The Department of Economics and Finance in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences (EMS) at the University of the Free State (UFS) hosted its first Seminar Series Week on 15 and 16 September, creating a dynamic space where postgraduate students could engage directly with leading voices in the field. 

Held on the UFS’s Bloemfontein Campus, the event drew together academics, industry professionals, and students for thought-provoking seminar and panel discussion sessions on some of the most pressing issues shaping economics and finance today.

From artificial intelligence and Africa’s data sovereignty to fintech, entrepreneurial thinking, and financial stability, the programme covered a wide spectrum of global and local themes. For many of the postgraduate students in attendance, it was not only a chance to learn from seasoned experts but also to ask questions, challenge ideas, and explore how classroom theories connect with the realities of industry. 

A platform bridging academia and industry

The seminar series featured an impressive line-up of speakers, bringing together both international perspectives and South African expertise. Prof Andrew Smith, Kovsie alumnus, Adjunct Professor in the UFS Department of Economics and Finance and Chief of Next at AND Digital (London), shared insights on fintech and the future of financial services. Prof James Devlin, also an Adjunct Professor in the department and Emeritus Professor at Nottingham Business School, explored the critical relationship between trust, financial services, and technology. Jaco Swart, Executive Head of Group Stress Testing at Nedbank and member of the department’s Advisory Board, offered a South African perspective on the challenges of stress-testing banks.

Minette Weideman, Chartered Financial Analyst, founder of Levevis, and Kovsie alumna, encouraged attendees to think critically about entrepreneurship in financial services. Prof Hendrik Nel, former Interim CEO of the Corporation for Deposit Insurance (CODI) and Head of the Financial Stability Department at the South African Reserve Bank (SARB), also a Kovsie alumnus, shared insights into the SARB’s role in ensuring financial stability. Dr Herkulaas Combrink, Senior Lecturer in the department and Co-Director of the Interdisciplinary Centre for Digital Futures at the UFS, offered perspectives on AI and the future of Africa’s data sovereignty.

According to Prof Johan Coetzee, Head of the Department of Economics and Finance, the vision behind the series was to “get a good balance between practitioners in the industry who have experience and expose students to the real-world applications of what they study in class every day.” He emphasised that the seminar was not only about networking with visiting professors but also about showing students that “their dreams are something they can strive into practical success”.

That message resonated strongly with students. Richard Molefe, an entrepreneur and BCom Honours in Finance student, described the sessions as “quite liberating”, noting that the emphasis on innovation within the financial sector broadened his outlook beyond the traditional path of simply qualifying and working for a bank. “From the presentations we had, it’s been inspirational. Many of the speakers once sat in the same lecture halls as us, and to see them doing remarkably well in their careers shows us that there’s no glass ceiling… the sky is the limit.”

Speakers also highlighted the importance of thinking globally while remaining rooted in local realities. Prof Smith added that “we live in a connected world, everything is digital everywhere”, stressing that we should recognise how international trends influence South Africa’s financial landscape and urging students to prepare themselves accordingly.

Prof Coetzee echoed this, saying that students need more than theoretical knowledge if they are to thrive in a “tough world that is increasingly more global and competitive”. He added: “It’s extremely important that we make what we study every day applicable in the real world… that our students walk out of here with not only textbook knowledge.”