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19 September 2018 Photo Malia Maranyane
Student Affairs host future UFS leaders during leadership conference
2018/2019 student leaders gather in the EBW Auditorium for the annual Leadership Conference
Newly elected 2018/2019 Kovsie student leaders, comprising the Student Representative Council (SRC), Residence Councils (RC), and Residence Assistants (RA), gathered in the EBW Auditorium for training during the annual Student Leadership Conference. This year’s conference was also privileged to be joined by the South Campus SRC members.

The Director: Student Affairs, Dr WP Wahl, kicked off the programme with a session highlighting the importance of creating value-driven communities. Pulane Malefane, Assistant Director: Residence Life, spoke about student leaders fulfilling their roles and responsibilities as RC and RA representatives.

The Dean of Student Affairs, Pura Mgolombane, delivered a presentation based on The Role of Student Leadership as Aligned to the Student Affairs Strategic Plan, Pedagogies and Policies. Students also enjoyed an inspirational talk about Lessons in Leadership: What Leadership Taught Me presented by UFS Council member, David Abbey. 

 
The conference concluded with a delightful dinner and networking session for Kovsie’s future leaders.

News Archive

UFS mourns passing away of pioneer
2005-09-30

Prof Dudley Vermaak (76), founder and former director of the University of the Free State’s (UFS) Research Institute for Education Planning (RIEP), passed away on Friday 23 September 2005 in George as a result of a stroke.  

Prof Vermaak was associated with the UFS for about 23 years.  A Centenary Medal was awarded to him in October 2004 by the UFS for his pioneering work in transformation through his initiatives, during the apartheid era, to empower education officials, teachers and postgraduate students from disadvantaged communities in South Africa. 

He did pioneering work in the eighties with the training of black teachers, especially senior officials and managers in black education, and with the research and training on the improvement of education in the black community.  

“Prof Vermaak was a visionary person who understood the changing South African context in the eighties and started at an early stage with work to improve black schools and the training of black leaders in the education sector.  He was a true pioneer at the UFS.  We are thankful that we could honour him for this with a Centenary Medal last year,” said Prof Frederick Fourie, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS.

RIEP originally started off as the Research Unit for Education Planning in 1974 under the guidance of Prof Vermaak.  During the apartheid years the institute was intensely involved with research about education in the former homelands.  It was also the only organisation that could provide complete education statistics, which was necessary for planning, about the former homelands. 

RIEP was also involved with service delivery to the so-called independent and self-governing states regarding training in management and planning and support.  Several education officials from these areas undertook their M Ed and D Ed studies with the help of RIEP.  Some post-1994 education and political leaders include e.g. Lionel Mtshali, premier of KwaZulu-Natal in 1999-2004. 

Prof Vermaak was cremated in George.  A memorial service will be held at 10:00 on Saturday 1 October 2005 at the Berg-en-Dal Dutch Reformed Church in Dan Pienaar.  Prof Vermaak is survived by his wife, Marietjie, four children and grandchildren.  He lived in Kiepersol Retirement Village in Bloemfontein for the past six years. 

Media release
Issued by:  Lacea Loader
   Media Representative
   Tel:  (051) 401-2584
   Cell:  083 645 2454
   E-mail:  loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za
29 September 2005
 

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