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19 October 2018
Conference evaluates impact of academia on public sector
From left: Prof Liezel Lues, ASSADPAM outgoing chairperson; Prof Mogie Subban, newly elected chairperson; Lechesa Tsenoli, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly; and Dr Henk Boshoff, Free State Provincial Public Service Commissioner.
As part of a process to evaluate the impact of the discipline of Public Administration and Management on the performance of the public sector, the Association of Southern African Schools and Departments of Public Administration and Management (ASSADPAM) recently held a conference themed: ‘Back To The Future: Revisiting the discipline of Public Administration and Management for responsive and sustainable development in Bloemfontein’.

The University of the Free State’s Department of Public Administration and Management hosted the ASSADPAM at a critical time when the country is moving towards the 2019 general elections. Evaluations of this nature are essential in order to identify areas where improvements need to be intensified.

Prof Liezel Lues, ASSADPAM chairperson, says: “Public administration and management has been strongly influenced by several multifaceted political, economic and cultural forces globally and nationally. Now, in 2018, the discipline of Public Administration and Management is evaluating its impact on the performance of the public sector, realising its own responsibility but also that of citizens and public servants for responsive and sustainable development.”

Academics meet the business of governance

Some 114 delegates from 18 different institutions had the opportunity to interactively discuss 68 research papers which were presented from 26 to 28 September 2018. Burning challenges were tackled by prominent role players. Lechesa Tsenoli, the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly presented on the Academic-Practitioner Interface, while Dr Henk Boshoff, the Free State Provincial Public Service Commissioner debated the Quality and Relevance of Research. The Quality and Credibility of Public Administration and Management training and development was the topic of a discussion fielded by Prof Thean Potgieter, the Acting Branch Head Training Policy and Planning National School of Government.

ASSADPAM honours research excellence
 
Prof Hendri Kroukamp, the Acting Vice-Rector: Academic at UFS, Prof Liza Van Jaarsveldt from the University of South Africa and Prof Michiel de Vries of Radboud University in the Netherlands co-authored the paper which scooped the prize for best conference paper. The award-winning paper titled: ‘International standards, decolonisation, curriculum considerations and public administration education’ was presented at the conference.

News Archive

University tips its hat to final-year students
2013-09-13

 
From the left: Lauren Marais, Werner Landman, Herloise Jordaan and Louis Rossouw (PwC).
13 September 2013

The Alumni Office at the University of the Free State (UFS), in partnership with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), held its first Alumni Evening for final-year students.

The students received valuable advice from various speakers during the event. Werner Landman – also a UFS graduate – highlighted the differences in approach between the current and previous generations. Landman explained that Generation Y students have greater influence and are extensively connected socially as they enter the work environment. “You are people who will work to live, unlike us, Generation X, who live to work,” he said. With their degrees – some already busy with their post-graduate studies – they are more likely to be appointed in professions which will allow them to live better, he added.

Heloise Jordaan, former 2008/9 SRC president, who holds three degrees from Kovsies to her name, also addressed the final-years. She currently holds the position of brand manager at Urban Hotels, although she only started working recently. Through sharing her personal work experiences, she gave the audience a glimpse into the workplace."You guys need to realise that when you step into the working sphere, you need to be open minded and also work to the best of your abilities,” Jordaan encouraged.

The evening was concluded on a high note with a prize-giving. Pieter du Toit, UFS Alumni Chair, was in charge of handing over the awards. Residences were compared to find which ones generated the most residing final-year and postgraduate students. House Tswelopele and Soetdoring clinched the honours and walked away with R2 000 each for their house.

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