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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.”
Well-known copy writer trains UFS students
2006-10-16
Ms Claire Harrison, well-known copy writer and lecturer from the VEGA advertising school in Johannesburg, presented a workshop on copy writing on the Main Campus of the University of the Free State (UFS) in Bloemfontein. She was invited by the Department of Communication and Information Studies. The workshop forms part of a greater partnership between this department and the Department of Afrikaans and Dutch, German and French to improve skills in the course. Other partners include the Department of Drama and Theatre Art, the graphic design school DCM and the national radio stations RSG and SAFM. The workshop also serves as preparation for the advertisements the students must make for the Society of Physically Disabled and Kidz Care Trust.

Here are, from the left, front: Ms Danielle McLachlan (third-year student in Integrated Marketing Communication), Ms Harrison, Dr Angelique van Niekerk (presenter of the course in advertising copy writing and lecturer at the Department of Afrikaans and Dutch, German and French) and Ms Dalmé Mulder (lecturer at the Department of Communication and Information Studies); back: Mr Napo Moliana (third-year student in Integrated Marketing Communication).