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Exceptional UFS lecturer finishes second in global Accounting exam

23 February 2023 | Story Kekeletso Takang | Photo Supplied

Michelle de Lange, accredited Accounting Lecturer in the School of Accountancy at the University of the Free State (UFS), finished second in the world at the recent Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) Board Examination. With only one point between De Lange and the first candidate, she aced the challenging exam.

Having obtained fourth position in the world for the 2019 CIMA Gateway exam, De Lange was determined to outdo herself.

The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) is the world’s largest global professional management accounting body to offer training and qualification in management accountancy. As designation holders, members get to showcase their skills and experience to a global audience, while upholding professionalism and promoting continuous learning.

De Lange, who holds another professional accreditation from the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA), coordinates the BCom Honours in Management Accounting programme, which is CIMA-aligned for postgraduate students. For De Lange, the greatest reward is the realisation of the impact she is making on her students through strategic vision.

Having worked in the private sector and later joining the UFS as an Assistant Director at Finance back in 2016, De Lange believed that something was missing; that there was more to give. In 2018 she moved to the School of Accountancy, taking on her new role as Lecturer. “I wanted to make a difference and be significant. This motivated my move to lecturing,” she says.

Her passion for teaching extends beyond the lecture hall. De Lange pays it forward by supporting students through a hands-on approach and ensuring that assessments are CIMA-aligned.

The School of Accountancy in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences is proud of De Lange and her achievements.

Becoming a CGMA requires discipline. De Lange is grateful for the support she received in preparation for the board exam, in particular from her husband Francois, who was “always understanding and encouraging”.

News Archive

Report card for UFS outlines major achievements

2005-02-04

Staff at the University of the Free State (UFS) have received above-inflation increases in remuneration averaging 18,2 percent since the year 2000, according to the Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Frederick Fourie.

Delivering a keynote speech at the Official Opening of the UFS today, Prof Fourie gave a report card for the UFS which he said indicated significant progress in salaries and promotions as well as capital expenditure and infrastructure development on the campus.

“The aggregate extra earnings of staff (money in their pockets above inflation) from 2000 to 2005 amount to R75 million in salaries. This is the result of the hard work of all staff and we pay tribute to them,” he said.

Prof Fourie said that several categories of staff are better off than before the financial turn-around strategy was implemented in 2000 which aimed to make the UFS a financially sustainable campus.

The lowest paid workers and professors had received an additional structural correction, which gave professors at the UFS a 27% above-inflation increase (on total remuneration package) since 2000.

He said there had also been a dramatic increase in promotions to associate professor and full professor during the last 6 years.

From 1999 to December 2001, there were only 9 promotions to associate professor. From January 2002 to January 2005, there were 37 such promotions to associate professor, four times as many.

Regarding promotions to full professor, from 1999 to December 2001 there were 7 promotions. From January 2002 to January 2005, there were 31 promotions to full professor, more than four times as many.

“We have also created a new category of senior professor to give due recognition to the outstanding work of our leading academics in many fields,” Prof Fourie said.

The UFS has introduced numerous new and innovative learning programmes, together with an increasing number of community service modules which enhanced the UFS as a leader in service learning and helped to make it a university engaged with its surrounding community.

According to Prof Fourie the number of support staff had also grown along with the professionalisation of the support services.

He said management was aware that there still several challenges regarding staff overload and staff development but that these were being addressed

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel: (051) 401-2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za
4 February 2005

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