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UFS sympathises with the passing of Dr Dolf van Niekerk

03 January 2023 | Story Lacea Loader | Photo Evert Kleynhans

The University of the Free State (UFS) would like to express its condolences to the family and friends of South African author, Dr Dolf van Niekerk, on his passing.

Dr Van Niekerk, the recipient of an honorary doctorate from the UFS, passed away on 31 December 2022. The UFS awarded a Doctor of Letters to Dr Dolf van Niekerk during its April 2021 graduation ceremony.

Dr Van Niekerk was a celebrated author who also achieved fame as a dramatist and radio presenter. An alumnus of the UFS, he received a BA degree from the university cum laude in 1949. He also played a role in academia and was an emeritus professor at the University of Pretoria until his retirement in 1994. His work includes 27 books in philosophy, poetry, fiction, drama, and memoirs, for which he has received numerous awards. These include the Eugene Marais Prize, the MER Prize, and the Scheepers Award for Youth Literature.

“Dr van Niekerk is a Kovsie alumnus with a deep connection to the Free State. He played a significant role in the country’s literary history, and it was an honour for the university to award him with an honorary degree. A wordsmith of note, Dr van Niekerk’s contributions to South African literature, radio, and stage will live on," says Prof Francis Petersen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor.

News Archive

International scholars discuss Higher Education and Human Development

2012-07-05

World-leading scholars. From the left are: Profs. Elaine Unterhalter, Monica Mclean, Alejandra Boni and Enrica Chiappero-Martinetti.
Photo: Stephen Collett.
5 July 2012

The new research area on Higher Education and Human Development, led by Prof. Melanie Walker, recently hosted an international workshop and an innovative one day research seminar with world-leading scholars in the field.

At the research seminar, papers were presented by Prof. Alejandra Boni (Technical University of Valencia, Spain) on the human development university; Prof. Enrica Chiappero-Martinetti (University of Pavia, Italy) on human capital and human capabilities; Prof. Monica McLean (University of Nottingham, United Kingdom) on pedagogical rights and equality and Prof. Elaine Unterhalter (Institute of Education, United Kingdom) on gender and human development trade-offs.

Those present were invited to consider human development purposes for public universities in the 21st century and the implications that would follow for human capabilities development, curriculum and pedagogies, and diversity and inclusion.

Copies of the presentations can be obtained from Dr Sonja Loots at lootss@ufs.ac.za.

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