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The foyer of the International Studies group in the Benito Khotseng Building is a silent witness to pride, excellence, and incredibly hard work. Prof Ian Phimister, Senior Professor, Centre for Africa Studies, points at the notice board with photocopies of internationally published articles next to a showcase of newly published books that have stemmed from the group’s recent research initiatives. The relevance of the research topics is striking. It covers challenges faced by society today – but also touches on past events like pandemics and politicians as springboards for new thinking and suggesting solutions.

Prof Phimister, an internationally recognised authority when it comes to academia, has taught at universities like Oxford, UCT and Sheffield, where he occupied the Chair of International History. At the UFS he leads the International Studies Group where students are doing PhDs and Postdocs. The students have been carefully selected, “If they enter the door to this programme, they are already pretty good; there is a rigorous selection process to become part of the programme.”  

The International Studies Group supports students in many ways. These students are often appointed into full-time positions by other universities across the globe. To assist them, mock interviews are held before they go for their ‘real’ interviews. “We like to hear that the mock interview was harder than the real interview.”  

The relevance of the research topics is striking. It covers challenges faced by society today – but also touches on past events like pandemics and politicians as springboards for new thinking and suggesting solutions.

Although it takes on average seven years to complete a PhD in South Africa, the International Studies Group students have been completing it in three years. “We started in 2013 and at the beginning of 2022 we will have 31 PhDs and six MAs completed.” The standard of research is high and Prof Phimister attributes it to the students being competitive: “They compete to be the best, but they appreciate and enjoy one another’s successes – proud of who we are and what we do.”