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UFS celebrates new graduates during December graduation ceremonies

28 November 2023 | Story Valentino Ndaba

General Post, GRADS DEC 2023 — It’s time for the UFS’s December graduation ceremonies!

Esteemed guest speakers

Tirelo Sibisi, Vice-Chairperson of the UFS Council, will be the distinguished guest speaker on the first day of graduations. Sibisi boasts an illustrious career, with over two decades of experience in human resource management, including notable roles at AngloGold Ashanti, the country's biggest cement manufacturer (PPC Cement), IBM, and Telkom. Her contributions extend to various boards and committees, showcasing her expertise and dedication to various fields.

Dr Anchen Laubscher, who also serves on the UFS Council, will take the stage as guest speaker on the second day. Dr Laubscher is currently the Group Medical Director of Netcare Ltd, leading the strategic oversight and operational execution of clinical and quality-related matters. Her commitment to healthcare excellence and leadership, coupled with being the first female President of the UFS Student Representative Council (SRC), exemplifies her remarkable achievements.

Chancellor’s Medallist

Professor Mattheus Lötter is set to finally receive the prestigious Chancellor’s Medal from the Faculty of Health Sciences. This conferral was postponed from the April 2023 graduation ceremonies due to a personal loss experienced by Prof Lötter. This will mark a pivotal point in his distinguished career, allowing him to celebrate a noteworthy accomplishment.

Details of the ceremonies

The festivities are set to commence on 7 December 2023, starting at 09:00 with the graduations for the Faculty of The Humanities, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, and the Faculty of Theology and Religion. The day concludes with ceremonies for the Faculty of Education, Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, and the Faculty of Law, all beginning at 14:30.

The celebration continues on 8 December 2023, at 09:00, as graduands from the Faculty of Health Sciences proudly take the stage.

For further information and updates on the UFS 2023 December graduation ceremonies, click here.

News Archive

Dr Dirk Strydom named 2015 Free State Agriculturist of the Year

2015-11-30

Dr Dirk Strydom, head of the Department of Agricultural Economics at the University of the Free State, was chosen as the 2015 Free State Agriculturist of the Year by the Agricultural Writers Central Region.
Photo: Sonia Small

Dr Dirk Strydom, a member of the Vice-Chancellor’s Prestige Scholars Programme (PSP) at the University of the Free State (UFS), was presented with the title of 2015 Free State Agriculturist of the Year.

Dr Strydom, head of the Department of Agricultural Economics, received the award on 23 October 2015 from the Agricultural Writers Central Region, the professional association promoting the image and standards of agricultural journalism in South Africa.

“A driven and ambitious young academic,” is how Dr Strydom is described.

According to the Agricultural Writers, Dr Strydom is blessed with the rare skill of bringing to his engagement with the agricultural community at large the same excitement and focus with which he approaches his students and his research.

“Strydom has perfected the art of disseminating complicated theory, and the intricacies of the South African Futures Exchange to the agricultural community.”

Dr Strydom epitomises the new generation of young scholars emerging from the PSP. This new breed of academic is very aware of the need to translate published scholarly discourse into practical usefulness for the broader public.

Hence Dr Strydom’s emphasis on the duty of the scholar to share vital innovation, intricate research, and its applications, not only with students but with the community at large.

The award is recognition for Dr Strydom’s work by the agricultural community.

He was also the recent recipient of an award from the Brahman breeders for his “outstanding scientific contribution” to their industry.

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