Latest News Archive
Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
![]()
The closing date for the submission of nominations for five members of the Convocation to the Excom of the Convocation was 18 May 2020 at 16:30. A total of six nominations were received and scrutinised, after which two nominations were declared invalid due to substantial non-conformance with the requirements laid down. The remaining four candidates are thus elected to the Excom and will serve for a period not exceeding five years.
We wish to congratulate the following four officials (in alphabetical order) with their election to the Excom of the Convocation:
1. Dr Pieter Bettings
2. Ms Ntombi Nhlapo
3. Mr Ntakuseni Razwiedani
4. Ms Nokuthula Sithole
A meeting of the Excom of the Convocation will be scheduled to discuss the one remaining vacancy in the Excom.
We wish to express our sincere gratitude to all those who participated in this process as well for their interest in, and commitment to the University and its affairs.
Received from: The Registrar and the President of the Convocation
UFS appoints new head for Research Commercialisation and Business Development
2009-02-27
The University of the Free State (UFS) has appointed Dr Glen Taylor (pictured) as the new head of the Office for Research Commercialisation and Business Development.
The purpose of this new office is to optimize the commercialization of innovation and intellectual property at the UFS.
According to Dr Taylor, the core function of this office is to establish a sustainable third stream of income from intellectual property in order to diversify the funding base of the University. In essence, the office is responsible for the facilitation of technology transfer.
Aside from the normal aspects associated with technology transfer, such as innovation disclosure, intellectual property protection (patenting) and licensing, a rather broader approach of transferring knowledge to a user in society will also be sought.
“It is evident that the funding environment has changed significantly due to a shift in priorities from public funded agencies, which have impacted hugely on tertiary education,” said Dr Taylor. “Furthermore, due to the changes in the state funding of universities, there is more pressure on these institutions to become financially self-sufficient.”
“So in the light of these challenges, universities as generators of knowledge have a fundamental role to play in the knowledge society, and through the process of innovation and intellectual property development there must be value to the institutions and the individuals.”
Dr Taylor is the former Head of the Department of Agricultural Management and manager of research, technology and innovation activities on the George Campus of the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University.
The Office for Research Commercialisation and Business Development was established at the beginning of 2009.
26 February 2009