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Guest lecture: the role of higher education in strong democracies

05 April 2024 | Story DR NITHA RAMNATH

The Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of the Free State, Prof Francis Petersen, has the pleasure of inviting you to a guest lecture presented by H.E. Dr Reuben E Brigety, the United States Ambassador to South Africa.

Date: Tuesday 23 April 2024

Time: 15:00-16:00

Venue: Centenary Complex, Bloemfontein Campus

RSVP here by no later than 19 April 2024.

About the speaker

Reuben E Brigety II was confirmed as the 29th United States Ambassador to the Republic of South Africa on 21 July 2022.

Previously, he served as the 17th Vice-Chancellor of the University of the South and Mayor of Sewanee from June 2020 until December 2021, and as the Dean of the Elliott School of International Affairs of the George Washington University from 2015 to 2020. Ambassador Brigety’s most recent diplomatic assignment was serving as the US Representative to the African Union and US Permanent Representative to the UN Economic Commission for Africa from September 2013 to September 2015. Previously, Ambassador Brigety served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of African Affairs and as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration.

A native of Jacksonville, Florida, Ambassador Brigety also held appointments as Assistant Professor of Government and Politics at George Mason University and at the School of International Service at the American University between August 2003 and April 2009. In addition, Ambassador Brigety was a researcher with the Arms Division of Human Rights Watch (HRW) from August 2001 to May 2003, where he conducted research missions in Afghanistan and Iraq. Before joining HRW, Ambassador Brigety was an active-duty US naval officer and held several staff positions in the Pentagon and in fleet support units.

Ambassador Brigety is a 1995 Distinguished Midshipman Graduate of the US Naval Academy, where he earned a BSc in Political Science (with merit), served as the Brigade Commander, and received the Thomas G Pownall Scholarship. He also holds an MPhil and a PhD in International Relations from the University of Cambridge, England, as well as a Doctor of Humane Letters (honoris causa) from Old Dominion University. Ambassador Brigety is a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a recipient of the council’s International Affairs Fellowship, and a fellow of the American Academy of Diplomacy.He is married to Dr Leelie Selassie, and together they have two sons.

News Archive

Meet our Council: Mr Rantooa Moji – passionate about the welfare of workers

2017-07-07

Mr Rantooa Moji, member of the UFS Council
Photo: Stephen Collett

Mr Rantooa Moji has recently joined the UFS Council by virtue of being chairperson of the university’s Institutional Forum (IF). The IF’s function is to advise Council in accordance with the Higher Education Act and UFS Statute.

Born and bred in Qwaqwa, Mr Moji is a junior lecturer in Chemistry at the university. He completed his BSc (Hons) in Chemistry at the then UNIN (Qwaqwa), which is now part of the UFS. He also completed an MA (HES) at the University of the Free State.

Fascinated with Chemistry
“I pursued science mainly due to my school background, but I also have a keen interest in the subject. The diverse applications of Chemistry in daily life have always fascinated me and that is why I chose to pursue it,” he says.

During his postgraduate studies at the UFS, Moji was exposed to education and management trends in higher education. He has subsequently become involved with labour relations issues through the personnel union Nehawu. He says he has a passion for the welfare of workers and therefore fulfils a number of roles in the union, including representing members in disciplinary and grievance hearings, being part of the negotiations team, and representing the union on a number of institutional committees, such as the Health Care Committee.

Passion for worker’s welfare
Says Mr Moji: “I feel that my experience as an academic and a union activist puts me in good stead to ensure that the views and aspirations of employees are taken into account in the Council’s deliberations and decision-making.”

Mr Moji is married, with two daughters and one son.

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