Latest News Archive

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

22 UFS researchers received first NRF rating

29 October 2024 | Story André Damons | Photo Supplied

NRF Researchers 2024 — First NRF rating: From top left: Dr Andronicus Akinyelu, Lecturer in the Department of Computer Science and Informatics, received his first Y2 rating, Dr Monique de Milander, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Exercise and Sport Sciences, obtained a C3 rating, while Dr Calvin D. Ullrich, Senior Lecturer in Interdisciplinary Theology: Historical and Constructive Theology, obtained a Y1 rating. Bottom left: Prof Maria Tsakeni, Associate Professor in the School of Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Technology Education, Prof Matildie Wium, Associate Professor in the Odeion School of Music, and Dr Weldemichael Tesfuhuney, a senior lecturer in the Department of Soil, Crop, and Climate Sciences, all obtained a C2 rating.

The list of National Research Foundation (NRF)-rated researchers at the University of the Free State (UFS) is growing, with 22 researchers recently receiving their first NRF rating, and 14 others obtaining new ratings after re-evaluation. This list is expected to grow even more with results slowly filtering in.

Profs Jan van der Watt, Research Fellow in the Department of Old and New Testament Studies, and Felicity Burt from the Division of Virology and SARChI Research Chair in vector-borne and zoonotic pathogens, are the latest NRF B1 rated researchers. While this is Prof Van der Watt’s first NRF rating, Prof Burt has increased her NRF rating from B3 to B1. The UFS now has 10 B1 rated researchers.

In addition to the new rating of Profs Burt and Van der Watt, the UFS also boasts seven new C1 rated researchers, 14 new C2s, five new C3s, seven new Y2s and one Y1 and B3 rated researchers respectively.

Among the researchers who obtained their first NRF ratings are Dr Bimo Abraham Nkhata, Senior Lecturer at the Centre for Environmental Management; Dr Yolandi Schoeman, Senior Lecturer in the Centre for Mineral Biogeochemistry; and Dr Angélique Lewies, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, who has this year been nominated for the prestigious 2023/2024 NSTF-South32 Awards, popularly known as the “Science Oscars” of South Africa. Dr Nkhata obtained a NRF rating in the C2 category, while both Drs Schoeman and Lewies obtained a Y2 rating.

An honour to be among rated researchers

Other researchers who obtained their first NRF rating include Dr Monique de Milander, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Exercise and Sport Sciences, who obtained a C3 rating and Prof Maria Tsakeni, Associate Professor in the School of Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Technology Education, who received a C2 rating.

Dr De Milander, a Kinderkineticist who works with the motor development of young children, says she was very surprised to obtain a C3 rating. “I feel honoured receiving this NRF rating. To know that other researchers are reading my work and finding it relevant. It takes a lot of dedication and patience, since this is an endurance race and not a sprint. You need to work many hours, read a lot of new articles and write the articles themselves.

“In addition, collecting the data is not always possible without the assistance of our students at the Department of Exercise and Sport Sciences as fieldworkers. I would like to acknowledge them because without them my research projects would not always be feasible. Furthermore, the publication process is also timeous, thus a lot of time elapses before you start to see the results of your work,” explains Dr De Milander.

According to her, the current project for her NRF rating is the assessment of motor development, attentional deficit hyperactive disorder, anthropometry and academic performance in low- and high-socio-economic primary school learners in Mangaung.

Prof Tsakeni, whose research focuses on the design and implementation of innovative instructional strategies and curriculum innovations in science classrooms, says she is honoured to be among the rated researchers. “The recognition motivates me to continue pushing myself to climb the ladder of rated researchers. The rating makes me feel affirmed to continue with my research work. I am grateful to the Faculty of Education, the UFS, and the NRF for giving me the opportunity and support.”

She would like to upscale the impact of her research by engaging in large-scale studies, international comparative studies, international collaborations, and one day, be a visiting scholar at some prestigious universities.

