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13 June 2024 | Story Jacky Tshokwe | Photo Supplied
The Humanities Awards 2024
From left: Prof Danré Strydom, Prof Kobus Marais, Dr Alta Grobbelaar and Dr Alison Stander were among the award recipients.

On the evening of 4 June 2024, the prestigious Blue Gem Restaurant hosted an event that was a highlight on the academic calendar of the University of the Free State (UFS), with the keynote speaker Prof Mogomme Masoga, Dean of the Faculty of The Humanities. The Faculty of The Humanities Awards are designed to honour and celebrate the outstanding achievements of the faculty members in the fields of teaching and learning, curriculum development, research, and the arts. These awards are not merely accolades, but symbols of our commitment to fostering a culture of excellence and innovation within our academic community.

The Faculty of The Humanities Awards are integral to recognising the relentless dedication and exceptional contributions of our academics. These awards aim to honour those who consistently go above and beyond in their professional duties, significantly impacting both their students and society at large. The awards embody the UFS’ Vision 130, emphasising a student-centred and research-led approach. By celebrating these achievements, we aim to inspire continued excellence and drive forward our mission of engaged scholarship and transformative education.

Promising an evening of inspiration and recognition, the event commenced with a keynote address by Prof Mogomme Masoga, who undoubtedly set the tone with his insights on the critical role of humanities in today's academic and social landscapes.

The event began with a warm welcome reception where guests were greeted with refreshments and had the opportunity to network. Prof Mogomme Masoga delivered the opening remarks, after which the attendees enjoyed a fine dining experience at the Blue Gem Restaurant. The highlight of the evening was the awards ceremony, during which awards were presented to distinguished faculty members. The event concluded with the closing remarks and an additional opportunity for networking, allowing attendees to celebrate and discuss the future of humanities at the UFS.

Award Categories and Criteria

1. Teaching methods and assessment: Dr Alta Grobbelaar

This award recognised innovative and effective teaching strategies and assessment methods that enhanced student learning. Dr Alta Grobbelaar was acknowledged for her exemplary approaches that created engaging and inclusive learning environments.

2. Digitalised teaching and assessment: Dr Alison Stander

With the rapid advancement of technology, this award highlighted excellence in the integration of digital tools and platforms in education. Dr Alison Stander has set a benchmark in digital teaching, utilising cutting-edge technologies to enhance the learning experience.

3. Curriculum development, transformation, and renewal: Prof Neo Lekgotla Laga Ramoupi

Recognising efforts in modernising and transforming curricula to meet contemporary needs, this award honoured Prof Neo Lekgotla Laga Ramoupi's work in developing programmes that were inclusive, relevant, and forward-thinking.

4. Early career research: Dr Nonki Motahane

This award celebrated promising research achievements by early-career academics. Dr Nonki Motahane has demonstrated remarkable potential and productivity in her research endeavours, contributing valuable knowledge to her field.

5. Research with international impact: Prof Kobus Marais and Prof Danré Strydom

Given to researchers whose work has garnered international recognition and significantly impacted their disciplines, this award honoured Prof Kobus Marais and Prof Danré Strydom for their ground-breaking research that transcended borders and enhanced global knowledge.

Dr Sebolao expressed her gratitude to all achievers, "Your commitment to Vision 130 and your exemplary scholarship are a testament to the transformative power of the Humanities. Congratulations on your remarkable achievements and thank you for making a positive impact on our students and society."

The Faculty of The Humanities Awards were a testament to the exceptional talent and dedication within our university. By celebrating these achievements, we not only honoured individual accomplishments, but also reinforced our collective commitment to academic excellence and societal impact. This event marked a significant milestone in our journey towards realising the UFS Vision 130 and shaping a brighter, more inclusive future for all.

News Archive

UFS academic discusses Dutch, Afrikaans and African languages
2006-05-22

During the colloquium presented in Belgium by the Province Antwerp were from the left Prof Pol Cuvelier (University of Antwerp), Prof Theo du Plessis (Director: Unit for Language Management at the UFS), Mr Ludo Helsen (Permanent Deputy: Province of Antwerp) and Mr Jean-Pierre Rondas (Flemish radio journalist).

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UFS academic discusses Dutch, Afrikaans and African languages at international conference

Prof Theo du Plessis, Director of the Unit for Language Management at the University of the Free State (UFS), was the main speaker at a colloquium titled “Routes:  Where to now? - Een traject van het Nederlands naar het Afrikaans en de Afrikatalen”, which was recently presented by the Province Antwerp in Belgium.

 The aim of the colloquium was to discuss the future cooperation in the field of language between the Province Antwerp and South Africa. 

 The Province Antwerp is already involved with projects in South Africa.  One of these projects is the Multilingual Information Development Programme (MIDP), a partnership project between the UFS and the Free State Province that is mainly funded by the Province Antwerp. 

 The project has been running since 1999 and was recently in the news with the presentation of a symposium on multilingualism and exclusion on the Main Campus of the UFS.  It is hoped that the Routes colloquium will indicate new stages on which can be added to the already successful cooperation in the area of language.

 Prof Du Plessis’s presentation titled “Nederlands, Afrikaans en die Afrikatale – kan samewerking slaag? Die geval MIDP in die Vrystaat”, investigated the successes that have been made with the MIDP.  He discussed two possible approaches to cooperation in the areas of language, that of a sentimentalistic  approach against an instrumentalistic approach. 

Cooperation in the first approach makes language the aim.  In the second approach language is used as a means to a greater aim.  According to Prof du Plessis the first approach is driven by a romantisised idea about the relation between the Flemish and Afrikaans speaking people, which may unfortunately polarise the position of Afrikaans in South Africa even further.

 He argues that, given the time that we are in, the second approach will deliver more constructive results as language can among others be used for to further  democracy in South Africa.   This can happen by cooperation in the institutionalising of multilingualism in our society.  The more languages are used in education, law and government administration, the more we can be assured a successful democracy.

 The Routes colloquium was facilitated by the well-known Flemish radio journalist, Jean-Pierre Rondas. About twenty South African and Flemish language specialists took part in the colloquium.  Dr Fritz Kok, outgoing chief executive officer of the ATKV took part in the opening ceremony and Dr Neville Alexander from the University of Cape Town and well-known activist for multilingualism in South Africa was also one of the main speakers.

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