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04 July 2022 | Story Dr Nitha Ramnath
Leanne Manas and Prof Francis Petersen

You are invited to join multiple award-winning broadcast anchor, Leanne Manas, for a conversation with Prof Francis Petersen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Free State (UFS). Prof Petersen will share insights about his term in office and updates on developments at the UFS.  

Date: Friday, 22 July 2022 
Time:
09:00-11:00 
Venue: Odeion Auditorium, Bloemfontein Campus  

RSVP on or before 20 July to Alicia Pienaar at PienaarAN1@ufs.ac.za  

Refreshments will be served.

(The event is open to the staff and students of the UFS)

Leanne Manas

Leanne Manas is a multiple award-winning broadcast anchor, MC, motivational speaker, businesswoman, UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador, and a renowned leader on the South African media circuit. From Oprah Winfrey to Nelson Mandela, Leanne has interviewed an impressive range of public figures, heads of state, thought leaders, and local and international celebrities. She has also been at the forefront of bringing South Africans some of the biggest news stories over the past two decades. 

She is instantly recognisable as the face of morning television – as anchor of Morning Live, a hard-hitting news broadcast that she has been hosting since 2004. She has been the face of the vast majority of breaking news events in an ever-changing South Africa, most notably the death of Nelson Mandela, the dramatic resignation of Jacob Zuma as RSA President, and the death of the Mother of the Nation, Winnie Madikizela Mandela. She has also anchored four general elections, three provincial elections, and four presidential inaugurations. 

Her career has crossed international borders, broadcasting in the United Kingdom, France, the UAE, Mauritius, Ghana, Kenya, Gabon, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and the United States of America. Broadcasting every day throughout a global pandemic has been the latest event that she has been part of. The total shift of how media is consumed has been a fascinating part of her journey. Leanne has been quoted as saying, “Being able to witness and tell the story of our ever-changing lives is my greatest honour.” 


News Archive

Founding meeting of the Advisory Panel of the International Institute of Diversity
2008-11-21

The University of the Free State (UFS) today (20 November 2008) successfully convened and hosted the founding meeting of the Advisory Panel of the International Institute of Diversity.

In the wake of the Reitz video incident, the UFS wishes to establish an institute that will study and promote transformation on the campus as a microcosm of the much broader socio-political challenges facing South Africa. It is hoped that in due course the UFS and the institution will develop the expertise and experience to help other organisations and societies in transition.

The institute will work closely with the Transformation Cluster – one of six strategic academic clusters already created as part of the university’s long-term strategic plans.

Given the transformation climate in which it finds itself, the university recognises that the guidance, support and direct involvement of thought leaders and other specialists in the field of transformation are critical to the design and operation of the proposed institute. To this end, the university has established an advisory panel for the institute. The Advisory Panel will give guidance to the Executive Director (to be appointed) in helping with the conceptualisation, design, and development of the institute, and the compilation of its business plan.

Brian Gibson Issue Management facilitated the meeting and is also responsible for the reporting on the meeting. The International Institute for Development and Ethics (IIDE) co-hosted and provided the secretarial support for the meeting.

 


The members of the advisory panel:  

(Click here to read more about the Panel Members)

External panel members:

Dr Clint Le Bruyns, Senior Lecturer in Public Theology and Ethics at the University of Stellenbosch .

Dr Sebiletso Mokone-Matabane, Chief Executive Officer, Sentech Limited.

Dr Andries Odendaal works in the field of conflict transformation with international agencies such as the United Nations, DANIDA and GTZ.

Prof. Lungisile Ntsebeza, National Research Foundation (NRF) Research Chair in Land Reform and Democracy in South Africa in the Department of Sociology, University of Cape Town.

Mr Roger Crawford, Executive Director for Government Affairs and Policy South Africa, Johnson & Johnson.

Prof. Jonathan Jansen, Dean of the Faculty of Education, University of Pretoria 2001 to 2007.

Ms Zandile Mbele, Director of Plessey (PTY) Ltd. and the Transformation Executive for Dimension Data.

Dr André Keet, Director: Transdisciplinary Programme at the University of Fort Hare in October 2008 and part-time Commissioner with the Commission for Gender Equality.


Dr Reitumetse Obakeng Mabokela is an associate professor in the Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education Program in the Department of Educational Administration at Michigan State University.

Dr Mpilo Pearl Sithole is a senior research specialist in the Democracy and Governance Research Programme at the Human Science Research Council.

Professor Steven Friedman, D.Litt. is Director of the Centre for the Study of Democracy at Rhodes University and the University of Johannesburg.

Representatives from UFS:

Prof. Teuns Verschoor, Vice-Rector: Academic Operations at the University of the Free State, and currently Acting Rector and Vice-Chancellor.

Prof. Piet Erasmus, Interim Co-ordinator for the Cluster Transformation in Highly Diverse Societies.

Prof. Lucius Botes, Director of the Centre of Development Support and Programme Director of the Postgraduate Programme in Development Studies.

Prof. Philip Nel, Former Director of the Centre for Africa Studies at the UFS.
 

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