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18 October 2019 | Story Valentino Ndaba | Photo Stephen Collett
Prof Nico Luwes
Paying tribute to staff members who have help build the Kovsie legacy such as Prof Nico Luwes.
Institutions are people. Staff members who keep universities going are the champions of education, be it in academic or support functions. This year’s Recognition of Service Awards honoured the commitment of 64 staff members to the University of the Free State (UFS). 

Prof Francis Petersen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS, led the ceremony in which staff members who have served the institution for 25 years and longer received awards. “Thank you for your long service, loyalty, and steadfast support to the institution throughout its successes, developments, and challenges over the years,” he said at a dinner celebration held at the Bloemfontein Campus on 16 October 2019.

The recipients have contributed a combined total of 1 940 years to make Kovsies the transforming learning space it is today. “This means they have collectively been in service for 23 280 months and have collectively worked an average of 465 600 workdays,” said Prof Petersen, who also expressed gratitude to the 44 colleagues who are retiring this year. 

From a Kovsie student to serving for four decades

Prof Nico Luwes, Head of the Department of Drama and Theatre Arts, was also honoured for his 40 years of service along with six other staff members in that year category. 

He joined the university as a first-year student in 1974 and has been HOD from 1980. His family, including his parents, have collected a total of 21 degrees and diplomas from the university. 

For Prof Luwes, the adage “times flies when you are having fun” rings true. When asked what it means to receive the award, his response was: “It fills me with gratitude, thankfulness and joy. I realised that these years were filled with so many wonderful opportunities and challenges to grow as a lecturer, researcher, and theatre artist, that I did not even notice that time was flying by. What an honour to be associated with this wonderful institution – my beloved Kovsies!”

Planting the seeds and reaping the fruits

In addition to having the opportunity to write and direct various new plays and three musicals, Prof Luwes has had an impact on many lives. He managed to obtain over R8million in third-stream grants. These grants supported bursaries for drama students, academic internships, departmental and professional artistic theatre projects, and undertakings by the Free State Theatre Arts – the department’s professional group.

A token of appreciation

In light of both gradual and rapid changes seen in the higher-education sector, a committed and quality talent pool is a priceless asset. The university’s 115 years of a transforming existence owes much to staff members such as those who were honoured with the Recognition of Service Awards.

News Archive

New Rector and Chancellor inaugurated at UFS
2003-02-07

NEW RECTOR AND CHANCELLOR INAUGURATED AT UFS

 Newly inaugurated Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Free State, Prof Frederick Fourie, has recommitted the university to the service of the broader community, through the pursuit of academic excellence and contributing to building a non-racial, democratic and just South Africa.

To make this a reality Prof Fourie proposed a social contract or accord between university constituencies and the community to chart the way forward to establishing a university that can meet the challenges of a developing democracy.

Prof Fourie was speaking at his inauguration ceremony on the Bloemfontein campus, where the former Ambassador to the United States, Dr Franklin Sonn, was also inaugurated as Chancellor of the UFS.

The twin inauguration ceremony – the first in the history of the UFS - was attended by former President Nelson Mandela, Education Minister, Kader Asmal, Free State Premier Winki Direko, and the executive mayor of Mangaung, Mr Pappie Mokoena, who all endorsed the appointments as evidence of the transformation of the UFS.

According to Prof Fourie, the greatest contribution that any university could make to social and economic development in South Africa was by being an excellent university that encouraged critical inquiry, scientific knowledge as well as community service.

“So whilst we cherish and foster the continuity of the university as part of the ageold international tradition of universities, this University embraces its particular role in this country now, embraces the changes in the form and scope of its role in this crucial period of our history. We are committed to making a real difference to the new nation,” he said.

His vision for the UFS was “to be a university of excellence, equity and innovation – a leader in research, teaching, community service, adult learning, transformation, non-racialism, non-sexism, multi-culturality and multilingualism – a contributor to our country and our continent’s growth and development – a truly South African university”.

Prof Fourie said the recent incorporation of the Qwaqwa campus of the University of the North into the University of the Free State, which is the first such incorporation to take place, would contribute to broadening access for poor communities to higher education. Introducing an innovation to the inauguration ceremony, Prof Fourie and the UFS staff pledged to their commitment to excellence and justice, quality and equity. Fourie is the 13th Rector of the University of the Free State, succeeding Prof. Stef Coetzee, and Dr Sonn is the 6th Chancellor, succeeding Ms Winkie Direko, Premier of the Free State.

In his inaugural address, Dr Sonn said the significance of today’s ceremony was that the UFS - as a former institution of the Afrikaner – had chosen to walk the path of justice and not merely survival. “This university has seemingly liberated itself. It is inclusively South African.

He said the academic community must play its role of vigilance and not indifference”. Referring to the stature of former president Mandela in international affairs, Dr Sonn said: “We must bring the weight ot science and critical analysis and interpretation to bear in support of Madiba and other moral giants.”
 

 

Inauguration Speech by Prof. Frederick C.v.N. Fourie  (PDF format)

Inauguration Speech by Dr Franklin A. Sonn (PDF format)

Statement by the Minister of Education, Professor Kader Asmal (PDF format)

Speech by Prof. Viljoen (PDF format)

Speech by Executive Mayor Mokoena - Mangaung Local Municipality (PDF format)

 

 

 

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