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06 November 2023
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Story MBALI MABOEA
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Photo SUPPLIED
The Department of Geography on the UFS Qwaqwa Campus recently played host to the Society of South African Geographers Conference (SSAG 2023), which gathered more than 100 students over three days.
Fostering academic growth, collaboration, and inspiration among students and researchers in the field of geography, the Department of Geography on the UFS Qwaqwa Campus recently played host to the Society of South African Geographers Conference (SSAG 2023), which gathered more than 100 students over three days.
Following a five-year hiatus, the three-day conference comprised student proposal presentations in different fields: human geography, environment geography, geoinformatics, and physical geography, divided into breakaway sessions over two days. Furthermore, day three of the annual conference included an excursion to the Basotho Cultural Village and Clarens.
The three-day annual student conference focused on different themes presented by two main speakers. The topic of the first keynote speaker, Dr Mahlomola Daemane, General Manager of the SANParks Arid Research Unit, focused on the contemporary conservation, transition, and relevance of science in policy and decision making.
The second keynote speaker was Dr Felicia Akinyemi, a Marie Sklodowska-Curie Research Fellow affiliated with the Institute of Geography at the University of Bern in Switzerland. Her work focuses on the intersection of geoinformatics, global change, and sustainability. Dr Akinyemi focused her talk on the integrative geospatial methods and metrics for sustainable land use. She introduced different techniques and metrics and gave students insight in early-career African research.
Speaking about the success of the conference, Nthebohiseng Sekhele, Geography Lecturer on the Qwaqwa Campus and chair of the organising committee, said, “The local organising committee was also very impressed with the quality of presentations from our postgraduate students in Geography, as well as the robust discussions that happened during the parallel sessions in the two days of the conference. We had a positive response of physical and online participation from many universities across South Africa. We are pleased that we have achieved our goal with this conference, which is to inspire the next generation of geographers.”
Law Faculty to host symposium on corruption in the public sector
2014-06-03
Programme of symposium (pdf)
The Centre of Business Law at the UFS’s Faculty of Law will host a symposium on corruption with specific focus on the public sector.
The theme for this year’s symposium stemmed from the National Planning Commission’s emphasis on strengthening accountability and fighting corruption in South Africa. This was identified as a priority and a critical action area in the National Development Plan of 2011.
The Public Protector of South Africa, Adv Thuli Madonsela, will deliver the keynote address. Prof Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the UFS, will deliver the opening address.
Other high-profile speakers to appear at this event are:
• The Honourable Mr Justice FDJ Brand, Judge of the Supreme Court of Appeal of the Republic of South Africa;
• The Honourable Mr Justice SPB Hancke, Judge of the Free State High Court;
• Prof JJ Henning, Distinguished Professor and Acting Dean of the Faculty of Law;
• The Honourable Mr Justice A Kruger, Judge of the Free State High Court;
• Dr Johan Burger, Senior Researcher, Crime and Justice Programme, Institute for Security Studies;
• Mr Willie Hofmeyr, Deputy National Director of Public Prosecutions, South Africa and Head of Asset Forfeiture Unit; and
• Mr Mzilikazi wa Afrika, Journalist at the Sunday Times investigations unit.
Date: Thursday 5 June 2014
Venue: CR Swart Auditorium, Bloemfontein Campus
Time: 08:30-16:00
RSVP: Dr Adri du Plessis by duplessisa@ufs.ac.za