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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

A Kovsie parade through Bloemfontein's streets

2014-02-04

Photo: Albert van Biljon

Photo Gallery

The community of Bloemfontein came out in numbers to watch the annual Kovsie Rag procession on Saturday 1 February 2014. Young and old lined the roads around the Bloemfontein Campus to get a glimpse of the colourful floats moving through the city’s streets. Onlookers showed their support for the UFS’s charitable fun drive, dropping coins in the money tins of first-year students who made their way through the crowds.

Celebrating the hard work of students who spent hours building floats, festivities kicked off with a morning parade to Heidedal and Mangaung. Here the Rag Office distributed 10 000 meals to members of the community.

With a beloved Hollywood panda as their inspiration, JBM, Soetdoring and Imperium residences were crowned winners of the movie-themed float-building competition later the evening. Their Kung Fu Panda float led the way as the main procession made its way to the Chevrolet Cricket Stadium for a night of celebration with music stars Mango Groove, Zakes Bantwini and Robbie Wessels.

Mango Groove had the audience on their feet playing well-known hits like Special Star, Moments Away and Hometalk. Robbie Wessels and Bantwini also didn't disappoint, with the audience stomping feet to their music. In addition, partygoers were treated to an amazing fireworks display that lightened up the Bloemfontein night sky.

Float-building results:

Overall winners: JBM, Soetdoring and Imperium
Winners Pool A: JBM, Soetdoring and Imperium
Winners Pool B: Welwitchia and Tswelopele

The overall assessment of floats was made up of 100 points. The impression of the floats on the little ones was very important, as children judges awarded 25% of the score. They gave a mark out of 10 and it was converted to a mark out of 25.

The assessment by the adult judges counted for 75 points. The criteria were as follows:

General impression and colour: 25 points
Detail: 25 points
Did the float complement the theme: 15 points

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