama and Theatre Arts, the Centre of Higher Education Studies, the School of Higher Education Studies, as well as the Postgraduate School. She managed the Wynand Mouton Theatre at the UFS and has served on the National Arts Council’s Funding Committee, as well as on the Postgraduate Forum for Southern Africa (executive officer). She has additionally administrated Perspectives in Education and has presented and published on various issues in the Higher Education sector. 

E: smitej@ufs.ac.za

Ms Joy Nogabe
Duties: Chief Officer-Postgraduate Funding
Background Information and Future Prospects

Ms Nogabe is responsible for the dissemination of funding opportunities for postgraduate students, the management of postgraduate funding opportunities at the UFS, and provides strategic leadership on issues associated with postgraduate funding. 

She has a BSc, BSc Hons and MMedSc, all from the UFS. She previously held the position of Research Officer (NRF Activities), at the Central University of Technology’s Research Directorate. Her duties included coordinating the NRF programmes on research funding and capacity-building. While working in this position, she realised the challenges experienced by postgraduate students with regards to funding, this further stimulated her interest in assisting postgraduate students. Her aim is to assist as many students as possible with funding.

 
E: nogabesj@ufs.ac.za

Ms Naomi Haupt
Duties: Senior Officer-Monitoring and Evaluation
Background Information and Future Prospects

Ms Haupt is responsible for this portfolio that was created, for the sole purpose of monitoring and evaluating the activities of the Postgraduate School. This includes monitoring and evaluating the Researcher Capacity Development workshops and their effectiveness. The need for delivery of results in academia motived this position as the Postgraduate School is expected to deliver ongoing outcomes focused on enhancing efficacy with limited resources.  

She joined the Postgraduate School at the end of 2012. During the period of 2006 to 2012, she was part of UDRAW (Unit for the Development of Rhetorical and Academic Writing) at the UFS. She is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Environmental Anthropology at the University of the Free State.

E: devaldone@ufs.ac.za

Ms Eleanor Nel
Duties: Finance Manager and Coordinator (Future Scholars Mentorship Programme)
Background Information and Future Prospects

Ms Nel is the Postgraduate School Finance Manager and her supplementary duties include supervising the Research Capacity Development grant entities as well as coordinating the Future Scholars Mentorship Programme.

She has a BCom (Human Resources Management), BCom Hons (Industrial Psychology) and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree.

E: nelep@ufs.ac.za

Mr Katleho Nyaile
Duties: Senior Officer-Postgraduate Student Tracking: Systems
Background Information and Future Prospects

Mr Nyaile’s primary role is focussed on the Postgraduate Student Tacking portfolio at the Postgraduate School. His secondary roles include serving as the Postgraduate School Ex-officio in the UFS Postgraduate Student Council.    

He has an undergraduate degree in Human Resource Management, an Honours degree in Psychology, and he is concluding his Master’s degree in psychology (University of the Free State). He is a dynamic individual with a zest for life and a never-ending willingness to learn. He sees creative problem solving, leadership and innovation as the core pillars of his professional career.

E: nyailek@ufs.ac.za

Ms Tshepiso Molaba
Duties: Senior Officer-Researcher Capacity Development Programme
Background Information and Future Prospects

Ms Molaba joined the Postgraduate School in June 2016 as a coordinator of the Researcher Capacity Development Programme. Her duties include coordinating workshops for the programme so as to incorporate content for the academic support of postgraduate students.

She has a BSc and BSc Hons degree from the University of the Free State, as well as an MSc from the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University. She has previously worked as a Master’s student researcher at the CSIR during the period of August 2013 to June 2016. She is hoping to pursue her PhD in the near future.

E: molabatp@ufs.ac.za

Ms Pinky Motlhabane
Duties: Officer-Postgraduate Funding
Background Information and Future Prospects

Ms Motlhabane works as an Officer for Postgraduate Funding. Her roles include the handling of inquiries for NRF and UFS Honours Bursaries, as well as recordkeeping and coordination of the funding. 

She has worked as a student assistant in the Rector’s office in 2013, and then completed an internship programme with the Department of Human Resources in 2014 at the University of the Free State. She joined the Postgraduate School as an assistant officer in February 2015 where she was responsible for assisting with the coordination of the Researcher Development Capacity Programme. She is currently enrolled for a Master's degree.

E: motlhabanegk@ufs.ac.za

Background Information and Future Prospects

Ms Rabanye manages the reception at the Postgraduate School. Her duties include handling inquiries and service requests, recordkeeping as well as capturing of data.

She came to the Postgraduate School from UDRAW (Unit for the Development of Rhetorical and Academic Writing). Going forward she will be continuing with her BA degree and hopes to pursue an Honours degree in the near future. She is eager and open to new learning experiences especially within the postgraduate environment.

E: rabanyemc@ufs.ac.za

Ms Kamogelo Dithebe
Duties: Assistant Officer-Marketing and Communications
Background Information and Future Prospects

Ms Dithebe joined the Postgraduate School in March 2017 and she is currently working with the Marketing and Communications portfolio for the school.

She completed a BSc and BSc (Hons) Botany qualification at the University of the Free State. She has served in the Postgraduate Student Council as the Head of Media and Marketing (2014/2015) and subsequently as the Chairperson for the 2015/2016 term. She is passionate about serving and working with students. Further prospects are to continue with her studies in Disaster Management, with the aim of conducting research that will have a critical social impact. She is an academic at heart, with passion towards transferring knowledge and developing others.

E: dithebeks@ufs.ac.za

Ms Nthabiseng Thateng
Duties: Assistant Officer-Postgraduate Funding
Background Information and Future Prospects

Ms Thateng works as an Assistant Officer for Postgraduate Funding and her role is focussed on the administration of the UFS Honours Bursary. She joined the Postgraduate School as a student assistant in May 2016.  She has previously worked as a student assistant at the Career Development Office.

She completed an undergraduate degree in Mathematical Statistics, as well as an Honours degree in Statistics. She is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Mathematical statistics with specialisation in Risk Analysis. She aspires to be a Quantitative Analyst in the near future.

E: thatengng@ufs.ac.za