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UFS presents inaugural Senate Conference on Engaged Scholarship

28 March 2024 | Story Lacea Loader | Photo Stephen Collett

Keynote speakers during the UFS 2024 Senate Conference included, from the left: Prof Kristina Josefsson from University West, Sweden; Prof ‘Funmi Olonisakin from King’s College London, England; Prof Francis Petersen, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the UFS and Chairperson of the Senate; and Prof Relebohile Moletsane from the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

The University of the Free State (UFS) presented its inaugural Senate Conference on the Bloemfontein Campus from 11 to 12 March 2024.

The conference, themed ‘Making Change through Engaged Scholarship’, initiated an important suite of conversations aligned with the UFS’ aspirations with Vision 130. The programme – which covered a wide range of topics by national and international speakers – included case studies of engaged scholarship from faculties, as well as breakaway sessions during which pertinent questions around engaged scholarship were discussed. A key element of the programme was the screening of a documentary film titled One Day, which accentuated the significance of engaged scholarship.

The organisation of the conference – both conceptually and logistically – was led by Prof Vasu Reddy, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Internationalisation at the UFS, supported by an organising committee consisting of various role players across the university.

Importance of engaged scholarship for universities

In his opening remarks, Prof Francis Petersen, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the UFS, said that in the higher education sector, universities in South Africa, continentally, and globally are grappling with the key challenges of our time, including social justice, environmental degradation, and economic growth and job creation.

“We encounter these challenges in a global context that is increasingly volatile, and in which universities must constantly innovate and adapt in order to remain vibrant, relevant, and impactful. This is a time for higher education that is demanding, fraught, and disruptive. The challenges are many and complicated,” said Prof Petersen.

“Engaged scholarship is crucial for universities, particularly those in the Global South, as it fosters community collaboration, addresses local challenges, and promotes sustainable development,” he said.

Conference proceedings showcased of UFS’ involvement in engaged scholarship

On day 1, presentations included a discussion on ‘Engaged Scholarship in a Time of Geopolitical Contestation: An African Perspective’ by Prof ‘Funmi Olonisakin from King’s College London, England; and ‘Knowledge Products and Scholarship Engagement: The Way Forward for Universities’ by Prof Eugene Cloete from Stellenbosch University. The programme included a screening of a documentary film about engaged scholarship, titled One Day. Produced by Charlene Stanley from Storytown Productions, the film focused on the collapse of the tailings dam wall at the Jagersfontein Mine in September 2022 and the severe sludge damage to houses, property, and the environment. In particular, the film highlighted how the university’s interventions made a difference to the community. The day was concluded with presentations of engaged scholarship case studies from faculties, as well as group discussions.

Day 2 started off with a presentation by Prof Kristina Josefsson from University West, Sweden, on ‘Work-Integrated Learning and Engaged Scholarship – Meetings of Knowledge to Create Positive Change’, followed by a presentation on ‘Rurality, Community and Engaged Scholarship’ by Prof Relebohile Moletsane from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. As was done the previous day, presentations of engaged scholarship case studies from faculties and group discussions rounded off the day.

Some of the issues that have been identified and need to be taken further in order to embed engaged scholarship within the UFS, include the need to create a common understanding of engaged scholarship through careful interrogation of the terminology; the co-creation of knowledge, inter- and transdisciplinary approaches to solving problems; the impact of engaged scholarship on teaching, learning, and research interventions; and the sustainability of projects when the engaged scholars leave a community, and how to measure success or otherwise.

Programme

Click to view document UFS 2024 Senate Conference Programme

Documentary Film: One Day

Presentations

Click to view document ‘Knowledge Products and Scholarship Engagement: The Way Forward for Universities’ by Prof Eugene Cloete, Stellenbosch University.

Click to view document ‘Work-Integrated Learning and Engaged Scholarship – Meetings of Knowledge to Create Positive Change’ by Prof Kristina Josefsson from University West, Sweden.

Click to view document 'Rurality, Community and Engaged Scholarship’ by Prof Relebohile Moletsane from the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

News Archive

Applications for the Vice-Chancellor's Prestige Programme for 2013/2014 now open

2012-12-06

This highly prestigious programme, led by the Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Free State, seeks to identify, develop and promote the next cohort of the most promising and talented UFS academic members of staff who obtained a doctoral degree within the last five years. These are young scholars who have chosen academic careers and who are focused and determined to become senior academics in their respective disciplines.

Once identified, these scholars will be put through an intensive programme of academic and scholarship support that includes an advanced residential programme, exposure to leading scholars, intensive reading and writing programmes, high-level seminar participation and presentation, nuanced publication schedules and personal mentoring and advice.

The selection process is highly competitive, and aimed at those young scholars with the potential to obtain upper-level ratings (Y1 and P). The selection criteria include the following:(1)

1. Recently obtained a PhD degree.

2. Evidence of an active publication record.
3. Early recognition of scholarly work, e.g. successful funding/grant applications and academic awards.
4. The early development of a post-doctoral intellectual project that shows evidence of scholarly “potential” (defined by the NRF Y-category).
5. Indication of the young scholar’s understanding of what their envisaged postdoctoral endeavours will contribute to the body of knowledge.

This period of support will run over a cycle of two years after which a new intake of next generation professors will be selected.

While this cohort will be selected for an intensive programme, ongoing development and support of all young scholars will continue. The selected scholars will reflect a balance of young academics from the humanities (broadly defined, including education, law, theology and the social sciences) and the natural sciences (broadly defined, including the agricultural and health sciences).

Call for Applications

This is a call for applications for the Vice-Chancellor’s Prestige Programme for 2013/2014. Candidates are invited to submit applications. No nomination is required, but deans and heads of department will also be asked to invite young scholars to apply. Complete applications are due by Monday 21 January 2013. A full application will include the following documentation:

1. A complete curriculum vitae of the candidate.
2. A complete exercise of intent comprising the following:
2.1   Select two journal articles (copies of which to accompany the application) in the area you have identified for your intellectual focus post PhD. These articles have to be selected from journals of international standing in your field.
2.2   The articles need to be summarised (250 words each), and
2.3   Two questions have to be identified that you would want to pursue in relation to your intended project.
2.4   This is followed by a brief, critical summary of a hundred lines maximum to indicate how these articles inform, integrate or provoke your planned future research.

Submission and contact address

A paper copy of the application must be submitted to the Vice-Chancellor’s secretary, Ms Melissa Coetzee, in the Main Building by 16:00 on Monday 21 January 2013 and an electronic copy of your entire application to the administrative assistant, Mr Albert Nell:nella@ufs.ac.za. You will be contacted to acknowledge receipt. Candidates will be informed of the outcome in February. Further information on the Vice-Chancellor’s Prestige Scholar Programme can be directed at any of the following co-directors (in alphabetical order):

Prof Jackie du Toit, Prof Neil Roos, Prof Aldo Stroebel or Prof Corli Witthuhn.

[1] The VC reserves the right to nominate young scholars to the programme and also to invite scholars to a panel interview to evaluate personal qualities, professional commitment and academic ambition.

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