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10 March 2022 | Story Olivia Kunguma | Photo Supplied
Prof Abiodun Ogundeji new director of DiMTEC
The new Director of the UFS Disaster Management Training and Education Centre for Africa, Prof Abiodun Oguneji.
The University of the Free State – Disaster Management Training and Education Centre for Africa (UFS-DiMTEC) welcomes the new permanent Director, Prof Abiodun Ogundeji.  

The Disaster Management Training and Education Centre for Africa, fondly known as ‘DiMTEC’, was established in 2000. Since then, the centre has been headed by Prof Andries Jordaan, who has created an impressive and expansive disaster risk management footprint in Africa and beyond for more than 17 years. Prof Jordaan retired in 2017, leaving the centre with huge shoes to fill. After several listings of the vacant position, a substantial appointment was only made in 2022 in Prof Abiodun Ogundeji as the new Director of DiMTEC. He will assume his new post on 1 March.

Extensive experience

Prof Ogundeji is an astute and versatile applied economist and National Research Foundation (NRF)-rated researcher. He obtained his PhD in Agricultural Economics from the University of the Free State. Before joining DiMTEC as Director, he was a guest lecturer presenting classes on the economic impact assessment of disasters and the management of floods. Prof Ogundeji was also Associate Professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics, where he presented classes and supervised master’s, PhD, and postdoctoral candidates.  

“As a researcher, I work with international and local organisations, leading most of the projects as principal investigator.  One of my greatest collaborations was when I was a research fellow at the social protection department of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO); I believe the experience I gained from this association contributed to my career growth,” said Prof Ogundeji.

He has published 49 articles in peer-reviewed journals, delivered several conference presentations, supervised 14 master’s candidates, and promoted five PhD candidates in Agricultural Economics and Disaster Risk Management.
Prof Ogundeji's current research focuses on projects aimed at assisting farmers to adapt to extreme climate events, thereby ensuring food security. He recently completed a project as principal investigator, titled 'Development of scenarios for future agricultural water use in South Africa', sponsored by the Water Research Commission of South Africa. 

Prof Ogundeji has strong economic research and analytical skills, and a strong pedigree in econometrics, development and environmental economics, economic and socio-economic analysis. He has received awards for his research efforts at both national and international conferences.

“The faculty welcomes Prof Ogundeji as the new Director of DIMTEC. As an established, rated researcher, and with the vision that he presented during the interview, we are of the opinion that the centre is in excellent hands and that he will take it to new heights. As an agricultural economist, he replaces the previous director who was also an agricultural economist, filling the void created with the retirement of Prof Jordaan. He is familiar with the operational procedures of the centre, as he has been involved in the teaching of a module for several years. We therefore trust that the transition to a new management will be smooth,” said Prof Danie Vermeulen, Dean of the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences. 

“During my term of office, I had the privilege of working with Prof Ogundeji from as early as the time when he completed his master’s until he became a lecturer in one of the centre’s modules. I have seen him grow, and to date, we have partnered in several research projects. I am really happy about his appointment; academically it will bring a good balance between quantitative and qualitative focus in research. Most scientists in DiMTEC are mainly focusing on qualitative work, and Prof Ogundeji is excellent in quantitative research. He will continue where I left off as an agricultural economist and will bring back a good balance between economic impacts and disaster risk assessments. He has been lecturing with me for more than 15 years in Disaster Risk Assessments, which is a big module in the centre. He is very experienced and will be an excellent asset to the centre. I have no doubt that his appointment will move the centre to greater heights,” said Prof Jordaan.

One of UFS-DiMTEC’s long-serving Associate Professors from the United Nations University in Bonn, Prof Joerg Szarzynski, said “The United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS) congratulates Prof Ogundeji on his appointment as the new Director of DiMTEC! We are indeed looking forward to yet another decade of very fruitful collaboration between our institutes and all colleagues and friends involved.”

The long-term vision for disaster studies and research 

In response to his appointment and to shed more light on his vision for UFS-DiMTEC and the disaster management fraternity as a whole, Prof Ogundeji said, “It’s time for DiMTEC to take its position as the leading centre for disaster management and training in Africa, and as the gateway to Africa for other international organisations wanting to do research in Africa. I believe we have the personnel, passion, ability, and experience to serve the various stakeholders in South Africa and the international community.” 

News Archive

Students receive hands-on crime scene investigation training
2016-09-02

Description: Crime scene investigation training Tags: Crime scene investigation training

Ntau Mafisa, a forensic science honours student
at the UFS, and Captain Samuel Sethunya from
the SAPS Crime Scene Management in
Bloemfontein.
Photo: Leonie Bolleurs

With murder and robbery rates on the rise, the Forensic Science Programme of the Department of Genetics at the University of the Free State is playing a key role in training South Africa’s future crime scene investigators and forensic laboratory analysts.

According to the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), murder and aggravated robbery rates for 2014/2015, as recorded by the South African Police Services (SAPS) have increased. Incidents of murder increased by 4.6% in the period from 2013/2014 to 2014/2015 and aggravated robbery increased by 8.5 % in the same period. The ISS is an African organisation thant enhances human security by providing independent and authoritative research, expert policy advice and capacity building.

Dr Ellen Mwenesongole, a forensic science lecturer at the Department of Genetics, said the university was one of a few universities in South Africa that actually had a forensic science programme, especially starting from undergraduate level.

Crime scene evaluation component incorporated in curriculum
As part of its Forensic Science Honours Programme, the department has, for the first time, incorporated a mock crime scene evaluation component in its curriculum. Students process a mock crime scene and are assessed based on how closely they follow standard operating procedures related to crime scenes and subsequent laboratory analysis of items of possible evidential value.

The mock crime scene forms part of a research project data collection of the honours students. In these projects students utilise different analytical methods to analyse and distinguish between different types of evidence such as hair fibres, cigarette butts, illicit drugs and dyes extracted from questioned documents and lipsticks.

Students utilise different analytical methods to analyse
and distinguish between different types of evidence.

This year, the department trained the first group of nine students in the Forensic Science Honours Programme. Dr Mwenesongole, who received her training in the UK at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland, and Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, England, said incorporating a crime scene evaluation component into the curriculum was a global trend at universities that were offering forensic science programmes.

Department of Genetics and SAPS collaborate
It is important to add this component to the student’s curriculum. In this way the university is equipping students not only with theoretical knowledge but practical knowledge on the importance of following proper protocol when collecting evidence at crime scenes and analysing it in the laboratory to reduce the risk of it becoming inadmissible in a court of law.

The Genetics Department has a good working relationship with the Forensic Science Laboratory and Free State Crime Scene Management of the Division Forensic Services of the SAPS. The mock crime scene was set up and assessed in collaboration with the Crime Scene Management Division of the SAPS. Although the SAPS provides specialist advanced training to its staff members, the university hopes to improve employability for students through such programmes.

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