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21 November 2024
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Story Jacky Tshokwe
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Photo Supplied
Prof Mogomme Masoga, Dean: Faculty of the Humanities.
On 8 November 2024, the South African Humanities Deans Association (SAHUDA) elected Prof Mogomme Masoga, Dean of the Faculty of The Humanities at the University of the Free State (UFS), as its new President. This appointment marks a pivotal moment for SAHUDA, which represents a diverse network of deans who champion the prominence and future of humanities, social sciences, and the arts in South Africa and beyond. Prof Masoga, who has served as Vice-President of SAHUDA for the past year, brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to advocating for the role of humanities in addressing the challenges of our contemporary world.
As President, Prof Masoga envisions broadening the influence of what he terms ‘public and applied humanities.’ His aim is to advance a humanities framework that not only enriches academic discourse, but also engages with critical global and local issues. This approach, rooted in socially responsive scholarship, will prioritise areas such as computational and digital humanities, environmental humanities, and other interdisciplinary fields that intersect with the pressing concerns of our time.
“The humanities are more relevant than ever to understanding complex societal issues,” Prof Masoga explained. “Through public and applied humanities, we can bring the critical perspectives of our field into active dialogue with the challenges of a digital and ecologically threatened world.”
His election underscores the University of the Free State's growing influence in national and international conversations about the future of the humanities. For the UFS, this leadership role enhances its reputation as an institution deeply invested in fostering meaningful contributions to society. Prof Masoga’s presidency is set to amplify the university’s voice and perspectives in SAHUDA’s mission to fortify the role of humanities in education and public life.
Over the next two years, Prof Masoga’s tenure will include a focus on initiatives that strengthen the relevance of humanities scholarship, encourage interdisciplinary research, and cultivate public engagement. He will also prioritise fostering collaboration across higher education institutions in South Africa and internationally to ensure that humanities disciplines are equipped to address the diverse needs of our rapidly evolving world.
Prof Masoga’s commitment to SAHUDA’s mission reflects the values and aspirations of the UFS Faculty of The Humanities. His presidency is an invaluable opportunity for the university to contribute to the national agenda of reinforcing the humanities as a field essential to a healthy, critically informed, and culturally aware society. This achievement serves as a proud moment for the UFS and a beacon for the potential of the humanities to drive societal progress in South Africa and beyond.
More international recognition for Vice-Chancellor
2013-09-27
27 September 2013
Two international awards will be bestowed on Prof Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the University of the Free State (UFS), in the coming months for his dedication to Education.
These awards will add to the multiple international and local achievements and awards Prof Jansen has received this year.
He will join the ranks of laureates of Kappa Delta Pi (KDP) during the organisation’s 49th Biennial Conference in Dallas, Texas, from 24 to 26 October 2013. KDP is an international honour society in education, founded by Dr William Bagley at the University of Illinois in 1911. It was established to foster excellence in education and promote fellowship among those dedicated to teaching. KDP comprises 600 chapters and more than 40 000 members.
On 18 May 2014, the University of Vermont in the USA will confer an honorary doctorate on Prof Jansen for his passionate leadership in higher education and his contributions as scholar to benefit students across the world.
In June 2013, Prof Jansen received the Education Africa Lifetime Achievement Award for Africa in New York at a joint function of Education Africa and Brand South Africa. He joined a list of recipients including Sir Bob Geldof, Sir Richard Branson and Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu. The Education Africa Lifetime Achievement Award for Africa is a highly-regarded recognition on the world stage, awarded to individuals who focus the attention of the global community on the obstacles some of the poorest African nations face.
The University of California in the USA awarded him the Alice and Clifford Spendlove Prize in Social Justice, Diplomacy and Tolerance. The award is made in recognition of persons who exemplify in their work the delivery of social justice, diplomacy and tolerance in the diverse local and global society.
Also in the United States, Prof Jansen has been invited to be Messenger Lecturer for Fall 2013 at Cornell University. He will give three lectures and interact with the students and staff of Cornell at various functions.