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UFS research group celebrates successes and five PhDs

09 September 2021 | Story Rulanzen Martin | Photo Stephen Collett

prof Walker and Baijnath_web read more — Prof Melanie Walker and keynote speaker, Prof Narend Baijnath, who reflected on his own academic path to instil a sense of pride in the newer generation of academics.

The Higher Education and Human Development Research Group is one of the prestige research groups at the University of the Free State (UFS). The group, under the stewardship of Prof Melanie Walker, A1 NRF-rated researcher, brings together researchers, PhD students, and postdoctoral fellows who focus on human development and capability studies in the higher education space.

A colloquium that took place recently (25 August 2021), celebrated the conclusion of research projects such as the Miratho project, and also reflected on the achievements of 2020 and 2021 in challenging COVID-19 times. Most importantly, the group celebrated the five PhD graduates of 2021.

Prof Narend Baijnath, Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Commonwealth of Learning, was the keynote speaker at the celebratory colloquium.

Lessons from Prof Baijnath

Although in the ‘twilight of his career’, Prof Baijnath used his keynote address to share and reflect on his own journey to guide academics and postdoctoral fellows embarking on their new journeys. “Looking back, while I do acknowledge that adversity and struggle may build character and fuel perseverance, it is often the largesse and generosity of others that makes the difference between whether you realise your full potential or not,” Prof Baijnath said. “Local community members pitched in to cover my own university fees and the cost of books when times were tough, and never asked to be repaid,” he remembered.

However, it was also the support his mother gave him, because “she valued education above all else”. “She made sure that my needs were provided for as a priority before attending to other needs of the family,” he said.

Prof Baijnath, through his own circumstances, resonates with young people at universities today, because getting through university is a daily challenge for many of our youth who are desperate to escape poverty and fulfil their dreams. “They bristle with potential, are hardworking and focused, and hungry for success. Even though many more funding opportunities exist today that were non-existent back then, the struggle to escape poverty and disadvantage persists for many,” he said.
Read the full keynote here

PhD students and graduates invaluable

The five PhD graduates are Dr Berth Kibona; Dr Fenella Sommerville, Dr Martino Mazinga; Dr Monique Kwachou Tangah; and Dr Ndakaitei Manase. “It is a mighty achievement to reach this milestone. Only those who have completed the journey or who are currently embarked upon it will fully understand the momentousness of this occasion,” Prof Baijnath said in his remarks.

Of the current group of PhDs, all draw on the capability and human development approach – each with a with different focus: access to higher education in Zambia; alternative post-school pathways in Malawi; student activism and social media in South Africa (SA); climate justice and the role of universities in Malawi, decolonising higher education in SA; and architecture and human development. “Our PhDs are so important in the life of our research group,” Prof Walker emphasised.

Four of the five PhD graduandi. From the left; Dr Monique Kwachou; Dr Martino Mazinga; Dr Bertha Kibona; and
Dr Fenella Somerville. (Picture: Stephen Collett)

Research output contributes to prestige

The event further celebrated the publication of books, such as the Miratho project book due for publication later this year, which examines the opportunities, obstacles, and outcomes for low-income youth and higher education. In addition, there is the forthcoming 2021 book by Dr Carmen Martinez-Vargas on participatory research, and Prof Walker’s 2020 edited book on epistemic justice. This is in addition to a steady stream of peer-reviewed articles in international journals and book chapters.

The awarding of international grants and research opportunities embodies the empirical success of the group. Senior researcher Dr Faith Mkwananzi serves as the chief investigator on a research project with the Open University and Coventry University. Funding for the project is through the British Academy (BA). Another project undertaken by Dr Mkwananzi is the Changing the Story project, which is also funded by the BA. “All this funding will allow very exciting projects to go ahead and further strengthen our contributions to Global South research,” said Prof Walker. The group also welcomed a new research associate from Lancaster University, Dr Melis Cin. Dr Cin is the successful recipient of a large grant for decolonising peace education in Africa.

Overall, research projects undertaken by members exemplify a commitment to rigorous and original South-based research and to social justice through advancing human development and expanding people’s freedoms.

Dr Fenella Somerville and Dr Faith Mkwananzi (PhD Co-Promoter)

The HEHD Research Group with guests at the colloquium.

Dr Monique Kwachou and Dr Carmen Martinez-Vargas (PhD Co-Promoter).

