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21 November 2024 | Story Jacky Tshokwe | Photo Supplied
Prof Mogomme Masoga
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.

News Archive

UFS staff attend conference in Poland
2006-07-21

Staff members of the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences' Department of Public Management at the University of the Free State (UFS) attended the conference of the International Association of Schools and Institutions of Administration (IASIA) in Warsaw, Poland. During the visit the delegates also met the South African ambassador in Poland, Ms Febe Potgieter-Gqubele.

From the left:  Prof Hendri Kroukamp (Programme Director: Public Sector Management); Prof Moses Sindane (Departmental Chairperson: Public Management); Ms Potgieter-Gqubele, Dr Liezel Lues (lecturer); Mr Lyndon du Plessis (lecturer) and Prof Koos Bekker (lecturer).

Prof Moses Sindane, Departmental Chairperson of the Department of Public Management at the University of the Free State (UFS), received  the Pierre de Celles award for the best paper delivered at the IASIA's conference that was held in Miami in the USA in September 2003.  The title of the paper was  'Public administration versus public management: Parallels, divergences, convergences and who benefits?'.

During the award ceremony were from the left:  Prof Sindane, Prof Turgay Ergun (President of IASIA) and Prof Hendri Kroukamp ( Programme Director:  Public Sector Management at the UFS and member of the management of IASIA).

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