Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items

EMS research symposium: embracing Vision130

17 May 2024 | Story Anthony Mthembu | Photo Sanchay Kalicharan

EMS research symposium 2024 — Pictured at the research symposium from left to right: Cornelle Scheltema-Van Wyk, Deputy Director at the Library and Information Services at UFS; Prof Lochner Marais, Professor at the Centre for Development Support at UFS; Prof Brownhilder Neneh, Vice-Dean: Research, Engagement and Internationalisation in the EMS faculty at UFS; Prof Nicolene Barkhuizen, Director of the Business School at UFS; Prof Betty Mubangizi, Professor from the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal; and Prof Phillipe Burger, Dean of the EMS faculty at UFS.

The Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences (EMS) at the University of the Free State (UFS) recently hosted a transformative research career development symposium on 24 April 2024 and 3 May 2024 at the UFS Business School, on the Bloemfontein Campus. Themed “Building the Next Generation of Researchers and Academics: developing a Body of Work within a Niche Area and Publishing in Quality Journals,” the symposium provided a pivotal platform for scholarly growth and strategic planning.

In his opening address, Prof Philippe Burger, the Dean of the EMS faculty, underscored the significance of the event, stating, “We need to be scholars who can be contacted from outside and be ambitious to be known for something; this symposium would give our staff that opportunity.”

Symposium highlights

Prof Brownhilder Neneh, Vice-Dean of Research, Engagement and Internationalisation in the EMS faculty, elucidated the symposium’s objectives, highlighting its role in fostering career development, equipping lecturers with practical insights, and fostering proactive career management. Distinguished guests from institutions nationwide graced the symposium with their expertise.

The first session, tailored for the School of Accountancy, featured luminaries in the accounting field such as Prof Elmar Venter from the University of Pretoria (UP) and Professor Belinda Le Clerq from the University of South Africa (UNISA). The subsequent session catered to lecturers and senior lecturers across the faculty, featuring presentations from esteemed academics like Prof Mercy Mpinganjira from the University of Johannesburg (UJ), Prof Sebastian (Ian) Rothmann from the North-West University (NWU), and Prof Betty Mubangizi from the University of KwaZulu Natal (UKZN). Internal speakers, including Prof Burger, Prof Lochner Marais from the Centre for Development Support (CDS) at the UFS, and Prof Nicolene Barkhuizen, Director of the Business School at the UFS, also shared insights.

Symposium value and alignment with Vision 130

Prof Neneh stressed the symposium’s alignment with Vision130. She said, ‘’Hosting this symposium demonstrates the faculty’s commitment to nurturing a research-led faculty that not only addresses local and regional problems but aligns with international standards. Prof Neneh noted that the engagement offered an invaluable opportunity for academic staff to deepen their understanding of research niche areas, the significance of publishing in high-impact journals, and the cultivation of sustainable research networks.

Throughout the symposium, presenters covered a diverse array of topics, including identifying and refining niche research areas, best practices for conducting high-impact research, overcoming publishing challenges, and strategies for enhancing visibility and citation impact.

News Archive

Students learn how to prepare for the workplace

2013-10-18

Attending the information session were, from the left: Shelagh Foster and Phiwe Mathe, SRC president of the Bloemfontein Campus.
18October 2013
Photo: Johan Roux

Your First Year of Work: YouTube video

Getting a foot in the door with potential employers is a struggle for the inexperienced, more so for fresh out of school graduates who don't know how to put a CV together, can’t spell or dress properly when meeting employers.

Launching her book Your First Year of Work: A Survival Guide, communications expert Shelagh Foster highlighted these facts and others during an information session on the Bloemfontein Campus. Students who attended gained a wealth of information from her and Prof Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector, who shared tips on how to prepare for the workplace and be successful in their job search.

Shelagh explained how a request from a graduate to do an internship at Media Online, where she had formerly worked as editor, made her decide to teach jobseekers the basics of verbal and written communications. She told the audience that the e-mail request from a female student, was littered with mistakes and left her with questions such as "what if she is really smart, has something to offer the company, but just don't know how to send an e-mail?"

Practical advice she gave, include dressing properly for a job interview, knowing who you communicate with when addressing an e-mail, as well as finding out as much as possible about the company you are applying to.

* Your First Year of Work: A Survival Guide addresses the unwritten codes that exist in the workplace that need to be understood by interviewees and new employees battling to get ahead once they've finished with matric or university.

Back

Economic and Management Sciences

Education

Health Sciences

The Humanities

Law

Natural and Agricultural Sciences

Theology and Religion

Open Distance Learning

Business School

We use cookies to make interactions with our websites and services easy and meaningful. To better understand how they are used, read more about the UFS cookie policy. By continuing to use this site you are giving us your consent to do this.

Accept