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16 January 2024 | Story Lunga Luthuli | Photo Lunga Luthuli
Prof Mpumelelo read more

Prof Mpumelelo Ncube, an Associate Professor and the Head of the Department of Social Work at the University of the Free State (UFS), has recently assumed the role of Vice President at the Association of South African Social Work Education Institutions (ASASWEI). In an exclusive interview, Prof Ncube shared insights into the significance of his appointment, his vision for social work education in South Africa, and strategies aimed at advancing the field.

"This appointment holds considerable importance," Prof Ncube emphasised, "as it aligns perfectly with my overarching vision for our department at the UFS. It elevates the profile of our social work endeavours on both national and global scales."

Acknowledging the challenges facing social work education in South Africa, Prof Ncube outlined key objectives during his tenure. "Enhancing the membership experience, fostering stronger academia-practitioner-government connections, and addressing the struggle of graduates finding employment are among our primary goals," he said.

Prof Ncube highlighted the urgency of aligning the profession with national priorities outlined in the National Development Plan. He stressed the need for strategic sector planning in collaboration with the government to unlock the potential of social work in addressing the country's challenges.

Regarding ASASWEI's evolving role, Prof Ncube emphasised leveraging the organisation's expertise to tackle community issues at local, regional, and global levels. Prof Ncube emphasised integrating indigenous knowledge into education and addressing global developments to maximise social work's impact.

When asked about strategies for enhancing curricula and teaching methodologies, Prof Ncube reiterated the importance of collaborations and the utilisation of accumulated expertise within ASASWEI. "Our collaborative leadership team possesses the capabilities to accomplish these objectives effectively," he affirmed.

Furthermore, Prof Ncube underlined the importance of representing student voices within ASASWEI. He proposed the formation of student organisations in educational institutions, advocating for a constitutional provision for a student representative within the Executive Committee to enhance student participation and influence.

With his extensive academic background and commitment to social justice, Prof Ncube's appointment signifies a new chapter in advancing social work education in South Africa, promising collaborative efforts and strategic initiatives to drive positive change within the field.

News Archive

Postgraduate School opens at UFS
2011-05-19

 
Prof. Maresi Nerad, from Washington university in Seattle, USA
Photo: Stephen Collett

We are celebrating the launch of our new Postgraduate School (PGS) on our Main Campus in Bloemfontein from 16 - 20 May 2011.

In line with national priorities for research-based postgraduate education and the focus of the UFS Academic Turnaround Strategy, the aims of the Postgraduate School are to:

  • improve the quality of postgraduate student research;
  • produce graduates who are global citizens, research literate and able to reflect ethically on the purpose, process and product of research;
  • improve throughput rates of postgraduate students; and
  • make the experience of being a postgraduate at the UFS one which is stimulating, enjoyable and which contributes to the development of the person beyond the limits of her or his discipline(s).

“We hope that the school will be a pleasant place to pursue research scholarship, discuss ideas and relax, and we look forward to welcoming postgraduates and other scholars to the school,” Prof. Neil Roos, Director of the UFS Postgraduate School said.

This significant event in the academic transformation of the university goes hand in hand with the inaugural lecture of Prof. Maresi Nerad. Prof. Nerad’s impressive CV reads amongst others that she has a M.A. (Political Science) at the Technical University of Darmstadt, Germany and a Ph.D. (Higher Education) at the University of California, Berkeley. She is also the founding director of the national Center for Innovation and Research Graduate Education (CIRGE).

As Professor Extraordinary in the UFS’s Postgraduate School, she is bringing more to the table than a world of wisdom and her passion for the postgraduate education. “I can contribute lessons learned from four distinct professional experiences, including 17 years of administrative and scholarly leadership in undertaking the conceptual and practical transformational work of organisational change at two US postgraduate schools, where I worked amongst others to improve the quality of mentoring, shorten the time to doctoral degree, and improve doctoral completion rates.”

She also brings to the UFS her experience as founding and current director of the first research center for studies on graduate education in the world. “It is our mission to discover how best to prepare Ph.D. students to be effective leaders in research and society,” she said.

Prof. Nerad says that she is committed to support and consult with the UFS Postgraduate School. She would particularly encourage the use of research to understand postgraduate education in all its dimensions at the UFS better and to use the evidence-based findings as a base for policy-making and resource allocation.

In reflecting on her vision for the UFS Postgraduate School, Prof. Nerad says that five years from now she hopes to see the UFS having strengthened its position as a major driving force in the national South African postgraduate-education community for internationalising postgraduate education. She is also confident that the UFS will supply increased numbers of skilled postgraduates who are “intellectual entrepreneurs and risk takers with a social consciousness, who have sustainability of the systems of the planet as a core value”.

“Five years from now the PSG will have taken the lead in preparing graduate students who are world citizens,” Prof. Nerad concluded.

 

Presentation on PhD students reveals more than meets the eye

British professor presents a discussion at UFS

Journey from student to scholar

Society will take care of interests

Female academics talk about joys and lessons

Research plus the internet equals the cyber scholar
 


 

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