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Nomination to serve on the Finance Committee of the UFS Council

15 November 2021 | Story Elna Van Pletzen

The Council of the University of the Free State (UFS) is seeking to co-opt a suitable candidate to serve for a period of four (4) years on the Finance Committee of Council. To this end, nominations for suitably qualified and experienced candidates are invited.

The Finance Committee of Council exercises oversight over the financial and investment portfolio of the UFS.

Candidates must be suitably qualified with requisite knowledge and experience of financial matters (including investments and acquisitions that are material to the UFS’s business). An appropriate qualification in the financial field is required, as is registration with the relevant professional bodies.

Nominations must be submitted on the prescribed Nomination form, together with detailed curricula vitae, to the Registrar of the UFS at registrar@ufs.ac.za before 16:30 on 12 January 2022.

The Nominations Committee of Council will consider all the nominations and make a recommendation to the Council, which will decide whether to co-opt any of the candidates.

The Finance Committee meets at least four times per year, or more frequently as may be necessary.

The Council may decide not to co-opt any of the candidates.

For enquiries, you may contact Mr NN Ntsababa at registrar@ufs.ac.za or telephone number +27 51 401 3796.

News Archive

First postgraduate degree in Forensic Genetics in Africa

2010-03-19

At the launch were, from the left, front: Ms Christa Swanepoel (Applied Biosystems), Ms Karen Ehlers (Department of Genetics, UFS), Dr Carolyn Hancock and Ms Vanessa Lynch (both from DNA Project). Middle row: Dr. Sphie Mukwana (Director: Biotech Forensics, Kenya), Mr Pierre Joubert (Director: SAPS Forensic Science Laboratory) and Prof. Johan Spies (Chairperson: Department of Genetics, UFS). Back row: Mr Izak van Niekerk (Southern Cross Biotechnologies) and Mr Loen Ehlers (National Prosecution Authority).
Photo: Stephen Collett

The Department of Genetics at the University of the Free State (UFS) recently launched the first postgraduate degree offered by a tertiary institution in Forensic Genetics in Africa.

“We are at the beginning of something special. The UFS has developed the programme with the aim of providing graduates with the skills and knowledge they would require to work in the field of forensic biology. These graduates will be the first group of professionals that have undergone tertiary training in order to assist in the resolution of crime through forensic science in South Africa. It has also put the UFS in the forefront of training of this nature,” said Prof. Johan Spies, the departmental chairperson.

According to Mr Pierre Joubert, Director at the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Pretoria, students trained in this programme would easily be employed by the FSL since they would have the appropriate applied and technical training in forensic science.

Currently the FSL has no personnel with degrees in forensic science in its employ. It employs B.Sc. graduates in the fields of microbiology, genetics, molecular biology and biochemistry as forensic analysts. These employees then go through an extensive supplementary training programme for about six months.

Dr Sophie Mukwana, Director of Biotech Forensics in Kenya, said the launch of this programme in South Africa would benefit African countries like Kenya which relied on the USA for this kind of training. She said they hoped to partner with the UFS in this venture.

Applied Biosystems and Southern Cross Biotechnology have donated the necessary equipment to the UFS for this training.

“It is not only important that students should see the equipment but they should also know how to operate it,” said Ms Vanessa Lynch, from the DNA Project.

The DNA Project, in conjunction with the FSL and the UFS, has developed the learning materials which will be presented at the UFS from 2011.

Media Release
Issued by: Mangaliso Radebe
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2828
Cell: 078 460 3320
E-mail: radebemt@ufs.ac.za

19 March 2010

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