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25 October 2023 | Story Dr Kwazi Magwenzi | Photo supplied
SANRAL Chair launch
The SANRAL Chair in Mathematics and Science , Prof Loyiso Jita with the Programme graduates, the PhD and Masters SANRAL Alumni at the event held on 28 September 2023 in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The South African Chapter of the South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL) Chair alumni programme at the University of the Free State (UFS) was recently launched at the Silverstar Hotel and Casino in Johannesburg. The event aimed to showcase and celebrate the achievements made and lessons learnt in the programme, highlight the key elements and outputs to the Faculty of Education stakeholders and reimagine the future. The Faculty of Education has increased its footprint in Engaged Scholarship activities, aligning itself with the UFS Vision 130. Multiple stakeholders and community partners were invited to witness the outstanding achievements of this programme.

Since its inception in 2014, the SANRAL Chair has produced over 40 PhD graduates in three countries, namely South Africa, Lesotho, and Zimbabwe. One of the key goals of Vision 130 is for the UFS to be regionally engaged and to contribute to pressing societal needs. This involves knowledge generation that contributes to local and regional development and building sustainable partnerships. The PhD and Masters graduates have become a highly valued human resource in the South African education system and the region, and are now positioned as leaders in Institutions of higher learning in South Africa, Lesotho, and Zimbabwe.

The SANRAL Chair currently supervises a cohort of doctoral and master's students,  providing guidance in mathematical research and publications. The internship programme represents SANRAL's commitment to building skilled capacity in communities, along with driving social and economic transformation. SANRAL has also identified common challenges faced by Small, Medium, and Micro-sized Enterprises (SMMEs) in its projects and has implemented training programmes to address these issues. 

South Africa has implemented a range of programmes designed to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 1 (SDG 1), which includes land reform, agriculture, free higher education and growth. Despite the significant progress made on South Africa’s developmental journey since the advent of democracy in 1994, the country remains one of the most unequal societies in the world. Achieving the SDGs is, therefore, in South Africa’s best interest as the country pursues the vision of a united, non-racial, non-sexist, and prosperous nation living in harmony with itself and the rest of the world. 

As South Africa looks ahead to 2030, it seeks to build on the substantial progress achieved thus far, and on the robust policy, legislative, and planning foundation. The focus will be on consolidating and expanding the many areas where public welfare and development are at the forefront. 

News Archive

Largest group of financial planners ever to graduate from UFS
2013-06-14

Stuart James Milroy and Gerda Grobler
Photo: Stephen Collett
14 June 2013

During this year’s graduation, the Centre for Financial Planning Law (CFPL) conferred the most diplomas ever for this sector at a graduation ceremony. Five hundred and ninety four students received diplomas (543 postgraduate diplomas in Financial Planning and 51 advanced postgraduate diplomas in Financial Planning).

Top student for the postgraduate diploma in Financial Planning, was Gerda Grobler. For the advanced postgraduate diploma in Financial Planning, Stuart James Milroy received the honour as top achiever. Other top achievers for modules in the advanced postgraduate diploma were L Phillips, RC Claassen, SJ Milroy and L Wilkinson. G Grobler, TT Baxter, KR Smit and E du Rand were the top achievers for modules in the postgraduate diploma in Financial Planning.

For five years, the University of the Free State was the only institution that offered a full qualification to become a certified financial planner. The university is still the largest institution in this field. The Centre for Financial Planning Law (CFPL) at the UFS is also the only institution in South Africa offering the advanced postgraduate diploma in Financial Planning as a purely specialist diploma.

To date, the CFPL at the UFS has awarded 4 200 postgraduate diplomas and 710 advanced postgraduate diplomas in Financial Planning.

Donors who made this event possible, include:

  • Alexander Forbes
  • Old Mutual
  • Liberty
  • Acsis
  • Momentum
  • LexisNexis
  • Galileo Capital
  • PSG
  • ABSA Bank

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