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EMS honours student Alexander Solomons awarded 2024/2025 Ernst Mach Grant

22 August 2024 | Story Mbali Moiketsi

Alexander Solomons, an honours student in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences at the University of the Free State (UFS), has been awarded the prestigious Ernst Mach Grant for the 2024/2025 academic year. This competitive grant will enable Solomons to participate in an exchange programme at FH Salzburg University, one of Europe’s leading institutions for higher education and research, in Salzburg, Austria.

The Ernst Mach Grant, named after the renowned physicist and philosopher Ernst Mach, is funded by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science, and Research. It aims to foster international academic exchange and support students who demonstrate exceptional academic merit and a strong commitment to their field of study.

“Spending time abroad did not seem like something that I would be able to do so early in my life,” Solomons said. “Coming from Scottsville, Kraaifontein, in the Western Cape, I never thought that I would be able to take part in opportunities such as this one.”

“Alexander’s selection as an Ernst Mach Grant recipient is a testament to his hard work, dedication, and the high standards of academic programmes at the UFS,” said Lynette Jacobs, Acting Director in the Office for International Affairs at the UFS.

During his time at FH Salzburg University, Solomons will have the opportunity to immerse himself in a vibrant academic environment, engage with leading scholars in his field, and access cutting-edge resources and facilities. “I will have the opportunity to deepen my knowledge and engage in a different form of high-impact learning,” he said. “Professionally, international experience can be valuable in the advancement of my career. Being exposed to global practices as well as networking has the potential to enhance my career prospects and potentially open doors for me in the country I originate from and internationally.”

Jacobs added that this programme will not only enhance Solomons’ academic and professional development but also strengthen the international ties between the UFS and FH Salzburg University.

"I am thrilled to witness the incredible opportunities scholarship programmes offer to our students,” she said. “Scholarships like the Ernst Mach Grant not only provide financial support but also open doors to unparalleled academic and cultural experiences. I strongly encourage all UFS students to explore these opportunities and apply for scholarships. Studying abroad can be a life-changing experience, offering new perspectives, fostering personal growth, and building a global network.”

In addition to his academic pursuits, Solomons will serve as an ambassador for the UFS, sharing his experiences and insights with his peers and faculty members at FH Salzburg University. He intends to integrate the knowledge gained into research and projects he takes on in the future. He believes the exposure to diverse opinions can help him approach problems from a more global perspective, and help him think in a more adaptable and inclusive manner.

“His participation in this exchange programme will contribute to the ongoing efforts to promote international collaboration and cultural exchange within our academic community,” Jacobs said.

Students and staff interested in applying for scholarships are welcome to contact Mbali Moiketsi, Study Abroad Officer in the Office for International Affairs on the top floor of the Theology Building. Information about scholarships is shared regularly through channels such as newsletters, social media, and the UFS website.

News Archive

UFS researcher fills void in South African policing history

2017-01-02

Currently a Postdoctoral fellow in the International
Studies Group, Dr Cornelis Muller’s PhD thesis explores
late nineteenth century South African policing on the
Witwatersrand.
Photo: Rulanzen Martin

“I used policing on the Witwatersrand as a lens through which to examine aspects relating to state formation within the South African Republic.”

This is how Dr Cornelis Muller, a postdoctoral fellow in the International Studies Group at the University of the Free State (UFS), described his PhD thesis called Policing the Witwatersrand: A history of the South African Republic Police, 1886-1899. The thesis fills an empirical void in the history of settler colonial policing in South Africa.

His research was also featured in the South African Historical Journal, which is published by Routledge. Dr Muller received his PhD from the UFS during the 2016 Winter Graduation ceremonies. He received a scholarship from the university to conduct his three-year research.

Relationship between police and state examined
The study presents itself as an institutional biography in which the relationship between the South African Republic Police (known as the Zarps), the state, and broader society are examined. The period under investigation was a time when political, economic, and social complexities on the Witwatersrand created tension between South Africa and Great Britain.

An important theme throughout the thesis is the relationship between the police, the mining industry, and the so-called Uitlander community. Crime was also an important contributing factor to the complex relationship that developed between the Zarps and the policed in Johannesburg’s formative years.

“Johannesburg was a town under siege by a variety of crimes which ranged from vagrancy, drunkenness, gambling, and prostitution to robbery, murder, and assault,” said Dr Muller.

Archives in South Africa and Great Britain consulted
“My thesis follows a chronological approach in which various themes accounting for the development of the police on the Witwatersrand are highlighted.” Framed within the bureaucratic and administrative functioning of the Zarps, he examined aspects relating to crime, crisis, and conflict between the police and society. The thesis also details the relationship between the police and Johannesburg’s black community.

As with any historical research, it comprised internal and external source criticism and content analyses of a wide range of archival records.

Dr Muller had the opportunity to visit several archives and libraries in South Africa and Great Britain. “Some of the more important archival collections were assessed at the National Archives in Pretoria.” These included the Archive of the State Attorney and the Archive of the Magisterial District of Johannesburg.

“My study thus adds to scholarship that seeks to provide a more nuanced understanding of the South African Republic’s administrative functioning and internal politics in the late nineteenth century,” concluded Dr Muller.

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