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Prof Frans Prinsloo takes on new leadership role in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences

14 November 2023 | Story Anthony Mthembu | Photo SUPPLIED

The Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences (EMS) at the University of the Free State (UFS) has appointed Prof Frans Prinsloo as the Vice-Dean: Learning, Teaching, Innovation, and Digitalisation. Prof Prinsloo officially started his new role on 1 November 2023. “I am excited at the prospect of being able to support the academics in the faculty, enabling them to develop successful graduates who will not only sustain themselves and their families, but who can also function in and contribute positively to a dynamic world being transformed by technology,” Prof Prinsloo indicated.

What the new role entails

According to Prof Prinsloo, the role includes overseeing and providing strategic leadership regarding the teaching and learning portfolio within the faculty. The portfolio he is responsible for looks at teaching and learning policies as well as the development of new curricula in the faculty, among others. In addition, as part of his work, he indicated that, “I will also have to ensure that the faculty’s teaching approaches remain relevant and responsive to our diverse body of students’ learning needs to ensure their academic success, but also to develop essential graduate attributes. A further focus will be that the curricula of our academic programmes position our graduates to be in demand by employers and enable them to contribute meaningfully to the economy and society.”

Furthermore, Prof Prinsloo is responsible for ensuring that the academic programmes within the faculty are of high quality and accredited by all relevant top industry bodies.

The future of the faculty

As an Auditing academic for more than 25 years and Director of the UFS School of Accountancy for the past five years, Prof Prinsloo plans to use the experience he has acquired, as well as the leadership positions he has held throughout his career, to lead the faculty to new heights. “I look forward to positioning the UFS Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences as a faculty with effective and cutting-edge teaching approaches to ensure our students’ academic success, and to have quality and unique academic programmes that draw top students from across South Africa, Africa, and beyond – in line with the UFS Vision 130,” he said.

In addition, part of what he aims to accomplish in his term as Vice-Dean is working to establish the faculty and its academics as recognised thought leaders and innovators as far as teaching and learning is concerned. Prof Prinsloo also highlighted that, “We also need to ensure that the successes attained by the faculty and its staff are shared within and outside of the UFS, and as such, I will also be responsible for strategically leading the marketing efforts of the faculty.”

However, his efforts to advance the faculty are not only focused on the progress of the staff and their offerings, but also on that of the students. In fact, he indicated that, “I would also like to use this position to explore ways of further supporting our students, particularly recognising the multitude of challenges such as ineffective study skills, financial and mental wellness-related challenges that many of our students face.”

News Archive

UFS on the right track with transformation - Fulbright scholars

2010-08-27

Pictured from the left, are: Dr Wilmore-Schaeffer, Rev. Dr Streets and Ms Leah Naidoo (Senior Administrator of the Institute).
Photo: Mangaliso Radebe

“I think the university is not only on the right track but can really become a model for how to negotiate certain difficult processes, such as transformation, within a short period of time. I think it can become a model, not just for other universities, but also for the world.”

This was said by Dr Rozetta Wilmore-Schaeffer, who together with Rev. Dr Frederick J. Streets, recently worked with the International Institute for Race, Reconciliation and Social Justice at the University of the Free State (UFS) as Fulbright specialists. They helped the institute come up with ideas in terms of making the changes that are necessary for the transformation of the university.

“There is a great deal that has already been done despite the sense of urgency and impatience, and I think there is a great deal more to be done,” said Dr Wilmore-Schaeffer.

“I think this sense of urgency comes from those who are involved in the process of looking at the destination, the place that they want to be at, and feeling that they are very far from it.”

During their visit here the two had numerous conversations with both staff members and students.

“I have been most impressed by the students who I think are ready to make changes in many different ways – I am talking about students of all racial groups and gender. The fact that they are referring to transformation as ‘their struggle’ shows that they are prepared to make changes,” said Dr Wilmore-Schaeffer.
She, however, cautioned that there were those who were still against transformation taking place at the university.

“I think there is still some resistance from some quarters on both sides of the fence and I would expect that at this point in time. I think what is really hopeful is that there are so many students who are ready to make the changes, who are making the changes, who are struggling with issues around making the changes; and I think that is really the hope for the university and the hope for the future,” she said.

“The resistance is complex,” added Rev. Dr Streets. “It is around a fear for the future, the loss of identity on the part of both black and white students, and the desire for cultural continuity amongst white students as well as amongst a variety of ethnic black students.

“The resistance is about learning that you are not the only kid on the block anymore and how you then overcome the feeling of realising that you are not the dominant person anymore and that your culture is not the dominant culture anymore.”

They have given a preliminary report of their findings to the Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS, Prof. Jonathan Jansen, which will be followed by a more detailed report later on.

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