24 October 2022
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Story Kekeletso Takang
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Photo Supplied
Recipient of the Community Engagement Pioneer award: Prof Basie Wessels, together with Karen Venter and Bishop Billyboy Ramahlele.
The University of the Free State (UFS)
Directorate of Community Engagement recently hosted the Community Engagement Awards. This year’s ceremony was one of a kind, highlighting more than 20 years of university-community engagement.
This prestigious awards ceremony came at a time when the university is ending the Community Engagement era and ushering in the new Engaged Scholarship and
Vision 130.
Recognising the pioneers
The Community Engagement 2022 awards ceremony was aimed at recognising the work of pioneers, academic staff, and partners – focusing on community engagement pioneers, long-term university-community flagships, 20 years of service, and student-engaged citizenship. Some of the recipients of the Pioneer awards included Prof Frederick Fourie and Prof Kalie Strydom.
Gert du Preez Terblanche, also known as Gernus, bagged the Young Pioneer – Student Engaged Citizenship award.
On the evening, long-term university flagships were recognised for delivering tremendous impact; one of these sustainable initiatives with partnerships of more than 20 years, is the Paradys Experimental Farm.
A noticeable highlight of the event was the
Global University for Lifelong Learning (GULL) graduation ceremony, which saw 10 students graduating.
Prof Richard Teare, President of GULL, joined the ceremony virtually from the UK. “The purpose of a graduation is to enable people to feel special; when people are affirmed and recognised for the work they’re doing, it has a powerful effect,” Prof Teare said.
Prof Teare’s determination to recognise extra-curricular student engagement has led to the development of a leadership development pathway for these students, which focuses on personal and professional development. And because of the directorate's affiliation with GULL and the focus on action learning, which complements community-based research – the professional leg of the leadership pathway – it was natural to recognise the students' extra-mural engagement through GULL.
The extra-mural engagements of UFS students were also recognised at the awards ceremony. Photo: Supplied
Ushering in the new era
In hosting the ceremony, the Directorate of Community Engagement celebrated the 20-year journey of university-community engagement – from the onset of Community Outreach (1980-1990s) to Community Service (2000-2009s), to Community Engagement (2010-2019s) and Engaged Scholarship (2020-2022), towards Vision 130’s visualisation of being an Engaged University. For more than forty years, the UFS has positioned itself as an agent of change through partnerships with communities throughout the Free State. This is evident in the exchange of knowledge, skills, expertise, and resources between our staff and students, aimed at developing communities. Through community engagement and service learning, the University of the Free States strives to maximise the quality of life for those involved.
“This celebration is a demonstration of links the UFS established 20 years ago with communities, ensuring the UFS is engaged and intricately involved”, said Prof Colin Chasi, Director of the Unit for Institutional Change and Social Justice, in congratulating the award recipients.