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Juanita Burjins joins USAf leadership team, contributing strategic expertise

04 May 2023 | Story Lunga Luthuli | Photo Supplied

Juanita Burjins, Head: Leadership and Development in the Department of Human Resources at the University of the Free State, was recently appointed as a member of the Universities South Africa’s Leadership Management Strategy Group (LMSG). The appointment to the group in April 2023 is a testament and a recognition of Burjin’s leadership and expertise, not only in the field of human resources but also in the higher education sector.

The LMSG is responsible for initiating activities that would allow it to develop evidence-based influences on the work of Higher Education Learner Management (HELM), and to advise the board on the programmatic direction of HELM, including its financial sustainability and identifying opportunities for the growth and expansion of its post-school education and training.

As a member of the USAf Leadership Management Strategy Group – a position Burjins will hold for three years – she will contribute and provide strategic advice to the USAf Board, the Chief Executive, and the Director of Higher Education Leadership and Management, regarding planning, implementation, and monitoring.

Burjins said: “I was nominated by the Skills Development Facilitators Forum; in the group, I will be responsible for engagement and alignment with member universities and other key role players in terms of their leadership and management development needs.”

Beaming with pride, Burjins is looking forward to “working with a group of expert leaders within the higher education sector and contributing to enabling and empowering learning opportunities”.

“I am proud that I could represent the University of the Free State in this capacity and contribute to the stability and effectiveness of institutional leadership and management in the higher education sector. With the opportunity, I am also looking forward to providing strategic advice, advocacy, and tactical programme management support for HELM, and identifying potential national and regional collaborations and partnerships with other universities,” added Burjins.

Burjins believes it is important to have the USAf Leadership Management Strategy Group in higher education, as it provides ‘strategic advice to the USAf Board on the planning, implementation, and monitoring of HELM for the engagement and alignment of member universities in terms of the leadership and development needs as well as the relevance and responsiveness of programme offering and other services in leadership and development.

News Archive

UFS council approves guidelines for reconfiguration of Vista Campus

2005-03-15

Human resource development (teaching and training) will be the primary aim of services to be rendered at the reconfigured Vista campus of the University of the Free State (UFS).

This in-principle decision forms part of a set of guidelines for the strategic reconfiguration of the Vista campus in Bloemfontein that was recently approved by the UFS Council. The Vista campus was incorporated into the UFS in January 2004.

“One of the most important aspects that resulted from these guidelines is that we have come to a point where I can say that the future of staff at Vista is not dependant on the strategic reconfiguration of the campus. Vista staff members will stay staff of the UFS and are being integrated into the functions of the main campus,” said Prof Magda Fourie, Vice-Rector: Academic Planning at the UFS.

“According to the guidelines, the reconfiguration of the Vista campus must occur within the ambit of the UFS as a single institution with three campuses,” said Prof Fourie.

The UFS is currently offering two activities on the Vista campus – the regional Centre for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and the Sesotho Language Research and Development Centre.

According to Prof Fourie no duplication of services or programmes being rendered on the main campus in Bloemfontein will take place. In the guidelines suggestions are made that the Vista campus could be used for activities that are currently offered on the main campus (eg short learning programmes), new UFS activities (mainly of a developmental and entrepreneurial nature), cooperative partnership ventures with other role-players and the renting of facilities for education and training purposes.

“However, no definite decisions have been made about these possible activities – the necessary consultation process with relevant stakeholders and role-players must first take place. A consultative forum for this will be established early in the second term of this year,” said Prof Fourie.

“We are excited about the possibilities that have arised from the guidelines as it fits in with our vision to utilise new resources for education and training and to contribute to higher education in the Free State. This will also contribute to the development of human resources as a propelling force in the Central Region,” said Prof Fourie.

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

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