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03 January 2019 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Photo: Agri SA
Dan Kriek was recently appointed by the President to serve on an advisory panel on land reform.

Dan Kriek is a man who has many irons in the fire. The President of Agri SA, was in September 2018 appointed by the President, Mr Cyril Ramaphosa, to serve on an advisory panel on land reform that will support the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Land Reform.

Nevertheless, he jumped at the opportunity to serve on the Council of the University of the Free State. Kriek is also a proud former Kovsie. He obtained his BScAgric (Zoology), BScAgricHons, and MScAgric (Zoology) at the UFS. As a result, he regards it as a great privilege to be able to serve on the Council of his alma mater.

“It is now important
for me to make
our country
a better place.”
—Dan Kriek;
President: Agri SA

Great responsibility

“Apart from it being a great privilege, it is also a big responsibility,” he says. “I have good memories of my student days at Kovsies, but I also realise that times and circumstances have changed. A different approach – an inclusive approach – is needed in terms of how we are going to take the university forward.”

He believes that his knowledge of organised agriculture will come in handy. He is a proud product of the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences and believes that this is where he will especially be able to play a part as member of the UFS Council.

World-class institution

“I know what the current debates and challenges in agriculture are about. I therefore also know that we can make this Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, and indeed this university, a world-class institution.”

In addition to his duties as President of Agri SA, he also serves on the Board of Directors of the VKB Group. Naturally, he is still a cattle farmer on his farm in the Eastern Free State as well.

“There isn’t time for more at this stage. It is now important for me to make our country a better place, and I am looking forward to applying all the knowledge and experience that I have gained from my different roles elsewhere – also on the Council.”

News Archive

Prof Van den Oever gives students a different perspective
2016-05-06

Description: Prof Van den Oever gives students a different perspective Tags: Prof Van den Oever gives students a different perspective

Prof Annie van den Oever from the Netherlands presented a series of guest lectures on media technologies to students of the Film and Visual Media Programme at the University of the Free State (UFS). Here from left is Chris Vorster, lecturer in Drama and Theatre Arts, Prof Van den Oever, and Dr Pieter Venter, Senior lecturer at Drama and Theatre Arts.
Photo: Jóhann Thormählen

She played a part in conceptualising the Film and Visual Media Programme at the University of the Free State (UFS), and sees film from a perspective different from most young South Africans.

According to Chris Vorster, lecturer of the UFS BA Honours degree in Film and Visual Media, this is one of the reasons why Prof Annie van den Oever’s visit is of such great value. The actor, who is a lecturer in Drama and Theatre Arts, believes it is important to expose his students to influences outside their normal experience.

Prof Van den Oever, an extraordinary professor at the UFS since 2011, presented a series of guest lectures on media technologies from 11-14 April 2016 at the Audio Visual Studio on the Bloemfontein Campus. She is a senior researcher for Film at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, and an Associated Researcher for Film at Paris 1, Panthéon Sorbonne, in France.

Another milieu

“It is invaluable for students, in any field of study, to receive as many influences from the outside. Therefore, it is important to have someone here from another milieu and context. And academically, she is outstanding,” says Vorster.

Vorster’s students are also exposed to practical expertise from the industry in the country, not only academics.

Relationship with UFS

Prof Van den Oever says she usually visits the UFS twice a year. Her recent lecture series on media technologies was about the power of visual and film culture today, and how you can understand its powers. “Why strange effects work strongly and why the strange is inserted, because people respond strongly to them,” she says.

Prof van den Oever enjoys meeting new people, and often works with colleagues from the UFS on various projects. She also is full of praise for the management of the university. “It is great to work across cultures, and be part of a university in transition.”

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