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Dr Reabetswe Parkies: A journey to achievement

20 April 2024 | Story Anthony Mthembu | Photo Charl Devenish

Rea Parkies — Dr Reabetswe Parkies, Senior Officer in Marketing within the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences at the University of the Free State (UFS), graduates with a PhD in Business Management at the April 2024 graduations.

The April 2024 graduations at the University of the Free State (UFS) mark a significant moment for graduates in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences (EMS), including Dr Reabetswe Parkies, whose journey in attaining a PhD in Business Management has been one of dedication and perseverance.

Reflecting on the upcoming ceremony, Dr Parkies expressed mixed emotions, encapsulating the essence of her journey: ‘’As I prepare to walk across that stage, I'm filled with a mixture of emotions—excitement, pride, nostalgia, and perhaps a hint of apprehension about what lies ahead.’’ This moment represents the culmination of years of hard work and commitment to her academic pursuits.

Dr Parkies’s doctoral thesis, titled “Student self-employment in South Africa: A triple helix model, entrepreneurial competence and social support perspective,” delves into the complex dynamics of student entrepreneurship within the South African context. Her study aims to develop a comprehensive model for understanding self-employment, incorporating factors such as entrepreneurial competence, social support, and the role of the university, industry and government initiatives.

A culmination of years of hard work

The path to achieving her PhD was not without its challenges. Balancing her responsibilities as a Senior Officer in Marketing at the UFS with the demands of academic research required meticulous time management and personal sacrifice. ‘’As time went on, I found my rhythm and developed strategies to become more efficient and effective,’’ Dr Parkies explained. She credits her successful completion of the PhD to the unwavering support of her supervisors and her determination.

As she prepares to celebrate this milestone, Dr Parkies looks ahead to future contributions to her field. ’’By delving deeper into my area of expertise, I aim to uncover new insights and share these findings with the academic community through scholarly articles,’’ she remarked, emphasising her commitment to ongoing research and knowledge dissemination.

Dr Reabetswe Parkies's achievement serves as an inspiration to aspiring scholars and underscores the importance of perseverance and dedication in pursuing academic excellence. Her journey exemplifies the ethos of the University of the Free State in fostering academic growth and scholarly inquiry.

News Archive

Measures to ensure safer campuses are investigated

2010-04-16

The safety of students, lecturers and staff of the University of the Free State (UFS) is of the utmost importance for the management of this institution and deliberations are continuously taking place on what can be done to improve the levels of safety of the respective campuses in Bloemfontein and Qwaqwa.

A set of recommendations was recently tabled by our rectorate that make provision for various measures for safer campuses. According to Prof. Niel Viljoen, Vice-Rector: Operations at the UFS, attention will urgently be paid to the following recommendations:

The instalment of alarm systems, linked to the central security control room, in all buildings on the respective campuses.
The instalment of “panic systems” in strategic places in buildings.
Where possible, better admission control to buildings, especially office blocks.
Better management en integration of contracted-in security workers.
Enhancement/upgrading and better monitoring of the security control room and sharpening of reaction times in cases of emergency.
Repair and maintenance of the current border fencing.
A survey was once again done of all the so-called “dark spots” on campus and the instalment more effective lighting are currently in progress.
Safeguarding of footways and parking areas by means of cameras and panic systems that will be monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Better and more visible patrolling of the pedestrian walkways and campuses.

Regular and structured feedback regarding the safety situation at all campuses shall also be done.

According to Prof. Viljoen the following recommendations shall also be investigated further:

- The feasibility of the “closing” of the campus, especially in terms of transport implications, costs and effectiveness.
- The possible closing of the small pedestrian gates in order to channel pedestrian traffic through the existing and manned gates.
- The feasibility of the compulsory wearing of ID cards by all personnel, students and temporary workers.

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