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23 October 2019 | Story Rulanzen Martin | Photo Rulanzen Martin
Prof Angelique van Niekerk, Prof Jaap Steyn, Prof Hennie van Coller and Prof Bernard Odendaal
From the left: Prof Angelique van Niekerk, Prof Jaap Steyn, Prof Hennie van Coller, research fellow and former HOD of Afrikaans and Dutch; German and French and Prof Bernard Odendaal, from the ATKV School for Creative Writing at North West University,after the book launch on 16 October 2019.

The very comprehensive publication, JC Steyn en Afrikaans – ’n viering, pays tribute to a leading figure of the Afrikaans academic world. The book, edited by Profs Angelique van Niekerk, Hennie van Coller, and Bernard Odendaal, was recently launched at the University of the Free State (UFS) as a tribute to Prof Jaap Steyn, research fellow and former colleague at the UFS.

“The publication contains diverse contributions and provides a comprehensive overview of the different types of research in Afrikaans literature and linguistics,” said Prof van Niekerk, Head of the Department of Afrikaans and Dutch, German and French at the UFS. 

The scope of the contributions is as wide as the influence Prof Steyn has had on the Afrikaans language landscape. “Creative writing and biographies lexicography and sociolinguistics are addressed in his book,” Prof van Niekerk said.

As mentioned in the title, the publication serves as a celebration of Afrikaans as a language and discipline; it also covers the research areas in which Prof Steyn used to publish research himself.

The book, published by SUN MeDIA, was made possible by a financial donation from the South African Academy for Science and Art. It was officially launched at the UFS on Wednesday 16 October 2019. 

More about Prof Steyn 

Prof Steyn is a seasoned poet, writer, and one of the leading Afrikaans academics in the country. With more than 100 articles in scientific journals to his name, Prof Steyn is still serving as research fellow in the UFS Department of Afrikaans and Dutch, German and French. He is also the author of, among others, books on language politics, language, and cultural history, such as Tuiste in eie taal, Trouwe Afrikaners: Aspekte van Afrikanernasionalisme en Suid-Afrikaanse taalpolitiek and the recent Ons gaan ’n taal maak. He has also written a number of award-winning biographies and published prose and poetry. 

Prof Steyn has been associated with several South African universities, including the University of Johannesburg (the then Rand Afrikaans Universiteit), Nelson Mandela University (the then University of Port Elizabeth), as well as the UFS.

News Archive

African Union acknowledges one of our own
2012-01-23

 

Prof. Maryke Labuschagne
Photo: Hannes Pieterse

The African Union awarded an international award to Maryke Labuschagne, a professor in Plant Breeding at our Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, for her contribution to science in Africa.

Prof. Labuschagne received the African Union Kwame Nkrumah Scientific award in the category Life Sciences – Continental level. This is the highest level of this prestigious award programme.

The African Union Commission is committed to ensure that science and technology contributes to sustainable development efforts. In 2008 the African Union Commission launched the prestigious African Union Scientific Award Programme. This programme was later renamed the African Union Kwame Nkrumah Scientific awards.

The programme is implemented at National level for young researchers, Regional level for women scientists and is open to all scientists on Continental level.

The Continental level is the highest level of the programme. The objective is to give out scientific awards to top African scientists for their scientific achievements, valuable discoveries and findings.

Prof. Labuschagne has been part of our university for the past 23 years. Over the last 20 years she has been involved in training and educating scientists in plant breeding all over Africa. Her work also entails the development of better cultivars to ensure food sustainability on the continent.

“I really did not expect to win this award. The criteria were really strict and one always sells yourself and your achievements short,” says Prof. Labuschagne.

With this award, Prof. Labuschagne also receives US $100 000 (about R 804 180) in prize money, which will be used to renovate her department’s lab facilities and provide bursaries.

The official award ceremony will be held on Saturday 28 January 2012 at the United Nations Conference Centre in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
 

 

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