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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

Culture contributes to success of UFS rugby teams
2015-12-15

The Sevens team of the University of the Free State followed in the footsteps of the Shimlas when the team was crowned national champion. The Kovsies Sevens team beat Tukkies April in the final of the Varsity Sevens tournament. Photo: Supplied. 

The University of the Free State (UFS) Rugby Club has succeeded once again in creating a culture of values.

Marius van Rensburg, Chairman of the UFS Rugby Club, believes this was one of the reasons why Kovsies had so many rugby successes this year.

The UFS knows that money, which is more abundant at bigger universities, won't change the club into a rugby force, but "there is something special here," he said.

Van Rensburg added that the success of Shimlas, who won the Varsity Cup for the first time, also helped to build a winning culture.

Seven finals

Seven of the UFS Rugby Club's teams played in finals during 2015.

Shimlas beat the Pukke in the Varsity Cup final at Shimla Park on the Bloemfontein Campus.

The Kovsie Young Guns (against Tukkies) and Vishuis (Mopanie from Tukkies) got stuck in Bloemfontein in Varsity Cup finals.

The Shimlas won Section B of the USSA tournament in Johannesburg (against Madibaz in the final).

A strong Irawa rugby team beat Shimlas in the City Cup.

The Kovsie Sevens team was crowned as the Varsity Champions in Cape Town after beating Tukkies in the final. The team was beaten by Maties in the final of the USSA Sevens tournament in George.

Shimlas lays foundation

According to Van Rensburg, the Varsity Cup triumph by Shimlas laid a good foundation.

“After what happened in the Varsity Cup, the winning culture kind of washed over the other teams,” he said.

He also thinks the 2015 successes didn't happen overnight, but that the club managed to bring back good values. He feels that Franco Smith, the former Shimlas coach who is the Cheetahs’ current coach, also played an important part.

Greater pressure in 2016

In 2016, the UFS's rugby teams will have a greater target on their backs.

Van Rensburg agrees that there will be greater pressure, but the structures are in place.

He feels that Varsity Cup success goes together with a touch of luck, of which Shimlas had some this year.

“Looking at the draw, Shimlas will play their first two matches away against Ikeys and Tukkies. Therefore, after two matches, one might have no league points, and that would place the team under immediate pressure.”

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