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Qwaqwa Campus gears up to showcase research and scholarship at the 2022 research conference

15 September 2022 | Story NONSINDISO QWABE | Photo UFS Photo Gallery

Recent global happenings have challenged communities and humanity’s capability to solve immediate and major problems. Science has been one of the spaces in which the communities have looked for solutions regarding real threats to lives related to climate change, wars, as well as social and health pandemics. The Qwaqwa Campus will be showcasing Qwaqwa Campus research and scholarship at this year’s research conference, a two-day event which will be held in person, on 29-30 September 2022 at the Senate Hall on campus.

‘Scholarship, Innovation and Science: how can research be used as a tool for the betterment of society?’

Under this theme, the conference will be a space for intellectual debate and the processing of scholarship in innovation, said Prof Pearl Sithole, Vice-Principal: Academic and Research. “Some of the societal challenges have been urgent and pressing, yet some are slow dilemmas shattering the hope of generations for a better future. This conference will present the products of ‘disciplinary and scholarly crafts’, but it also seeks to explore whether science does (or should) have a strategic direction, and perhaps this is what the concept of innovation should entail. It will ponder on whether in the age-old binary between exploratory research and praxis there is a defeating taming of the entrepreneurial edge for the expanse of science in Africa,” she said.

Prof Sithole said the campus would also be launching its research strategy for 2022 to 2026.

Guest speakers include:

• Prof Percy Hlangothi is an Associate Professor of Physical and Polymer Chemistry at the Nelson Mandela University. He is also the inaugural Director of the Centre for Rubber Science and Technology, a research entity in the Faculty of Science at the same institution.

• Mr Lukhona Mnguni is a governance, politics, and development specialist and prolific political analyst specialising in Africa and international relations, as well as a PhD intern at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. He currently serves as the Head of Policy and Research at the Rivonia Circle. His work includes a current affairs analytical show on eNCA dubbed On the Spot with Lukhona Mnguni.

• Prof Dipane Hlalele is a Professor of Education and a C2 NRF-rated researcher. He is a highly rated scholar in inclusive education, critical pedagogy, and educational psychology at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Prior to joining UKZN as an associate professor in 2017, he was an assistant dean and senior lecturer at the UFS, a college of education lecturer, and a high school deputy principal and teacher.

To RSVP please click here on or before 19 September 2022.

News Archive

Shortage of quantity surveyors discussed at UFS

2006-03-24

During the recent visit of the Association of South African Quantity Surveyors (ASAQS) to the University of the Free State (UFS) were from the left Mr Egon Wortmann (Director: ASAQS), Prof Basie Verster (representative of the Free State on the ASAQS and head of the Department of Quantity Surveying and Construction Management at the UFS), Mr Greyling Venter (Chairperson: Free State branch of the ASAQS), Prof DG Brümmer(Vice-President: ASAQS) and Mr Patrick Waterson (President: ASAQS).
Photo supplied

Shortage of quantity surveyors discussed at UFS

“The South African building industry is experiencing an unprecedented high level of economic growth and prosperity. This is causing a definite shortage of registered quantity surveyors,” said Mr Egon Wortmann, Director of the Association of South African Quantity Surveyors(ASAQS) during the association’s recent visit to the Department of Quantity Surveying and Construction Management at the University of the Free State (UFS).

“This shortage is especially noticeable in local and national governments where unqualified and inexperienced staff, consultants and/or facilitators are now appointed,” said Mr Wortmann.

In doing so, the authorities that have adopted this approach are according to Mr Wortmann actually acting illegally and are not in compliance with the legal and statutory requirements of South Africa. “These unprofessional practices are unproductive, it leads to frustration and is strongly condemned by the ASAQS,” he said.

“The service delivery of these unqualified and unregistered service providers is often sub standard and does not comply to the legal requirements of the profession. It may also result in the tarnishing of the image and high professional standards set by the quantity surveying profession,” said Mr Wortmann.

“Universities offering programmes in quantity-surveying and construction management are also negatively affected by the high levels of activity in the building environment. Suitable lecturing staff are leaving the academic institutions as they are attracted to better opportunities being offered in the building industry. The ability of the tertiary institutions to attract young academics, to train them and to keep them in the longer term, is therefore almost impossible”, said Prof Basie Verster, head of the Department of Quantity Surveying and Construction Management at the UFS and representative of the Free State on the ASAQS.

According to Prof Verster the UFS supplies more than its quota of qualified quantity surveyors to the South African building industry. “Although more than 460 students are registered in construction related programmes at the UFS, we are as the ASAQS’s concerned about the shortage of students that can enter the construction industry. In our case, we are experiencing a shortage in black female students,” he said.

“Of the 460 postgraduate students, 38% are black of which 20% are female students. Graduates do also not necessarily stay in the country. As the UFS’s programmes are accredited overseas, a lot of our students leave the country for working opportunities elsewhere,” said Prof Verster.

Mr Patrick Waterson, President of the ASAQS, appealed to quantity surveyors to, when they are approached, consider academic careers or to make themselves available to lecture on a part time basis. “I also appeal to quantity-surveying practices, construction companies and developers to consider taking part in training activities,” he said.

The ASAQS has over the years developed a proud tradition within the quantity-surveying profession. Consequently membership of this organisation is a sought after goal for many members within the building environment. International agreements with various countries are also in place whereby it is mutually agreed that local as well as overseas qualifications are mutually acceptable on a reciprocal basis.

A more recent addition to the list of agreements is the reciprocity agreement entered into with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors which makes it possible for South African based quantity surveyors to practice in over 120 countries worldwide.

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel: (051) 401-2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za
23 March 2006

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