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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.”
Matters approved by the UFS Council at its meeting on Friday 5 June 2015
2015-06-11
The Council of the University of the Free State (UFS) approved the following matters during its quarterly meeting on Friday 5 June 2015, which took place on the Bloemfontein Campus:
1. The 2015 - 2020 UFS Strategic Plan.
2. The extension of the term appointment of Prof Gert van Zyl, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, for a further five years.
3. The renaming of JBM Hertzog residence to Beyers Naudé House/Huis Beyers Naudé.
4. The naming of the new women’s residence on the Bloemfontein Campus as Harmony Residence.
5. The name of the new hotel on the Bloemfontein Campus as ‘Kovsie-Inn’.
The Council also mandated the UFS management to lead a formal review of the Language Policy through a comprehensive process of consultation with all university stakeholders. The process will include the creation of multiple opportunities and forums for participation, as well as the formation of a university Language Committee which will receive and assess all views on the policy before making recommendations to Management and Council. The review is an open-ended process and three broad outcomes are possible - that the parallel-medium policy remains in place; that minor adjustments are made to the policy; that major changes are made to the existing policy. The Language Committee’s recommendations will be presented to Council at its November 2015 meeting.
Released by:
Lacea Loader
Director: Communication and Brand Management
news@ufs.ac.za
+27(0)51 401 2584