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03 December 2018 | Story Thabo Kessah | Photo Thabo Kessah
Dr Martin Mandew welcoming ceremony
Prof Francis Petersen, Dr Martin Mandew, UFS Council Chairperson Willem Louw, and Prof Prakash Naidoo, Vice-Rector: Operations.
The University of the Free State Qwaqwa Campus and the broader community gave the new Principal, Dr Martin Mandew, a warm welcome on Thursday 22 November 2018. In attendance were representatives from different stakeholders, ranging from the Thabo Mofutsanyana Education District, the UFS Council, to the Student Representative Council (SRC) who challenged Dr Mandew to take the campus to greater heights.

In welcoming Dr Mandew, the Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Francis Petersen, highlighted recent campus achievements, including increased enrolment for both undergraduate and postgraduate students. “There has been a tremendous growth in our enrolment for both under- and postgraduate students. First-time undergraduate students grew by 124% from 2015 to 2018 – from 1 027 to 2 300 students. Regarding postgraduate students, we grew by 68% – from 329 to 551 in the same period of time. In addition, the University Staff Doctorate Project (USDP) that seeks to increase the number of academics with PhDs, is already unfolding. This programme will see six academics pursuing doctorate degrees in natural sciences, social sciences, the humanities, economic management sciences, and education, but will be focusing on multidisciplinary research on mountains or mountain communities. This Afromontane Research Unit (ARU) project is performed in collaboration with three American universities – the Appalachian State University, the Colorado State University, and the University of Montana,” he said.

“We have also seen increased research output that came partly as a result of our ARU collaborating with the United Nations University and the University of Tokyo’s Graduate School of Frontier Sciences in Japan. This partnership is aimed at developing the campus to be a sustainability hub of research and education, focusing on mountain and rural regions in South Africa,” he added.

Prof Petersen also acknowledged the role Dr Mandew was already playing in “broadening the reach of community engagement, integrating all efforts by different faculties and departments into one sustainable programme and integrating commuting or day students into university life”.

Speaking on behalf of the Qwaqwa Campus Branch of the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (NEHAWU), Deputy Chairperson, Motlogelwa Moema, highlighted the need for the new Campus Principal to always listen to the workers. “Workers themselves will tell you about their issues and you will not read about them in some minutes or written notes from somewhere,” he said. Representing UVPERSU was Grey Magaiza, who extended a hand of cooperation to Dr Mandew. “We are prepared to share your agenda of developing this campus with you, and you can count on us,” he said.

In his response, Dr Mandew also extended a hand of cooperation to those willing to see the campus becoming an institution of choice. “It has to be emphasised that this event is not about me, but about our biggest stakeholders – our students – and how we can advance our campus together and make it better. We must make this campus the best of its size in the whole of South Africa,” he said.

His Majesty Morena E Mohono Moremoholo Mopeli from the Bakoena Ba Mopeli Traditional Council welcomed Dr Mandew with a Basotho blanket, a rod, and a hat – symbols of the highest level and warmest welcome.


News Archive

Dr Khotso Mokhele joins ranks of distinguished Chancellors
2010-11-21

Attending the inauguration ceremony are, from the left: Mr Pule Makgoe, MEC for Education in the Free State and member of the UFS Council; Judge Ian van der Merwe, Chairperson of the UFS Council; Dr Khotso Mokhele, newly inaugurated Chancellor of the UFS; and Prof. Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the UFS.
Photo: Dries Myburgh

Dr Khotso Mokhele joined the ranks of distinguished Chancellors of the University of the Free State (UFS) with his inauguration as the new Chancellor of the institution at a ceremony on Friday, 19 November 2010.

The lustrous ceremony took place on the Main Campus in Bloemfontein and was attended by hundreds of guests from all over South Africa.

Dr Mokhele said in his speech: “I am excited to have been invited by the UFS to join its community at the time when it is attempting to reinvent itself into an institution that will be counted amongst those that will shape the local, regional, national will, and by so doing, contribute to the shaping of an African will.”

Dr Mokhele follows in the footsteps of Dr Franklin Sonn, former Ambassador of South Africa in the United States of America and receiver of many awards, acknowledgements, and honorary doctorates, who retired earlier this year. Dr Sonn was preceded by Ms Winkie Direko, former premier of the Free State.

His acceptance of the role of Chancellor is a great honour for the UFS.

According to Prof. Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the UFS, it is a proud moment to welcome someone from the Province as the Chancellor of this university. With his strong academic values and deep sense of human compassion, Dr Mokhele is one of but a few uncompromising leaders. He is also an inspiring, determined pioneer and a role model to all our students.

Few have done as much to guide the development of science in South Africa since democracy in 1994 as Dr Mokhele. His vision and actions as a senior science manager have been guided by his deep conviction that for a truly democratic society to emerge in South Africa all people must be empowered to be its architects and must have unhindered access to those careers upon which our economy is built.

Dr Khotso Mokhele was born and raised in Bloemfontein. After matriculating from the Moroka High School he went on to study at Fort Hare, where he graduated with a B.Sc. in Agriculture, winning the Massey-Ferguson award for the best student in that field. As a recipient of the prestigious Fulbright-Hays Scholarship, he entered the University of California in Davis where he took a M.Sc. and a Ph.D. degree, both in Microbiology. He was awarded post-doctoral fellowships at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland, and at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.

Dr Mokhele returned to South Africa in 1987, set on becoming a top-class academic and researcher. He held lecturing posts at the Universities of Fort Hare (1987-1989) and Cape Town (1990-1992). In 1992 he joined the Foundation for Research Development (FRD) as one of its Vice-Presidents. He succeeded to its presidency in 1996 and then from 1999 to 2006 became the first President of the National Research Foundation (NRF).  He successfully merged the FRD and the Centre for Science Development of the Human Sciences Research Council. Under his visionary leadership the NRF has come to play a pivotal role in the development agenda of the country. He was also instrumental in the establishment of the South African Academy of Sciences serving as its founder president (1996-1998).

Dr Khotso Mokhele's contribution to science in South Africa has received wide recognition locally and abroad. He has received nine honorary doctorates. He was made a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour by the President of France in recognition of his personal efforts in strengthening scientific ties between France and South Africa, and was appointed a director of the Salzburg Seminar, an institution focused on global change, and subsequently a member of its Council of Senior Fellows.

He also serves on the boards of major companies such as Implats, Adcock Ingram and Afrox.

Media Release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Director: Strategic Communication (actg)
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl@ufs.ac.za19 November 2010
 

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