“The innovations in science classrooms include integrating inquiry-based practical work, education for sustainable development (ESD) and STEM education. The instructional strategies include inquiry-based learning and integrating educational technologies in the classrooms,” says Prof Tsakeni.

Recognition for long-term academic work

Newly C2 rated researcher, Dr Weldemichael Tesfuhuney, a senior lecturer in the Department of Soil, Crop, and Climate Sciences, says: “As an agrometeorologist by profession, I feel a profound mix of pride and motivation after receiving NRF-rating recognition for my long-term academic work.

“This acknowledgment validates my years of dedication in understanding the intricate relationship between meteorology and agriculture. It boosts my confidence and reaffirms my commitment to advancing my academic and research goals.

“Such recognition is a pivotal moment for me; it serves as a powerful reminder of the impact of my research on agricultural practices, particularly in addressing the challenges posed by climate change in arid and semi-arid regions.”

Dr Tesfuhuney, whose research deepens understanding of how meteorological patterns affect agricultural practices, making a significant contribution to the field of Agrometeorology, has established a robust research portfolio focused on the challenges of meteorology and agriculture in arid and semi-arid regions. He has spearheaded several long-term research initiatives, including In-field Rainwater Harvesting (IRWH) techniques, intercropping practices, micrometeorology, and crop modelling simulations, all aimed at improving crop productivity for smallholder farming communities in rural areas.

Currently, Dr Tesfuhuney is expanding his research on underutilised crops in the region, focusing on how these crops can help smallholder farmers adapt to the impacts of climate change while improving nutritional security.

Work on the right track

Dr Calvin D. Ullrich, Senior Lecturer in Interdisciplinary Theology: Historical and Constructive Theology, who obtained a Y1 rating, says though there is much talk in South African academia about the necessity of an NRF rating which is not always positive (at least in the broader humanities), the NRF does have its strengths.

“I think it pushes one to critically consider one’s work as a whole; to reflect on its current shape and to identify lacuna within a broader trajectory. There is something generative about this process in and of itself. Feelings of relief but also of affirmation then: a rigorous peer-review system which acts as a metric, according to which one might be able to say, ‘my work is somehow on the right track’ — I think there is certainly value in that.”

According to Dr Ullrich, pursuing your research and making critical interventions into your field, means the rating can follow as a necessary consequence. Research for him, he continues, like most academics, is deeply personal and exhilarating, and so acquiring the rating can also be seen as just another internal aspect of the research process as opposed to being contingent to it.

He has several research projects currently in the research pipeline including smaller writing projects relating to eco-phenomenology and eco-theology and political theology in South Africa. A larger project, scheduled to begin later next year and continuing for the next three years (2025-2028), involves a more intense investigation of the social dimensions of ‘affects’ and how this could be deployed within the specific social context of faith communities.

It’s humbling

For Prof Matildie Wium, Associate Professor in the Odeion School of Music, her first C2 rating is not only an honour for her contribution to her field, but also a humbling moment, because the experience of applying for a rating makes clear how much room remains for growth.

Her research has two main focus areas: (a) 20th-century South African art music, studied from an analytical-hermeneutic perspective, and (b) the musical practices and experiences of mid-19th-century female opera singers in London, studied by means of archival documents.

“I am currently working on converting conference papers I had delivered recently into articles, mainly on the South African art music side of my endeavours. There are papers about Mimi Coertse (in collaboration with my colleague Dr Albertus Engelbrecht), Hubert du Plessis’s Opus 24 (in collaboration with my past student Dr Melissa Gerber), and Michael Mosoeu Moerane’s tone poem Fatshe la Heso under development.

“I am also co-writing a paper analysing some items from ethnomusicologist Gerhard Kubik’s archive of Àló (Yoruba storytelling) with my colleague Dr Joseph Kunnuji,” says Prof Wium.