Dr Martino Mazinga and Dr Mikateko Hoppener (PhD Promoter).

Dr Bertha Kibona and Prof Melanie Walker (PhD Promoter)

Prof Phillippe Burger, Pro-Vice-Chancellor: Poverty, Inequality and Economic Development.

Dr Glen Taylor, Senior Director: UFS Research Development.

News Archive

African Student Affairs Conference a huge success

2011-05-24

Mr Rudi Buys, UFS Dean of Student Affairs, Mr. Folabi Obembe, Managing Director of Worldview International, Ms Birgit Schreiber, Director of the Centre for Student support services at the University of the Western Cape, Dr. Augustinah Duyilemi, Dean of Student Affairs at the Adekunleh Ajasin University in Nigeria, Dr. Christina Lunceford, assistant Director for the Centre for Research on Educational Access and Leadership at California State University in America, and Prof. Cecil Bodibe, student affairs veteran and consultant.
Photo: Earl Coetzee

The African Student Affairs Conference (ASAC), which took place on our Main Campus last week, was a major success, with two days of lectures and discussions and two pleasant social gatherings, where delegates had the opportunity to get to know each other.

The conference, hosted on African soil for the first time, and co-hosted by the University of the Western Cape (UWC), started on Wednesday 18 May 2011 with an informal welcoming session. Delegates got to meet each other and Mr Rudi Buys, UFS Dean of Student Affairs, explained the meaning of South African words like "kuier" and "lekker'.

The official start of events took place on Thursday 19 May 2011, in the Reitz Hall in our Centenary Complex. The conference was attended by delegates from universities across the continent and aimed to place the focus on issues relating to student affairs in an African context.

Delegates shared and exchanged strategies, ideas and resources, and discussed issues related to the work of student affairs professionals. The conference hoped to promote an exchange of best practice and assist attendees in identifying successful programmes.

Among the topics discussed on the first day, were “Constructing Post-Conflict Democracy on campus: a case study of transformation of student governance and political engagement as post-conflict intervention”, by Mr. Buys, and a discussion on ways in which social and online media can be used to ease the challenges of student interaction, development and support, by Ms Birgit Schreiber, Director of the Centre for Student Support Services at UWC.

A panel discussion, led by Mr Buys and several members of our Interim Student Council (ISC), discussed the specific challenges faced at the UFS. The importance of buy-in from role-players in decisions taken by University management in order to ensure their success, was discussed, using the UFS and our recent changes as an example.

The successful integration of residences on campus inevitably came under the spotlight and the recently resolved Reitz-saga was named as a catalyst in getting students less apathetic and more involved in attempts at creating racial and social harmony.

Dr Christina Lunceford, Assistant-Director of the Centre for Research on Educational Access and Leadership at California State University, presented a paper entitled A National Approach to Building Capacity in Student Affairs in South African Higher Education.

She commented on the fact that there is little or no philosophical framework or explicit theory that informs practice of student services in South Africa.

According to Dr Lunceford, student development should be a key concern for every department or unit within student services and emphasized the need for a centralized student development unit at each university.
She also touched on the need for institutions to implement support from international student affairs professional associations, professional development for student affairs practitioners, the utilization of technology to support professionals in the field, and working with international partners to explore future opportunities, as ways in which student affairs can be used to drive performance and change at universities.

The conference continued in the Scaena theatre on Friday 20 May 2011, with presentations by Dr Augustinah Duyileme, Dean of Student Affairs at Adekunle Ajasin University in Nigeria, and Prof. Bobby Mandew, Executive Director of Student Affairs at the University of Johannesburg (UJ).

Dr Duyileme presented a paper on the challenges faced by Nigerian universities with regard to student conflict and protests, which often turn violent, and how such violence can be curbed through proper planning and management.

Prof. Mandew presented a very well-received presentation on UJ’s successful off-campus housing initiative, which involves home-owners and business owners in the areas surrounding their campuses.

Their approach demonstrated how proper planning can prevent problems associated with over-population in private homes and conflict with neighbours of the university, usually related to an influx of students into residential neighbourhoods.

This problem is faced by many universities, as more and more students flock to universities on the continent and campus residents cannot accommodate them.

The conference came to a close on Friday, with most delegates agreeing that the exchange of knowledge which took place was extremely valuable.

Ms Deborah Lahlan, of Nigeria, said: “This is an important conference for Africa and it should become a regular event.”

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