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13 December 2019 | Story Valentino Ndaba | Photo Johan Roux
Dr Thandi
After nearly seven years Dr Lewin finally graduates with a PhD.

Dr Thandi Lewin has spent the past six-and-a-half years of her life on her PhD.  It was only in the final year of the process that the thesis came together. “I had a few chapters and had done literature reviews and some theoretical work, as well as a little initial analysis, but none of it actually added up to a coherent thesis. The moment when I realised that I actually did have a thesis was a great feeling and a huge relief because it was only then that the end was in sight,” she said. 

On Wednesday 11 December 2019 her diligence culminated in a graduation ceremony at which she obtained her PhD in Higher Education Studies in the Faculty of Education at the University of the Free State (UFS). Dr Lewin formed a part of the pioneering cohort of the South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI) Chair in Higher Education and Human Development Research Programme, under the leadership of Professor Melanie Walker

Through the twists and turns

Working on her thesis on Early career women academics: A case study of working lives in a gendered institution, Dr Lewin struggled with time constraints. “I could not work on it every night or every early morning like some people do. My job was demanding, so I worked most nights and often went to bed quite late. Hence, I failed to focus on it during the week,” she explained.

When she began her PhD her youngest child was one year old. In addition to her job becoming more and more challenging over the years, Dr Lewin also had to maintain a morning and evening routine in order to make the most of the limited time she and her family had together. Yet after all was said and done, her research still beckoned.

Reaching the stage of walking across the stage

Given the rigorous process of completing a PhD, one of the major motivators was her supervisor. “Prof Walker was loyal and never gave up on me. She was also pragmatic and understanding. The commitment from a supervisor who is considerate of your personal circumstances, but is also as dedicated to your research project as you are, is quite something to find.”

For much of the past three years of her doctorate, Dr Lewin’s father was ill. He eventually succumbed to his illness in January 2019. The graduate struggled with managing her emotions as she felt guilty about not spending enough time with him due to work and research. “Being a mum and a daughter meant that if I wasn’t at work or working on my PhD I was with my kids or with my dad. But I must also acknowledge that my partner, nanny, and part-time housekeeper provided critical support which I couldn’t have done without.”

On gender and organisational cultures

The Chief Director for Institutional Governance and Management support in the university education branch of the Department of Higher Education and Training found the experience garnered in the system-level of higher learning enormously helpful in her research process.   “I have really enjoyed working in an area that interests me, and engaging with a topic that is policy-relevant,” she said.

Content
Melanie Walker (right) reading the PhD appraisal for Dr Thandi Lewin at the Graduation Ceremony.
(Photo: Johan Roux)


Cultivating culture change

Enabling women to rise through the ranks would require more effort to improve gender equity. “Organisations and universities can never really achieve gender equity without fundamentally changing their structures and cultures, which are deeply gendered. This also cannot happen without social change, which needs to take place in broader society and not only within organisations,” said Dr Lewin.

What this means for society and organisations is a shift from focusing solely on individual women. According to Dr Lewin: “Universities, in addition to their inclination towards slow change, are also experienced by many as exclusionary – not just by women, but by people of colour and those from working-class backgrounds, and others who have been traditionally marginalised in higher education. This is a critical issue for South African higher education – it is going to take a lot of time and focused commitment to change the cultures of universities to be more inclusive.”

News Archive

UFS plans to improve undergraduate pass rate
2005-01-13

The University of the Free State (UFS) will introduce a new foundation programme this year 2005 in an effort to improve the academic performance of undergraduate students.

According to Mr Francois Marais, Head: Centre for Higher Education Studies and Development (CHESD) at the UFS, the programme will assist students by providing for the development of cognitive and critical thinking skills by means of the integration of appropriate thinking skills (such as creative thinking, decision-making, problem solving, reasoning, and how to learn), into the subject content of university courses.

“The foundation programme will benefit students from disadvantaged school backgrounds and, in future, those whose performance in proficiency tests points to the need for additional development in, for example, language proficiency, mathematical literacy, computer skills and life skills,” says Mr Marais.

Based on their level of achievement in the final Grade 12 examination (Senior Certificate), students will be referred to the foundation programme.

In order to improve students writing and reading abilities for higher education studies, foundation programme students will be offered academic language courses in English and Afrikaans.

Kovsie Counselling will render appropriate services, eg career guidance and support to these students.

The new foundation programme will be implemented in the faculties of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Economic and Management Science, the Humanities and Law.

The duration for this programme differs from faculty to faculty. In the Faculty of Law it will take five years, while in the faculties of the Humanities, Natural and Agricultural Sciences, and Economic and Management Sciences it will take four years.

The national Department of Education will fund the foundation programme for three years. Funding for such programmes was made available to all higher education institutions in South Africa.

The welcoming function for all new first-year students and their parents will take place on Saturday 15 January 2005 at 11:00 in the Callie Human Centre on the main campus in Bloemfontein.

The registration of first-time entering first-year students who applied before 30 November 2004 to study at the Bloemfontein campus will take place from Monday 17 January 2005 to 21 January 2005 at the Callie Human Centre.

Senior undergraduate students (that is, students entering their second or later year of study) may register from 22 to 29 January 2005.

Postgraduate students, first time entering first year students and other students who applied for admission to the main campus after 30 November 2004 must register at the Callie Human from 31 January 2005 to 4 February 2005.

Due to the limitations placed by government on student numbers, the applications of students who applied late will be regarded as pending and will be processed as places become available.

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

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