Dedication, resilience, and strategic focus

Dr Andronicus Akinyelu, Lecturer in the Department of Computer Science and Informatics, called his first Y2 rating incredibly rewarding as it reaffirms his hard work and perseverance have not been in vain. “It also serves as a great source of motivation for me to continue pushing boundaries and striving for excellence in my academic and research pursuits. I am deeply grateful to God for this achievement. I am delighted to have been successful. It is an important milestone in my academic journey,” he says.

According to him, achieving an NRF rating requires a combination of dedication, resilience, and strategic focus. It involves publishing high-quality research in top-tier journals, supervising postgraduate students, and contributing significantly as a first or corresponding author on various projects.

“My research spans multiple cutting-edge areas, including machine learning, deep learning, computer vision, medical diagnosis, sustainable agriculture, and responsible artificial intelligence (AI). Currently, I’m collaborating with international researchers to develop deep-learning techniques that predict treatment responses in cancer patients.

“This research has the potential to significantly advance personalised medicine by enabling more accurate and timely interventions. Additionally, I am deeply committed to promoting responsible AI by developing frameworks and models that prioritise ethics in AI systems,” says Dr Akinyelu.

Prof Vasu Reddy, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Research and Internationalisation says: “Congratulations to all our newly rated researchers. We are expecting more in the coming months as the results of applications slowly filter in. We are extremely proud of our rated researchers for the recognition they have received. This is in large part the result of their contribution to producing high-quality research. There are many benefits that accrue to our researchers who are rated, namely an investment in their scholarship, including UFS support, as well as opportunities to further enhance their academic trajectory.”

Other researchers who obtained their first NRF rating:

Dr Ernie Langner (Department of Chemistry, C2)
Prof Danrè Strydom (Odeion School of Music, C3)
Prof Lizemari Hugo (School of Nursing, Y2)
Prof V.R Clark (Director: Afromontane Research Unit, C1)
Dr Clement Masakure (Department of History, C2)
Prof Mariette Reyneke (Department of Public Law, C2)
Dr Soumya Ghosh (Department of Genetics, C3)
Prof Patricks V Otomo (Department of Zoology and Entomology, C2)
Dr Tafadzwa Maramura (Department of Public Administration and Management, Y2)
Dr Yibeltal Terefe (Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, C3)
Dr Bianca Naude (Department of Political Studies and Governance, Y2)
Dr Andronicus Akinyelu (Department of Computer Science and Informatics, Y2)
Dr Sogo Abolarin (Office of the Dean: Natural Sciences, Y2)

Researchers who obtained a new rating after re-evaluation:

Prof Carlien Pohl-Albertyn (Microbiology and Biochemistry, went from a C2 to C1 rating)
Dr Kate Law (International Studies Group, C1 previously Y1)
Prof Paul Fouche (Department Psychology, C1 previously C3)
Prof Michelle Engelbrecht (Centre for Health Systems Research & Development, went from C3 to C2)
Dr Joseph Sempa (Department of Biostatistics, C3 previously Y2)
Prof Oliver Nyambi (Department of English, went from Y1 to C1)
Dr Marianne Conradie-Bekker (Department of Chemistry, went from Y2 to C2)
Dr Marieka Gryzenhout (Department of Genetics, C1 previously C2)
Prof Martin Nyaga (Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) Unit, previously held a Y2 now a B3)
Prof Botma Visser (Plant Sciences, went from C2 to C1)
Prof Kobus Schoeman (Practical and Missional Theology, went from C3 to C2)
Prof Louise Van Den Berg (Nutrition and Dietetics, C3 to C2)
Prof Christoph Gauert (Geology, went from C3 to C2)

News Archive

UFS responds to concerns around high costs of higher education

2015-10-15

Dear Students

UFS responds to concerns around high costs of higher education

There is an understandable and shared concern among students in the country around the high costs of higher education. As you know, this also is a matter of deep concern on our campuses, which the University of the Free State (UFS) has made a priority in discussions with student leaders - and through new strategies to relieve the burden of costs on poor students and their families. In fact, in the past two weeks, the UFS leadership has again engaged students on the matter of fees in the future.

