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17 July 2020 | Story Thabo Kessah | Photo UFS photo archive
Education researchers dominated the recent CTL Excellence in Teaching and Learning Awards on the UFS Qwaqwa Campus.

The Faculty of Education on the Qwaqwa Campus has recently dominated the Centre for Teaching and Learning’s (CTL) Excellence in Learning and Teaching Awards, as well as the Research Awards for 2019/2020. The faculty’s Drs Bunmi Omodan and Maria Tsakeni were placed first and second respectively in the category Research in Teaching and Learning. This was on top of the faculty’s accolade in the category Faculty/Department that is the most involved in Teaching and Learning events and practices on the Qwaqwa Campus.

“The faculty is indeed proud to be associated with these fine scholars and the excellence they represent,” said Faculty of Education Dean,Prof Loyiso Jita, in a congratulatory message to the faculty members.

“To the winners, please continue to live our emerging vision of ‘Representing and using our diversity, excellence in scholarship on research and teaching, and an ethic of care and service’ to produce teachers with balanced knowledge and skills and a consciousness to serve all of society in its diversity,” he added.

Winners from the faculty for the Research Awards were Dr Bekithemba Dube as the Most Prolific Researcher in the Faculty of Education and Dr Sekitla Makhasane in the category Best Emerging Researcher in the Faculty of Education.
It is the first time in years that all four faculties received Learning and Teaching Awards. Institutional awards are scheduled for September 2020. 

The full list of winners is as follows:

Excellence in Learning and Teaching Awards:

Category: Research in Learning and Teaching:
Position 1: Dr Bunmi Omodan (Faculty of Education)
Position 2: Dr Maria Tsakeni (Faculty of Education)

Category: Innovation in Learning and Teaching:
Position 1: Dr Diana Breshears and Rentia Engelbrecht (The Humanities)
Position 2: Prof Aliza le Roux (Natural and Agricultural Sciences)
Position 3: Lebohang Masoabi (Economic and Management Sciences)
Position 4: Dr Maria Tsakeni (Faculty of Education)

Category: Faculty / Departmental Award
Faculty of Education (with special mention of Dr Cias Tsotetsi; Dr Maria Tsakeni; Thabiso Motsoeneng; and Dr Sekitla Makhasane).

Research Awards per faculty:
Education
Most Prolific Researcher: Dr Bekithemba Dube (School of Education Studies)
Best Emerging Researcher: Dr Sekitla Makhasane (School of Education Studies)

The Humanities
Most Prolific Researcher: Dr Oliver Nyambi (Department of English)
Best Emerging Researcher: Dr Tshepo Moloi (Department of History)

Natural and Agricultural Sciences
Most Prolific Researcher: Prof Francis Dejene (Department of Physics)
Best Emerging Researcher: Dr Lehlohonolo Koao (Department of Physics)

Economic and Management Sciences
Most Prolific Researcher: Dr Calvin Mudzingiri (Department of Economics and Finance)
Best Emerging Researcher: Dr Charity Gomo (Department of Economics and Finance)

News Archive

Sought-after fellowship for Deaf Kovsie academic
2012-04-25

 

Magteld Smith
Photo: Provided
25 April 2012

For a Deaf person to achieve academic excellence in a sound-dominated world is extremely challenging, but Ms Magteld Smith sees each challenge as another opportunity.

Ms Smith, a Medical Social Researcher at the University of the Free State (UFS), recently received the Herbert H Humphrey fellowship. She is one of only two South Africans to receive this fellowship.
 
The Humphrey Fellowship Program provides mid-career professionals from designated countries around the world with an opportunity to enhance their professional capabilities through participation and is developed specifically for small clusters of Humphrey Fellows at 18 selected US universities.
 
It was initiated in 1978 to honour the memory and accomplishments of the former Senator and Vice-President, Humbert H. Humphrey. Fellows are selected based on their potential for national leadership and commitment to public service, in either the public or private sector. The programme provides a basis for establishing long-lasting productive partnerships and relationships between citizens of the United States and their professional counterparts in other countries, fostering an exchange of knowledge and mutual understanding throughout the world.
 
Ms Smith applied for this fellowship, but was still very surprised when she heard her application was successful.
 
“Upon receiving the news, in my mind I saw an enormous rotating world globe and I asked my Heavenly Father, "What is happening now?" I saw big libraries with books, laboratories, state of the art technology for people with hearing impairments, big cars, big houses, big trucks, big farmers, big women and the White House with big trouble. Furthermore, I saw how the UFS became the world leader of academic excellence and change for people with disabilities with high technology manufacturing and rehabilitation programmes.”
 
Ms Smith says Prof. Jonathan Jansen, UFS Vice-Chancellor and Rector, is a great asset, because for the first time people with disabilities are high on the priority list.

 

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