Prof Liezel Lues, Professor of Public Administration and Management in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences at the University of the Free State (UFS), has been elected as a board member of the International Association of Schools and Institutes of Administration (IASIA) – an association of organisations and individuals whose activities and interests focus on the education and training of public administrators and managers. Prof Lues will serve alongside Dr Nayak Zarrouk from Morocco, who is the first female president of IASIA since its inception. 

“I am honoured to be elected as a board member of IASIA; this special recognition grants me the privilege of representing South Africa among global leaders in the public administration and management field. It is an immense opportunity to interact with board members from different countries, cultures, and beliefs, as well as sharing my knowledge of public administration and management in the South African context,” expressed Prof Lues.

Prof Lues has represented the UFS at the IASIA since 2006, where she made a significant contribution and had a broad influence over the years; in 2015, she was elected as the co-chairperson of the working group on Public Leadership, Management, and Governance. Today, Prof Lues is recognised as an international authority on public administration and management at IASIA. With this achievement, she has created an opportunity to engage with an international and interdisciplinary research community, while exchanging information on developments of common interest. “The Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences congratulates Prof Lues on her election to the Board of Management of IASIA. The faculty is expanding its international footprint, and Prof Lues’ election strengthens that footprint significantly,” says Prof Philippe Burger, Dean of the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences.

The instructional deliberations at the IASIA conference, held in Rabat (Morocco, July 2022), alluded to the fact that the world ought to be knowledgeable about the challenges presented, and should be made aware of the associated vulnerability and interdependence. Conclusions targeted current improvement of world interest, which includes large transitions underway in technology, green economies, and topics of equality and effectiveness within the workforce. “I have an increased realisation that each country has unique challenges; the difference between development versus deterioration resides in the ability of the leaders to negotiate volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous environments,” added Prof Lues.

This IASIA Board of Management membership that the UFS may now claim, provides a noteworthy platform for institutional recognition on national and international level. “The election creates an opportunity to engage with an international and interdisciplinary research community and to exchange information, ideas, and experiences on issues and developments of common interest. This position will allow sharing international best practices with students and colleagues in the Department of Public Administration and Management,” added Prof Lues.

The UFS will continue to be a pioneer in advancing excellence in public administration education and training, while building on the representation of former members of the Department of Public Management and Administration and the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences.