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31 January 2024
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Story EDZANI NEPHALELA
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Photo ANJA AUCAMP
Dr Martin Laubscher’s thesis, crowned with the Andrew Murray-Desmond Tutu Prize, is testament to the university’s unwavering commitment to scholarly excellence.
In a historic triumph that reverberates over four decades since its inception, the UFS has clinched the coveted
Andrew Murray Prize – now renamed the Andrew Murray-Desmond Tutu Prize – for the first time. Standing shoulder to shoulder with institutions such as the University of Pretoria (UP) and Stellenbosch University (SU), this achievement marks a significant milestone in the UFS’ journey.
At the heart of this accomplishment lies the profound contribution of
Dr Martin Laubscher, distinguished Senior Lecturer specialising in Practical and Missional Theology in the
Faculty of Theology and Religion. Dr Laubscher’s dedication and scholarly prowess culminated in the groundbreaking work titled
Publieke teologie as profetiese teologie? (Public theology as prophetic theology), a revised edition of his doctoral thesis, which was originally crafted at Stellenbosch University in 2020, with a focus on the eminent Karl Barth.
Dr Laubscher received the Andrew Murray Prize for Theological Books in Afrikaans for his research and insightful analysis. The journey started when he realised, under the guidance of his study leader,
Prof Dion Forster, that his script had the potential to be published in Afrikaans. Sun Media’s interest in publishing this work in Afrikaans, led to it being the first-ever published thesis in Afrikaans. Dr Laubscher recalls, “I was grateful and excited about Sun Media’s interest. The book emerged within a year, and during a celebratory launch Prof Forster suggested I submit it for the Andrew Murray Prize.”
Earlier this year, Dr Laubscher was excited to learn that he was being shortlisted for the prestigious award. Reflecting on the significant moment, he shares, “The elation I felt upon receiving the news was unparalleled. I was not only celebrating a personal triumph, but also etching my name as the first laureate from our faculty to secure this prestigious accolade.”
UFS shaping arts and culture education in the Free State
2009-03-16
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A collaboration between the Department of Fine Arts at the University of the Free State, the Department of Arts and Culture and the Flemish government has been instrumental in gradually changing the landscape of arts and culture education in the Free State. The Artists in Schools Project: Free State Province (AIS FS), launched in 2004 as a result of this collaboration, has since made remarkable strides in developing the arts and culture learning area in schools and creating jobs for visual artists in the province. The project brings together artists, educators and learners in a mutually beneficial process that involves various stakeholders from government, educational institutions and communities. It not only benefits schools from disadvantaged areas, but also those catering for learners with disabilities. AIS FS covers three districts of the province, namely Motheo, Lejweleputswa and Thabo Mofutsanyane. Pictured are, from the left: Mr Dirk-Hannes van den Berg (student involved in AIS FS), Ms Nontombi Ntakakaze (Project Manager) and Mr Bareng Lichaba Lichaba (Artist Educator), with some of the artworks produced by learners.
Photo: Mangaliso Radebe |