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03 April 2018 Photo Sonia Small
First-rate fund managers in SA produced by UFS Prof Philippe Burger
of Philippe Burger, Acting Dean of the Faculty of Economic and Management Science.
A recent comparative study on the performance of South African fund managers has revealed that the-top performing fund managers over a running average of five years are former undergraduate students of the University of the Free State (UFS).

In an attempt to understand South Africa’s fund managers, Leigh Köhler, head of research at Glacier by Sanlam, and his team, published a comprehensive breakdown which looked at all South African universities and universities of technology. Aspects explored in the report included philosophy, process, people, organisational structure, and cost of funds. In addition, the study also considered characteristics such as age, tenure, level of qualification and undergraduate university to identify fund managers who are superior to their peers.

A closer look at the statistics
The majority of the sampled fund managers studied at the University of Cape Town (46%), University of Stellenbosch (10%), and University of the Witwatersrand (8%), while only 2% studied at the UFS. However, according to the report, “The highest average performance over five years was generated by fund managers who attended the UFS – 13.25%.” This means that for every rand they invested, the portfolios managed by UFS alumni got back approximately R1.13 annually, the highest return when compared to the returns generated by portfolio managers from other universities. These fund managers are employed by a range of institutions, including independent asset management firms, insurance companies, banks and wealth managers.

What our acting dean had to say
Prof Philippe Burger, Acting Dean at the UFS Faculty of Economic and Management Science, said: “When you and I put money into a pension fund or investment, portfolio managers buy bonds and shares with it from companies. Those companies use that money to invest in building factories, businesses, offices, and of course they make a profit on their investments. That profit is used to pay interest and dividends. These interest payments, dividends and increased share values constitute the returns paid to investors.”

The outstanding performance of UFS-groomed fund managers is a comment on the quality of the students UFS delivers. “For decades we have had a BComm degree that includes an option to specialise in what was previously called Money and Banking, and is now called Financial Economics. We are the only faculty that has had a focus on Financial Economics going back all the way to the late 1970s. In that sense we train people and give them an education that allows them to perform like this,” said Prof Burger. 

Moving forward, the faculty is looking at partnerships with financial institutions that can strengthen that capacity and give students increased value for money. 

News Archive

UFS takes 70 first-year students to the USA
2010-08-20

 
Mr Rudi Buys (middle, with tie) with some of the students selected for the F1 Programme
Photo: Gerhard Louw

The University of the Free State (UFS) has announced the names of the first ever group of 70 first-year students that will travel to the United States of America (USA) as part of the university’s Student Leadership Development Programme.

This group of students will spend two weeks at universities in the USA to experience student life and learn about leadership and diversity at these universities.

“This is a first for not only the UFS, but also for South Africa and we are incredibly proud. The programme is unique to any other student leadership development programme in the country. We are leading the way and are taking students to live and learn amongst students at various universities across the USA,” said Mr Rudi Buys, Dean of Student Affairs at the UFS.

The programme was one of the goals of Prof. Jonathan Jansen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS, which he aimed to realise when he was appointed by the UFS in 2009.

“With the programme we want to develop participants’ thinking and capacity to lead in the contexts of diversity and change and we hope to direct them to programmes leading change in student life in general upon their return,” Mr Buys said.

The 70 students will leave for the USA on 22 September 2010. After spending some time there and learning more about their American peers’ lives and culture, they will return to the UFS on 7 October 2010.

“We took great care in selecting the 70 participants. They are representative of all our students, as well as students from our Qwaqwa Campus,” said Mr Buys.

A rigorous selection process was followed, which focused on the students’ academic excellence, their participation in student- and residence-life programmes and their interest in growing in the areas of, amongst others, leadership, diversity and citizenship. Each candidate had to undergo a pre-selection process, followed by a panel interview consisting of staff from various faculties and divisions at the UFS.

The students will stay in groups of about ten at the various universities, which include universities such as Cornell University, New York University, the University of Massachusetts, the Appalachian State University and Virginia Polytechnic University. “These universities will provide our students with accommodation and will present various academic and cultural programmes which our students will participate in and learn from,” said Mr Buys.

“We have also put a programme in place to prepare our students thoroughly for the trip. Because some of them have never travelled on an aeroplane, let alone travelled to a foreign country, we have made arrangements with the Department of Home Affairs for assistance with travel documentation, as well as special arrangements with the USA Embassy for assistance with visas. They will also be attending workshops focusing on, amongst others, research, leadership and diversity before their departure on 22 September 2010.

“Upon their arrival in the USA the group of students will firstly be taken to Washington DC where they will be briefed about American customs, etc. From there they will be placed at the various universities,” said Mr Buys.

Upon their return the students must be involved in student-life programmes on campus, establish volunteer programmes and initiate and establish mentoring programmes for their fellow students. “We want them to give back what they have learnt and experienced,” said Mr Buys.

“We are planning on implementing the Student Leadership Development Programme as an annual programme and are looking forward to this incredible programme through which this group of first-year students will have the opportunity of a lifetime to be true ambassadors of South Africa and, in particular, the UFS, as they leave for the USA,” he said.

Media Release:
Mangaliso Radebe
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2828
Cell: 078 460 3320
E-mail: radebemt@ufs.ac.za 
20 August 2010

 

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