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13 March 2018 Photo Johan Roux
Prof Heidi Hudson appointed as UFS Dean of the Faculty of the Humanities
Prof Heidi Hudson, Dean of the Faculty of the Humanities.
The Council of the University of the Free State (UFS) approved the appointment of Prof Heidi Hudson as Dean of the Faculty of the Humanities during a meeting on the Bloemfontein Campus on 22 January 2018. She assumed office on 1 March 2018.

Prof Hudson is a Professor of International Relations with a PhD in Strategic Studies, and has been recognised for her undisputed international standing, which resulted in the awarding of a B2 rating by the National Research Foundation, effective from 1 January 2018. She was co-editor of The International Feminist Journal of Politics for the past six and a half years, as well as a Global Fellow of the Peace Research Institute in Oslo (2014-2016). Prof Hudson currently serves on the Advisory Board of the African Peacebuilding Network at the Social Science Research Council in New York. In 2018, she will also be the Claude Ake Visiting Chair, hosted by the Department of Peace and Conflict Research, Uppsala University and the Nordic Africa Institute. Her Claude Ake Memorial Lecture will focus on the decolonisation of gender and peacebuilding in Africa. 

“Prof Hudson is a well-respected researcher and senior manager and will add immense value to the faculty. She has been associated with the UFS for almost 25 years and the institutional memory she brings to the position is indispensable. I look forward to working with her and to support her in realising her vision for the faculty,” says Prof Francis Petersen, UFS Rector and Vice-Chancellor. 
 
Prof Hudson started her academic career at the UFS, spent six years at the former University of Durban-Westville (1991-1996), after which she re-joined the Department of Political Science at the UFS, where she was Departmental Chairperson from 2006 to 2007. In 2009, she joined the Centre for Africa Studies as Africa Studies programme director (2009-2011), and has been the Director of the centre since September 2012. The centre was recently externally evaluated and the positive report testifies to her leadership. Prof Hudson managed to increase the centre’s international footprint in a short space of time and effected an increase in research outputs, as well as PhD enrolment and output.   
 
In addition to serving on the Faculty Committee of the Humanities, she is a long-standing member of the Faculty Research Committee and also chaired the Portfolio Committee on Quality Assurance (2005-2008), while also serving on the UFS Quality Assurance Committee (until 2008). She was Senate representative on the Institutional Forum (August 2013–July 2017) and a member of the UFS Gender Committee (until 2006). She was recently nominated to serve on the Senate Research Committee.
 
Prof Hudson has been acting in the position of Dean: Faculty of the Humanities since 1 October 2017. Her vision for the faculty includes, among others, curriculum renewal, interdisciplinary research, and improved governance at middle-management level.

News Archive

King Moshoeshoe comes alive on national television
2004-11-02

Honourable Bethuel Pakalitha Mosisili, Prime Minister of Lesotho, and his wife; King Letsie III of Lesotho and Dr Ezekiel Moraka, Vice-Rector: Student Affairs at the UFS during the première of the film at the Royal Palace in Lesotho

The ground-breaking documentary film on the life and legacy of King Moshoeshoe, the founder of the Basotho nation, will come alive on Thursday 4 November 2004 when it is screened on SABC2 at 21:00

The film, called Moshoeshoe: The Renaissance King, forms part of a larger project by the University of the Free State (UFS) to honour the Moshoeshoe legacy of nation-building and reconciliation and to explore his role as a model of African leadership. It was produced by the well-known journalist Mr Max du Preez and commissioned by the UFS as part of its centenary celebrations.

The SABC2 screening was preceded by a première in Bloemfontein last month, and was attended by provincial political leaders.

This past weekend there was a première at the Royal Palace in Lesotho, which was attended by King Letsie III, the prime minister, the chief justice, judges, the president of the senate, cabinet ministers and directors-general.

“Through this documentary film the UFS commits itself to developing a shared appreciation of the history of this country and to the establishment of the Free State Province as a model of reconciliation and nation-building. King Moshoeshoe is also a strong common element, and binding factor, in the relationship between South Africa/the Free State, and its neighbour, Lesotho,” said Prof Frederick Fourie, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS.

“Not all people in South Africa know the history of Moshoeshoe. Many Basotho – but not all – are well versed in the history of Moshoeshoe, and his name is honoured in many a street, town and township. Many white people know little of him, or have a very constrained or even biased view of his role and legacy. In Africa and the world, he is much less known than, for instance, Shaka,” said Prof Fourie.

“King Moshoeshoe did a remarkable thing in forging a new nation out of a fragmented society. He also created a remarkable spirit of reconciliation and a remarkable spirit of leadership,” said Prof Fourie.

According to Prof Fourie we already benefit from his legacy: the people of the Free State share a tradition of moderation and reconciliation rather than one of aggression and domination. “For the UFS this is also part of real transformation – of creating a new unity amidst our diversity,” said Prof Fourie.

“We also find in the legacy of King Moshoeshoe the possibility of a “founding philosophy”, or “defining philosophy”, for the African renaissance. To develop this philosophy, we must gain a deeper understanding of what really happened there, of his role, of his leadership. Therefore the UFS will encourage and support further research into the history, politics and sociology of the Moshoeshoe period, including his leadership style,” said Prof Fourie.

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel: (051) 401-2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za
2 November 2004

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