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09 June 2023 | Story Annelize Kruger | Photo Supplied
Annelize Kruger
Annelize Kruger, Lecturer at the Department of Occupational Therapy

The University of the Free State (UFS) is celebrating Youth Month by showcasing the positive influence of the institution on career development. As part of this initiative, we are sharing the stories of UFS alumni who are now working at the university.

Annelize Kruger, Lecturer at the Department of Occupational Therapy, shares her UFS journey:

Q: Year of graduation from the UFS: 

A: 2015 and 2020.

Q: Qualification obtained from the UFS: 

A: Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy and Master of Science in Occupational Therapy.

Q: Date of joining the UFS as a staff member: 

A: 2022.

Q: Initial job title and current job title: 

A: Lecturer.

Q: How did the UFS prepare you for the professional world? 

A: The UFS gave me the foundation to be competent in my profession, and the ability to think critically and apply myself in different contexts.

Q: What are your thoughts on transitioning from a UFS alumnus to a staff member? 
A: It is an honour to train the future generation of occupational therapists, and exciting to be involved in research that drives our profession forward. It has been an overall positive experience. 

News Archive

Young PhD graduate gets international attention
2010-02-22

Dr Nalize Marais
Photo: Supplied


The youngest ever PhD graduate from the Faculty of Education at the University of the Free State (UFS), Dr Nalize Marais, has gained international recognition for her research study.

Her PhD thesis entitled Accountability and liability: an education law perspective on school leadership has been nominated for the Best Dissertation Award by the International Politics of Education Association. She will compete with two other finalists for this prestigious award.

The winner will be announced during the annual meeting and conference of the American Education Research Association (AERA) in Denver, Colorado, in April this year.

Dr Marais’ research study was driven by the principles of democracy founded in the advancement of human rights, equality and dignity. It dealt with issues of training and development in legislative knowledge and interpretation to empower school principals in their roles as accountable officers in a politically transforming environment.

She obtained her PhD at the September graduation ceremony of the UFS in 2009. She was only 27 years old when she submitted her thesis, making her the youngest person to obtain a PhD in Education at the UFS.

She is currently an instructional designer at the Centre for Higher Education Studies and Development (CHESD) at the UFS.

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