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16 October 2024 | Story Anthony Mthembu | Photo Supplied
Sanlam and Santam
Top 10 finalists of the Sanlam and Santam Economist of the Year competition with Dr Genius Murwirapachena (right) and Prof Johan Coetzee (left).

The Department of Economics and Finance, within the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences (EMS) at the University of the Free State (UFS), in collaboration with Sanlam and Santam, will host the inaugural ‘Sanlam & Santam Economist of the Year’ competition gala event on 18 October 2024. The event, to be held on the UFS Bloemfontein campus, marks the exciting conclusion of this prestigious competition.

About the competition

Prof Johan Coetzee, Chairperson of the Department of Economics and Finance at UFS, explained that the competition, launched in July 2024, is an initiative of the department, sponsored by Sanlam and Santam. ‘’The competition aims to equip our graduates with the essential skills required for the modern workplace, including presentation, communication, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills,” said Prof Coetzee. He also highlighted plans to extend the competition to schools, saying, “We are looking forward to broadening the platform to include school-level participants.”

In addition, Prof Coetzee noted that the competition is designed to train students to become highly skilled economists capable of navigating the challenges of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR).

The competition sees students - ranging from first-year undergraduates to those pursuing master's qualifications within the department - competing against each other by making predictions on key macroeconomic indicators. A schedule of these indicators is provided, and students must predict their values on an online platform before the official release of each indicator. Points are awarded based on the accuracy of their predictions, with the top 10 competitors progressing to the final stage.  

Gala event highlights

Representatives from Sanlam and Santam, the Department of Economics and Finance, the top 10 finalists, and the department’s top academic performers from each year group will attend the gala event. “Besides recognising the competition winners, we will also honour our top academic achievers. As a department, we acknowledge the importance of recognition, and we are proud to be the academic home of these outstanding students,” Prof Coetzee added.

The top 10 finalists will each deliver a six-minute presentation to a panel of four economists from the department, after which the top three finalists will be announced. These finalists will then answer an additional question, and the final judging will determine the winner of the ‘Sanlam and Santam Economist of the Year’ title. The winner will also receive the largest cash prize.  

In addition to the awards, Sivuyile Nzimeni, a data analyst within the EMS faculty and the developer of the competition platform, will address the audience.  Nzimene will discuss the development of the platform and plans for its expansion.

News Archive

University of Vermont bestows honorary doctorate upon Prof Jansen
2014-05-30

 
Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the University of the Free State (UFS), Prof Jonathan Jansen, was presented with an honorary Doctor of Letters degree from the University of Vermont (UVM). This special event took place on 18 May 2014 at a graduation ceremony in Vermont, USA.

Prof Jansen was honoured for the outstanding work he has done through various initiatives in South Africa and abroad. The University of Vermont especially highlighted the Leadership for Change programme, which sent two cohorts of first- year students from the UFS to UVM. This resulted in long-lasting ties between the students and staff of both institutions. "I am delighted and humbled by the international recognition for the work of the UFS and my small role in it," Prof Jansen said.

Prof Jansen was one of seven recipients of an honorary degree. One of these recipients was Samantha Power, the US ambassador to the United Nations and a member of President Barack Obama’s cabinet.

The UVM honorary doctorate citation reads, “Jonathan David Jansen is a leading public intellectual in South Africa renowned for his passionate dedication to education, social justice and the process of reconciliation. As Vice Chancellor of the University of the Free State (UFS), his leadership and his pioneering work is creating unity in the diverse academic community and transforming the atmosphere on campus. As an international expert, a leader in higher education, a scholar and a teacher, Professor Jansen works to inspire and educate the next generation of global leaders.”

In 2010 Prof Jansen received an honorary doctorate in Education from the Cleveland State University, also in the USA.

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