This is what we have done so far. We have maintained our position as one of the universities with the lowest tuition fees in the country. As you would have seen from recent newspaper reports on the cost of a degree at various institutions over the past five years, the UFS has had consistently low fees. This is not an accident; both the University Council and the executive leadership of the UFS is of one mind that we must offer a high quality education at minimum cost to all our students, despite the rising costs of operating a large multi-campus university with 30 000 students. Our commitment to you is to continue to keep those costs to students as low as possible, without compromising on the quality of education.

In addition, we took a decision earlier this year to become the first university to drop application fees for first-year students. We are proud of that achievement, since so many students fall at this first hurdle as they contemplate post-school education and training. We also waived registration fees for postgraduate students and now Research Master’s and PhD students can study tuition free under certain conditions. We raised more than R60 million from the private sector to enable talented students, who do not receive NSFAS funding, to complete their degree studies at the UFS. We set aside some of the university’s own funds to enable even more students to access finance for their studies. And we now have a special office set aside to counsel and assist students to apply for more than one scholarship to support their studies. The university does not follow a policy of maximizing exclusions. It has endeavoured and succeeded to turn around the majority of its potential deregistration cases. During 2015 we had 2 700 students at the risk of being de-registered, but our serious efforts resulted in only over 200 instances of exclusion we could not mitigate. As is the practice for the past few years, these students’ debt for 2015 has been reversed.

But, we do not only look for funds from outside to support our students. Last year we set up a Staff Fund to which ordinary members of the academic and support staff can contribute from their own, and sometimes very modest, salaries to enable Kovsie students to finish their degrees. We have volunteers who work on the No Student Hungry (NSH) Bursary Programme to raise funds for students who cannot afford a regular meal. We have an open line to rural and township schools to nominate poor students with good results for support by the Rector’s Fund, and some of those students are now in their final year of studies. And many of our staff support individual students in their homes and with their families, without being asked to do so. This is what we call the Human Project and it remains central to the way in which we deal with students.

We will of course continue to make representation to government, the private sector, and individuals to increase funding, especially for first-generation students, and for families where more than one student is at university. We will continue to take to the road to raise funds from companies and foundations to finance our students. We will expand on-campus opportunities for limited working hours for students who wish to earn some money to support their studies. As we have said often before, no student who passes all their courses or modules will be turned away simply because they do not have the funds to study.

The UFS discusses and agrees to fee increases with our students well in advance of the next academic year. None of these decisions are taken without the agreement of the student leadership and thus far these engagements, while tough, have always been done in good faith and with the students’ interests at heart.

It is important for you to know that, with the declining government subsidy, in real terms, and the expanding needs of our students, we will not be able to keep the university running without fees - even though this source of revenue comes mainly through scholarships and bursaries. We need to compensate staff, purchase new library books and renew journal subscriptions (which is very difficult given the low value of the Rand), upgrade computers and software, pay rates and taxes, purchase laboratory equipment, pay the water and electricity bills, expand internet services, upgrade campus security, and hire more academics to keep class sizes reasonably small. It is important for you to know that the university has managed to avoid increasing student fees as a result of much higher municipal rates. Our lecturers are not the highest paid in the country and financially we run a tight ship. We consistently achieve unqualified audits and we are known to be one of the universities that manage its NSFAS contributions with great efficiency. We do this because of our commitment to ensure that our students are able to enjoy a high quality of education on a stable campus where there is a deep respect for all campus citizens.

Despite all these efforts, the most important message we wish to communicate, is that the door remains open for continued discussion with student leaders as we continue to find ways of keeping university education open and accessible to all qualifying students. At the same time, the UFS leadership is involved in discussions with government about how to best manage the escalating cost of higher education for our dents.

Thank you for your support and understanding at this time and be assured, once again, of our commitment to students as a matter of priority to the university leadership.

Best regards

Prof Jonathan Jansen
Vice-Chancellor and Rector

University of the Free State
19 October 2015

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