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Triple triumph: UFS celebrates three new PhDs in EMS Faculty

09 April 2025 | Story Tshepo Tsotetsi | Photo Supplied

EMS PhDs — Dr Shaun Watson, Prof Philippe Burger, Dr Marese Lombard, and Dr Ambrosé Du Plessis.

As the University of the Free State (UFS) continues to celebrate the achievements of its graduates during the April 2025 graduation ceremonies, three academic staff members from the UFS Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences (EMS) are among those marking a significant milestone with the successful completion of their doctoral degrees.

Prof Philippe Burger, Dean of the EMS Faculty, reflected on the significance of the moment and applauded the trio of new EMS PhD graduates: Dr Shaun Watson, Dr Marese Lombard, and Dr Ambrosé Ray du Plessis.

“For the EMS Faculty to have three staff members obtain a PhD on one day is very special,” Prof Burger said. “These colleagues have grown their standing in the scholarly community and are now, with a PhD in the bag, ready to take on the academic world and the world at large. The EMS Faculty places a high premium on our staff holding a PhD, so we strongly encourage those who are not in possession of a PhD to pursue one.”

Prof Burger added that their achievements not only reflect personal dedication and professional growth but also contribute to the University of the Free State’s Vision 130 goal: to have 75% of academic staff holding doctoral degrees by 2034.

The EMS academics who graduated during the April 2025 ceremonies are:

Dr Shaun Watson: Understanding markets through restatements

Dr Shaun Watson, a senior lecturer in the UFS School of Accountancy since 2006, earned his PhD in Management Accounting with a thesis titled ‘Market Efficiency and Share Price Reaction Following the Retrospective Restatement of Financial Statements of JSE-Listed Companies’. His study analysed how financial restatements affect market behaviour, providing key insights for policymakers and investors navigating emerging markets.

“For me, it was both a personal challenge and a professional goal,” Dr Watson said. “I’d often wondered if I had what it takes to complete a PhD and, as an academic, I saw it as the pinnacle of our field. My wife was the one who told me to ‘Nike – just do it!’ Her belief in me, along with the quiet support of my family, gave me the push I needed to start, and the strength to keep going.”

To those still considering the journey, Watson offered this advice: “Do it for yourself – because if you don’t, you will never finish. It is a demanding journey that requires sacrifice and perseverance, but the reward of discovering something meaningful is worth every moment.”

Dr Marese Lombard: Taxation as a tool for sustainable agriculture

Also from the School of Accountancy, Dr Marese Lombard received her PhD in Taxation. Her research, ‘Taxation as a Method to Promote Sustainable Agriculture in South Africa’, is the first of its kind to offer empirical evidence on how tax provisions could be used to incentivise sustainability in local agriculture.

“I hope to see a conversation regarding policy changes as to how taxation can be used as a positive method to impact sustainability,” Dr Lombard said. “If taxation can be used to further assist our agricultural industry to become more sustainable, it can not only increase our competitive edge but also address the concern of food security.”

Reflecting on her personal growth, she said, “It has taught me that we are more resilient than we think. The challenge of taking on a PhD has made me more open to other ideas and approaches, and more comfortable with criticism – not just in academia, but in life.”

Dr Ambrosé Ray du Plessis: Rethinking the political-administrative divide

From the Department of Public Administration and Management, Dr Ambrosé Ray du Plessis earned his PhD in Public Administration and Management. His thesis, ‘The Political-Administrative Dichotomy in Coalition-Led Metropolitan Municipalities: A South African Perspective’, developed a fresh conceptual framework for understanding the tensions and complexities within coalition-led governance, using the City of Johannesburg as a case study.

“For me, academia is a calling, and I believe that a PhD is an essential stepping stone to be successful in academia,” Dr Du Plessis said. “Being the first in my family to do a PhD motivated me to work harder, as I wanted to inspire those who will come after me.”

Balancing full-time lecturing and doctoral research required immense discipline: “I often had to work at night and over weekends to meet my deadlines… but the emotional and intellectual support from my PhD promoter, Prof Liezel Lues, was central to my success.”

