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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

Pianoboost a hit on Google Play Store

2017-03-01

Description: Pianoboost Tags: Pianoboost

Pianoboost is an interactive app developed by
Dr Frelet de Villiers, lecturer in the Odeion School of Music
at the University of the Free State.
Photo: Supplied

“I got the idea after watching my children play Sing Star on PlayStation, where the game can detect how accurately you sing. I realised this could turn my dream into a reality if I looking into the possibility of an app that can do note recognising,” says Dr Frelet de Villiers, developer of the Pianoboost app, about her brainchild.

Dr De Villiers, lecturer in the Odeion School of Music (OSM) at the University of the Free State (UFS), developed this interactive app for piano learners to learn music. She started the developing process three years ago, but the project only got momentum when she approached LivX, a digital developing company in Pretoria, six months ago.

Useful for other instruments
Pianoboost has been live since 9 February 2017 and already received positive reviews, with a five-star rating on the Google Play Store. “In my experience as piano teacher, I know that learners struggle to learn their notes. They can’t recognise the note on the music sheet and therefore cannot play it on the piano,” says Dr De Villiers. Although this app is developed for piano, it is also successfully used for other instruments like the marimba, violin, and guitar, because it can pick up sounds from almost any instrument.

Ideal for use in academic programme
There are students in the certificate and diploma modules at the OSM who haven’t received any formal music training. Therefore, the app is ideal for them to use. “We have instrument-specific methodology in our degree courses. So, those students could also be exposed to the app for use in their own teaching of young learners,” says Dr De Villiers.

Different features sets app apart
The app, available on Android devices, has instant music recognition and impressive features that already sets it apart from existing learning apps. It is used on a real acoustical piano (you do not need to plug the tablet into a keyboard), has instant note recognition, shows the correct position of the note on the piano when you are wrong, and works like a flash card system, to name a few. “By using the app, you also learn the names of notes whether you played it right or wrong,” says Dr De Villiers.

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