Latest News Archive

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

Dr Sebolao honoured with prestigious HERS-SA Award

22 October 2024 | Story Jacky Tshokwe | Photo Supplied

The University of the Free State (UFS) is proud to announce that Dr Rosaline Sebolao, our Teaching and Learning Manager in the Faculty of The Humanities, has been recognised with an award from Higher Education Resource Services South Africa (HERS-SA). At the ceremony, Dr Sebolao was one of the top five finalists for her exceptional contributions to higher education, particularly in academic administration.

The HERS-SA Award celebrates outstanding women in academic administration, acknowledging their crucial role in supporting and transforming the higher education landscape. According to Dr Sebolao, “The significance of this award lies in its developmental and transformative impact.” She explains that it highlights the essential contributions made by women in academic administration and encourages gender transformation within universities. This recognition empowers women to take on leadership roles, shifting the focus beyond traditional academic achievements.

Award recipients are selected based on a minimum of five years of demonstrated leadership in academic administration. Dr Sebolao’s innovative leadership practices, her contributions to institutional performance, her peer mentoring, and community engagement were all key criteria in her selection. Her mentoring efforts, particularly through school visits and support for underprivileged students, have made a lasting impact on the community and her peers.

Reflecting on the honour of receiving the award, Dr Sebolao describes it as “humbling and exciting”. She felt especially inspired as a mentor, noting that this recognition has the potential to encourage young women and men to strive for excellence in their academic and administrative pursuits.

Achievements leading to the award

In her role as Teaching and Learning Manager, Dr Sebolao has made significant contributions to both students and academics at the UFS. She has initiated several impactful projects, including the establishment of student indabas and entrepreneurial initiatives aimed at addressing graduate unemployment. Her commitment to improving communication led to the launch of a faculty newsletter, enhancing engagement among academics.

Among her most notable achievements is the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) project, which culminated in the UFS’ inaugural SoTL seminar in July 2024. She also spearheaded the Humanities Excellence Awards, encouraging faculty to pursue greater academic and research recognition. Her dedication to engaged scholarship extended beyond the university, resulting in community collaborations such as the establishment of a school library in Ikgomotseng, promoting literacy and education among local learners.

Dr Sebolao’s academic journey began after transitioning from the business sector to academia in 2013. Her experience in roles such as Peer Mentorship Coordinator and Teaching and Learning Coordinator at the Central University of Technology, and later as Manager of Special Projects in Teaching and Learning, helped shape her leadership style. She joined the UFS during the challenging COVID-19 period, a time that also marked some of her greatest achievements.

One of the key challenges that Dr Sebolao faced was overcoming the isolated nature of work within the faculty. By fostering a collaborative culture, she succeeded in promoting teamwork and innovation across departments. This approach not only improved institutional collaboration, but also strengthened her professional impact.

Dr Sebolao’s relationship with HERS-SA has been instrumental in her development as a leader in higher education. Since participating in the HERS-SA Academy in 2018, she has connected with influential women in the sector and solidified her commitment to mentoring others. Winning this award affirms the importance of mentoring and paves the way for future leaders in higher education.

Looking to the future, Dr Sebolao aspires to continue championing gender transformation in leadership. She aims to empower more women, particularly black women, to take on leadership roles within academia. Her focus is on fostering community development through collaborative projects that promote sustainable living, aligning with her broader vision for teaching and learning at the UFS.

Dr Sebolao encourages young women to believe in their abilities and seek mentorship for guidance and support. She emphasises that perseverance, coupled with a strong support network, is essential to achieving leadership success in higher education.

Outside of her professional life, Dr Sebolao draws motivation from her family and community work. Guided by Ecclesiastes 9:10, which emphasises dedication in all endeavours, and inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s words, “Be the change you want to see in the world,” she remains committed to leading with passion and integrity.

The UFS community is incredibly proud of Dr Sebolao’s achievement and her continuous contributions to academic excellence and gender transformation in higher education. This award is a testament to her tireless efforts and dedication to empowering others.

News Archive

UFS to award honorary doctorate to Maria Ramos

2004-12-08

The Council of the University of the Free State (UFS) recently approved the awarding of an honorary doctorate to Ms Maria Ramos, Group Chief Executive of Transnet in April 2005. A total of five honorary doctorandi will be honored.

The other doctorandi are Proff Jan Groenewald (D Sc (hc)), Jaap Durand (D Phil (hc)), Sampie Terreblanche (C Dom (hc)) and Anthon Heyns (MD (hc)).

Me Ramos will receive an honorary doctorate in Economics (P hD (Economics) (hc)) for the large contribution she made to the establishment of a prudent fiscal and macro-economic policy in South Africa and hence, to the restoration of the financial credibility of the country in the eyes of domestic and foreign investors. Ms Ramos was the Director General of the National Treasury from 1996-2003.

She obtained the MSc-degree in Economics in 1992 from the University of London and was awarded a British Council Scholarship (Helen Suzman award) in the same year and in 1991. During the early nineties she was among others project leader of the ANC’s Macro-economic Research Group and also a member of the team that negotiated chapters on finance in the interim Constitution of South Africa. She was a research associate at the Centre for the Study of the South African Economy and International Finance at the London School of Economics and also lectured at the Universities of South Africa and the Witwatersrand.

“It is a great privilege for us to honor Ms Ramos and the other doctorandi in their different fields of expertise. This once again serves as an example of the UFS’s policy to give recognition to people who excel and make a difference,” said Prof Frederick Fourie, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS.

Prof Jan Groenewald will receive an honorary doctorate for his life-long commitment to the establishment and development of Agricultural Economics as a subject field in South Africa and in Africa and his various contributions to the UFS. During his career, Prof Groenewald received various awards among others in 1998 when he received the Stals Prize for Economics from the South African Academy for Science and Art and in 1990 when he received an honorary medal from the South African Society for Agricultural Economics.

Prof Jaap Durand will receive an honorary doctorate in Philosophy for his pioneering work on various fields in the South African society. He obtained his Masters degree in Philosophy from the UFS and contributed to almost 60 articles and collections. Prof Durand has a colourful career as academic manager: from professor in Systematic Theology and dean of the Faculty of Theology at the University of the Western Cape to Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the same university. He was the ombudsman of the University of Stellenbosch from 2002-2003.

Prof Sampie Terreblanche will receive an honorary doctorate in Economics for the important role he played, and is still playing, to keep the debate about and the need for socio-economic and socio-political reform in South Africa going. Prof Terreblanche started his career as a lecturer at the UFS. In 1992 the Stals Prize for Economics was awarded to him by the South African Academy for Science and Art. Prof Terreblanche was also a founding member of ASSET, an organisation addressing the problems of poverty, inequality and social injustice in South Africa.

Prof Anthon Heyns, Chief Executive Officer of the South African National Blood Service, will receive an honorary doctorate in Medicine. Prof Heyns is a well-known international researcher in Hematology and recently received a Centenary Medal from the UFS for his strong role and national prominence as expert and leading figure in establishing and developing Hematology at the UFS. He was the first head of the UFS’s Department of Hematology and is also co-editor of the only Afrikaans hand book of Hematology. He serves among others as a council member and member of the executive management of the South African Medical Research Council. On the international front he serves on at least five committees of the World Health Organisation based in Geneve, Switzerland. He has two honorary appointments as professor respectively at the UFS and University of the Witwatersrand.

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel: (051) 401-2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za
8 December 2004

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