Now, Dr Du Plessis hopes to deepen academic discourse on coalition politics: “My research addresses critical gaps and provides fresh insights into the political-administrative discourse as it can be applied to real-world coalition government problems in South Africa… I hope my work can leave a lasting impact – not only within academia but also in practical applications that benefit society.”

A testament to resilience and purpose

While their research topics differ vastly, all three describe their PhD journeys as transformative, both professionally and personally. From late nights and weekend writing sessions to intense supervision relationships, each story reflects a deeper commitment to scholarship – and to growing the UFS’s intellectual capital.

News Archive

An education system based on hope is what South Africa needs – Dr Beryl Botman

2016-05-26

Description: Hope revised Tags: Hope revised

Dr Beryl Botman, a postdoctoral research
fellow at the IRSJ, with Dr Willy Nel research associate
at the IRSJ and lecturer at the UFS
Faculty of Education.

HOPE is tangible and concrete construct that should be rooted in the learning and training of teachers,” said Dr Beryl Botman, a postdoctoral research fellow at the Institute for Reconciliation and Social Justice (IRSJ).

She presented her research paper Educators, praxis, and hope: A philosophical analysis of post-apartheid teacher education policy, based on the theoretical ideologies of Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed. She explores ways in which oppression has been justified, and how it has been overcome through a mutual process between the oppressor and the oppressed, drawing on Paolo Freire’s theories and practices. The presentation was held at the University of the Free State’s (UFS) Faculty of Education, on the Bloemfontein campus on 13 May 2016.

From oppression to hope
Hope should be an educational construct for teacher education in South Africa. Dr Botman asserts that epistemology and ontology should be inseparable, as they are pivotal to an education system that is transformational.

The recent country-wide student protests and demonstrations are an indicant that education institutions need to seek understanding of mechanisms that fuel social conflict. Dr Botman claims that vast social inequalities make the process of democratisation difficult thus hindering transformation. She states that a critical consciousness is important for all South Africans, but more so for educators; it can be used as a tool to understanding the mechanisms of social conflict.

“Self-reflection and self-critique is vital for educators, we need to understand that we do not have all the answers because we ever-evolving beings, working on understanding ourselves and the people around us,” said Dr Botman.

The notion of hope
“I am a farmer. I have no hope for a future that is different from today. This quotation comes from Paulo Freire’s work," said Dr Botman. She said that the South African context and environment is similar. She said that people cannot live for today; one should live for tomorrow if hope is to manifest itself.

South African education environment needs to adopt a progressive consciousness that is future orientated, “You need to be hopeful, if you are radical. You need to be able to envision a new society and a new world,” said Dr Botman.

“You cannot only denounce the present, you need to also announce your hopes for a new society. South Africa needs education systems built on understanding. Although change is difficult, it is necessary for transformation,” Dr Botman added.

What makes hope educational?
“Hope is a vision for a tomorrow that is different, and vital for a transformative education system. To get out of a state of despair, people need to educate their hope. Lately, the issue of white privilege has been brought to the fore. You need to educate your hope, so that you understand the reality of others but, more importantly, of yourself,” said Dr Botman.

Dr Botma added that teacher education needs to adopt a Freirean pedagogy with a strong philosophy based on hope. The agency of teachers can either be hopeful or without hope. It is vital that education promotes hope.

“Teachers need to rely on their existential experience, the experiences of others, and the experiences of the children or students they teach. An understanding of all these experience reinforces the idea that people are life-long learners, always learning and adapting to society’s needs,” said Dr Botman.

Teachers as agents of hope
Dr Botman stated that current South African education policy is directed towards transformation but it does not stipulate means to achieve this objective. Further, she argues that educators need to put greater emphasis on self-knowledge, self-reflection, and self-education. Connecting with teachers, parents, students and the community engages with their self-knowledge and reflection.

Reorientation of teacher education
Dr Botman concluded by mentioning that rethinking ontological and epistemological aspects of education is important, and should be a pivotal point of teacher education. A renewed vision of hope-orientated philosophy and pedagogy needs to be adopted by the education institutions. A praxis, which is an informed action, when a balance between theory and practice is achieved. There is a need for an inclusive exploration of education philosophies and education systems not only European and Western but also African and Eastern as well.

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