Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items

Dr Mpumelelo Ncube driven by the need to succeed and inspire

10 January 2022 | Story Rulanzen Martin | Photo Supplied

Dr Mpumelelo Ncube is a dynamic an academic with a clear vision of growth for the Department of Social work and its students.

A drive to be an advocate for social justice is what drove Dr Mpumelelo Ncube, the new head of the Department of Social Work, to pursue a degree and career in Social Work. “I needed to be an advocate for social justice and empowerment of the vulnerable individuals and communities,” said Dr Ncube, who took over from Prof Sandra Ferreira earlier this year.

Dr Ncube’s academic and professional repertoire is exceptional and his deep-rooted passion for social work is definitely a bonus for the UFS Department of Social Work. He has a PhD in Social Work from the University of Johannesburg, a master’s degree in Social Development, and a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from the University of Witwatersrand.

Driven by the need to succeed in whatever task he sets for himself, Dr Ncube says that he strives to make the lives of those in his path better – “The positive change should, however, begin with me so that others could easily believe in my efforts.”

Opportunity to raise a new generation

He joined academia in 2013 after working as a psychosocial services manager in the NGO sector. “My move to the UFS was in line with my career progression and the need to contribute meaningfully at a strategic level of social work education and practice,” Dr Ncube says.

The opportunity to work in academia has in fact provided him with an excellent opportunity. “I have the opportunity to raise a new generation of social work professionals that would be passionate, ethical and professional in their practice. In that way, my impact as an educator can be felt in all corners where my students are,” Dr Ncube says.

An academic of note

As a senior lecturer, he also notes the tidal changes currently sweeping through academia. He says, “In the age of the fourth industrial revolution, the Social Work academic programme should be able to identify and embrace various developments that would provide the flexibility to attract postgraduate students in different places without the need for relocation. This relates to the delivery of the programme. However, apart from adapting to these changes, the Social Work programme should also foster a cultural innovation with students and enable them to embrace the technological advancements in their social work practice.”

“I have the opportunity to raise a new generation of social work professionals that would be passionate, ethical and professional in their practice.” – Dr Mpumelelo Ncube.

Apart from being an advocate for social justice and a lecturer he also sees his position as HOD as a being a catalyst to enable others within the department to publishing more research. “Research is a key performance area for any academic, hence the mantra, ‘publish or perish’,” he says. However, he also cautions that trick of publishing research lies in “self-discipline, self-motivation and finding a research niche”.

Social work is his passion

Social work is Dr Ncube’s passion but he also says that it is a profession, which is “seriously underutilised especially in under developing nations”. The socio-economic conditions in these countries largely drive the underutilisation. “These are nations largely plagued by poverty, unemployment, political illiteracy challenges with policy development and implementation, and moral degeneration among many challenges,” he says. In addition, it is therefore, as Dr Ncube mentions, that “the relevance of the social work profession shall be ever-present”.

News Archive

UFS forms a strategic partnership with Yale University

2010-03-16

At the official inauguration of the Jonathan Edwards Center Africa was, from the left, front: Prof. Harry Stout, Chair of the Department of American Religious History at Yale University; Prof. Jonathan Jansen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS; back: Prof. Dolf Britz, Director of the Jonathan Edwards Center Africa at the UFS; Prof. Kenneth Minkema, Executive Director of the Jonathan Edwards Center at Yale University; Prof. Adriaan Neele of Yale University, now also Professor Extraordinary in the Faculty of Theology at the UFS; and Prof. Francois Tolmie, Dean of the Faculty of Theology at the UFS.
Photo: Stephen Collett

The University of the Free State (UFS) officially inaugurated the Jonathan Edwards Centre Africa in its Faculty of Theology last week. This centre, affiliated with the Jonathan Edwards Centre Yale University in New Haven in the United States of America, was established at the UFS last year.

The strategic partnership between the UFS and Yale University exemplifies the vision of the Faculty of Theology to be an internationally renowned theological and training faculty.

Leading scholars from Yale University, Prof. Harry Stout, Chair of the Department of American Religious History, and Prof. Kenneth Minkema, Executive Director of the Jonathan Edwards Center at Yale participated in the inauguration of the Jonathan Edwards Center Africa.

The Dean of the Faculty of Theology, Prof. Francois Tolmie said, “This visit underscores the strategic relationship between Yale University and the Faculty of Theology and will assist in us continuing to foster high aspiring scholarship, student and faculty support.”

This is an exciting development between universities renowned for excellence in learning, and innovation in scholarship. Prof. Minkema added, “The establishment of this renowned center for research, education and publication, at the UFS is a significant expansion of Edwards scholarship and will serve widely both academia and the church,” Said Prof. Stout.

The Faculty of Theology also announced the appointment of Prof. Adriaan Neele of Yale University as Professor Extraordinary. The appointment follows the vast growth of the Jonathan Edwards Centre Africa. “I welcome this appointment with much anticipation as the strategic relationship between Yale University and the Faculty of Theology develops in unprecedented ways, attracting doctoral students from Southern Africa, South Korea and America,” said Prof. Tolmie.

Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758), pastor, revivalist, Christian philosopher, missionary, and president of Princeton University, is widely regarded as North America’s greatest theologian. He is the subject of intense scholarly interest throughout the world, because of his significance as a historical figure and the profound legacy he left on America’s religious, political and intellectual landscapes.

“The centre and appointment of Prof. Neele will provide sustainable scholarship of primary sources in new and promising ways, said Prof. Dolf Britz, Director of the Jonathan Edwards Africa at the UFS.

“My appointment at this prestige university of Southern Africa is both an honour and humbling. I look forward to a beneficial and academic engagement with students, as well as to serve the academy and the church,” said Prof. Neele.

Prof. Neele’s inaugural address entitled A Transitional Moment in Theology argued for the classicality and catholicity of Edwards’ theology.

The interest in Edwards globally has in part been fuelled by the work of the Jonathan Edwards Centre at Yale University, whose sole mission is to support inquiry into the life, writings, and legacy of Jonathan Edwards by providing resources that encourage critical appraisal of the historical importance and contemporary relevance of America’s premier theologian.

The primary means to achieve this are with the Works of Jonathan Edwards Online, a digital learning environment for research, education and publication that presents all of Edwards’s writings, along with helpful editorial materials that allow the reader to examine Edwards's thought in incredibly powerful, useful ways.

Media Release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Director: Strategic Communication (actg)
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl@ufs.ac.za
15 March 2010

Back

Economic and Management Sciences

Education

Health Sciences

The Humanities

Law

Natural and Agricultural Sciences

Theology and Religion

Open Distance Learning

Business School

We use cookies to make interactions with our websites and services easy and meaningful. To better understand how they are used, read more about the UFS cookie policy. By continuing to use this site you are giving us your consent to do this.

Accept