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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.”
Workshop held to celebrate cooperation between the UFS and the National Museum
2009-08-19
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The first annual workshop to celebrate the cooperation between the University of the Free State (UFS) and the National Museum was held recently at the Oliewenhuis Art Gallery in Bloemfontein. Various research collaborations between the two institutions are currently underway, among others in the use of oral history as a teaching tool on tertiary level, plant microfossil research in Southern Africa and a research collaboration in Anthropology. Attending the workshop are, from the left, front: Mr Derek du Bruyn, Museum Scientist in History, Mr Ashley Kirk-Spriggs, Senior Museum Scientist in Entomology, Ms Amy Goitsemodimo, Assistant Museum Scientist in Anthropology, Dr Ziets Zietsman, Principle Museum Scientist in Botany; back: Prof. Schalk Louw, Department of Zoology and Entomology at the UFS, Mr Rick Nuttall, Director: National Museum, Prof. Marietjie Oelofse, Department of History at the UFS, and Prof. Louis Scott, Department of Plant Sciences at the UFS.
Photo: Stephen Collett |