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Prof Matseliso Mokhele-Makgalwa assumes new role as Vice Dean at UFS Faculty of Education

16 February 2024 | Story ANTHONY MTHEMBU | Photo ROSINA MOTHIBA

Prof Makgalwa — Prof Matseliso Mokhele-Makgalwa: Vice Dean; Research, Engagement and Internationalisation in the Faculty of Education at the University of the Free State (UFS).

The Faculty of Education at the University of the Free State (UFS) proudly announces the appointment of Prof Matseliso Mokhele-Makgalwa as Vice Dean of Research, Engagement and Internationalisation, effective 1 January 2024. With a wealth of experience and a fervent dedication to academic advancement, Prof Mokhele-Makgalwa’s appointment marks a significant stride towards enhancing the faculty’s global presence and academic prowess.

Transitioning into a new role

Transitioning seamlessly from her previous role as Acting Vice Dean of Research and Postgraduate Studies, Prof Mokhele-Makgalwa perceives this new appointment as a natural progression, elevating her responsibilities to spearhead research endeavours, foster engagement, and cultivate international partnerships within the faculty. Embracing this pivotal role with enthusiasm, she underscores the importance of collaborative efforts among faculty members, securing research funding, and ensuring the quality and impact of scholarly outputs.

“I appreciate the opportunity to contribute significantly to the faculty’s research, engagement and internalisation efforts,” says Prof Mokhele-Makgalwa. “I look forward to collaborating with the faculty staff members to advance our academic initiatives on a broader scale.”

A vision of progression for the faculty

At the heart of her vision lies a commitment to realise the UFS’s Vision130, wherein Prof Mokhele-Makgalwa aims to elevate the international profile of the faculty, foster impactful research, promote engaged scholarship, and facilitate knowledge exchange on a global scale. Her strategic objectives also include positioning the faculty among the top three education schools nationally, reflecting her dedication to academic excellence and institutional advancement.

News Archive

UFS Cardiovascular Research Centre a South African solution to continental crisis

2015-11-30

From left are: Dr Robert Kleinloog, president of the Society of Cardiothoracic Surgeons of South Africa, Prof Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the University of the Free State (UFS), Prof Robert Frater after which the Robert W M Frater Cardiovascular Research Centre was named and Prof Francis Smit, head of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the UFS, at the launch of the new centre.
Photo: Johan Roux

“You don’t have to be in New York or any big city in the world to establish a cardiovascular centre that delivers work of world standards. I’ve learned that extraordinary things are achieved by ordinary people who apply themselves accordingly. This research centre is a South African solution to a continental challenge”.

These were the words of Prof Robert Frater at the opening of the new Robert W M Frater Cardiovascular Research Centre in the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the University of the Free State (UFS) School of Medicine.

The centre, one of only two of the kind in the country, will focus on bioengineering and cardiovascular research. It was opened on Wednesday 18 November 2015 in the Francois Retief Building on the Bloemfontein campus.

The centre is named after Prof Robert W.M Frater in recognition of his vast contribution to the UFS. He is internationally recognised for his outstanding academic, clinical, and scientific contributions to cardiac surgery. Prof Frater has also been actively involved in research activities of the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery for the last 10 years. In 2011, he received an honorary doctorate from the UFS.

Under the leadership of Prof Francis Smit, head of Cardiothoracic Surgery, the department has been described as a dynamic unit at the forefront of meeting the different changes in Southern Africa while maintaining an excellent clinical and academic track record.

At the opening, Prof Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the UFS, thanked Prof Frater for his presence at, involvement in, and support of the UFS. “I am looking forward to working in collaboration with the department to make this university a research centre of excellence in the continent”, he said.

The centre has existing endeavours already in operation, including Population projects, Clinical studies, and Clinical pathology, to name three. In collaboration with the Central University of Technology, the University of Stellenbosch, and Charite University of Berlin, among numerous others, the centre will be an appropriate help to an African challenge.

Its introduction promises advanced research outcomes with the potential to make the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery a world-class competitor.

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