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31 January 2024 | Story EDZANI NEPHALELA | Photo ANJA AUCAMP
Dr Martin Laubscher
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.”

News Archive

First awards ceremony for tutors held at the UFS
2007-11-08

 

The Department of Student Development and Success at the University of the Free State (UFS) recently presented a New Academic Tutorial Programme (NATP) Awards evening to thank the 44 student academic tutors on the Main Campus in Bloemfontein for their work during the year. The tutors were also evaluated based on feedback from the students they tutored during the year. Marius Shardelow, student tutor in the Centre for Accounting in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences was named as the best tutor. He received an evaluation score of 95,5%. The Faculties of Health Sciences, Economic and Management Sciences, Natural and Agricultural Sciences and the Humanities participated in the NATP programme. It was the first time in the history of the UFS that such a function was held to acknowledge the student tutors for their hard work. At the NATP Awards evening were, from the left: Dr Francois Strydom (Director of Student Development and Success at the UFS), Mr Xcy Rathaba (Tutorials programme manager and co-ordinator at the UFS), Prof. Tienie Crous, (Dean of the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences at the UFS), Marius Shardelow (winner of the NATP Awards), and Dr Ezekiel Moraka (Vice-Rector of Student Affairs at the UFS).
Photo: Leonie Bolleurs
 

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