Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
Previous Archive
22 October 2024 | Story Jacky Tshokwe | Photo Supplied
Dr Rosaline Sebolao
Dr Rosaline Sebolao, Teaching and Learning Manager in the Faculty of The Humanities at the University of the Free State, has been recognised with an award from Higher Education Resource Services South Africa (HERS-SA).

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

Nat Nakasa the inspiration behind UFS academic’s PhD thesis
2017-01-09

 Description: 001 Dr Willemien Marais Tags: 001 Dr Willemien Marais

Photo: Supplied

“I’m interested in alternative ways of approaching things, so I wanted to look at how journalism can be used in an unconventional way to contribute to a developing society.”

This is why Dr Willemien Marais, a lecturer in the Department of Communication Science at the University of the Free State (UFS), decided to title her thesis: Nat Nakasa as existential journalist, describing a form of journalism that places emphasis on the individual’s experiences.

“Existentialism is a philosophy that provides scope for an individual approach to life, and I like Nat Nakasa’s writing because of his excellent sense of humour despite his horrific circumstances as a black journalist during apartheid,” she says.

A practical approach to writing

Dr Marais analysed Nat Nakasa’s approach to journalism through articles he wrote in the early 1960s. She searched for relevant themes of existentialist philosophy in Nakasa’s work in order to prove that he could be read as an existential journalist.

She mentions that in terms of contemporary relevance, Nakasa’s approach to journalism suggests that existentialism could provide the journalist with a practical approach to writing, especially for those journalists working in developing societies.

“The relevance of this approach lies in the fact that any society is always between things – the old and the new – which might require the journalist to operate outside the boundaries of conventional journalism.”

This study was qualitative in nature because of the interpretation required. She mentions that it was basically one of many possible interpretations of Nakasa’s work; with this one using existentialism as a lens.

An intellectually stimulating thesis

Dr Marais quotes French existentialist Jean-Paul Sartre, who said that interpreting someone’s work, especially someone who was no longer alive, was open to “thousands of shimmering, iridescent, relevant meanings”, and her research represents one of these possible meanings of Nakasa’s work as a journalist.

When asked how long she had worked on her thesis, Dr Marais simply answered “too long!” She mentions that her thesis was initially more of an intellectual exercise. Whereas the actual act of writing took about four months, she spent many years thinking about the topic. “Now that all is said and done, I realise I had to grow into the topic. It took me a while to realise that true understanding does not come overnight!”

Dr Marais mentions that other than herself and the work of Nat Nakasa, there were no other roleplayers involved. “For many, many years it was just Nat Nakasa and I. It was frustrating and exhilarating all at the same time.”

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