Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
Previous Archive
04 October 2024 | Story Dr Nitha Ramnath | Photo Supplied
International Young Scholars Conference 2024
International Young Scholars Conference.

The University of the Free State (UFS) continues to advance its global academic collaborations, as evidenced by the recent keynote address delivered by Prof Hussein Solomon at the prestigious International Young Scholars Conference at Jawaharlal Nehru University on 3 October 2024. In addition to his keynote, Professor Solomon presented a thought-provoking lecture titled "India’s Contribution in Ensuring Africa’s Security" at Jamia Millia Islamia on 4 October 2024, highlighting India’s significant role in the African security landscape.

Throughout his visit to India, Prof Solomon actively participated in multiple conferences at various universities and institutions, reinforcing the importance of academic dialogue between the two regions. His engagements reflect UFS’s unwavering commitment to fostering international knowledge exchange and collaborative partnerships.

A notable outcome of this visit is the pending finalisation of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Delhi University. This agreement aims to expand the current partnership with Jawaharlal Nehru University from a faculty-level agreement to a comprehensive, institution-wide collaboration across multiple disciplines beyond the humanities. This development will facilitate joint research initiatives, collaborative PhD supervision, and joint funding proposals, marking a significant step forward for both institutions.

Reflecting on the potential of these partnerships, Prof Solomon remarked, “The Indian academic landscape is incredibly dynamic. With India poised to become the world’s largest economy by 2050, strengthening ties with Indian institutions provides the UFS with immense strategic opportunities.”

Prof Solomon’s academic contributions extend beyond administrative agreements. He is co-editing a forthcoming book on BRICS and climate change with Prof Bashabi Gupta from the Department of Geography at Delhi University. This work aligns with the upcoming BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, later this month. Moreover, plans are underway for a second volume, as well as a new book focused on feminist decoloniality from African and Asian perspectives, which seeks to amplify marginalised voices in global scholarship.

In line with the UFS’s dedication to expanding its international reach, Prof Solomon continues to build on existing relationships and pursue new collaborations with Indian scholars, particularly within the BRICS and BRICS Plus frameworks. These efforts will enhance academic exchange and research opportunities, further positioning UFS as a key player in global academic discourse.

As UFS broadens its global footprint, such initiatives not only elevate the institution’s reputation but also enrich the academic experiences of its students and researchers, promoting a more interconnected academic landscape. 

News Archive

UFS appoints a Dean of Education
2009-11-06

 Prof. Dennis Francis,   Dean of the Faculty of Education at the University of the Free State (UFS).


Prof. Dennis Francis from the University of KwaZulu-Natal has been appointed as Dean of the Faculty of Education at the University of the Free State (UFS) as from 4 January 2010. He is the first dean of this faculty since it was established at the UFS earlier this year.

Prof. Francis has worked at the University of KwaZulu-Natal since 2002. Prior to his appointment at the UFS he was a Professor in the Faculty of Education and Head of the School of Social Science Education at that institution.

“I am overwhelmed and excited at the same time. Mostly, I feel privileged and honoured to be joining the Faculty of Education,” he said of his appointment.
“The Faculty of Education is newly constituted and there are endless possibilities and potential. So I am really excited to be here.”

“What attracted me to the UFS is the leadership and vision of Prof. Jonathan Jansen, the emergent energy that is here, and the possibilities for transformation and change that exist. But also the warmth and graciousness of the people that I have interacted with,” he said.

Prof. Francis has taught and supervised Master’s and Doctoral students in the area of social justice education, identity studies and sexuality education. He has published numerous articles in refereed national and international journals, chapters in edited collections, and four edited journal special issues. He is also the author of Between Race; Beyond Race. Prof. Francis is the current guest editor of the South African Journal of Higher Education Special Issue on Transformation and Social Cohesion in Higher Education.

He has delivered conference presentations in his fields of research at international conferences in India, USA, Brazil, Thailand, Greece, Malaysia, Mauritius, UK and South Africa, as well as a further fifteen papers at national conferences. At three of these conferences he was an invited speaker. In 2008 he was granted researcher status by the National Research Fund.

Prof. Francis is currently on the editorial boards of two journals and an advisor on two international education conference committees. He also serves as the Chairperson of the Kenton Education Association.

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Deputy Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@ufs.ac.za  
5 November 2009
 

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