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06 January 2025 | Story Anthony Mthembu | Photo Supplied
Prof Solomon Werta
Prof Solomon Werta, UFS alumnus and Vice-President: Administration and Development at Dire Dawa University, continues to inspire as one of Ethiopia's youngest leaders in higher education.

Throughout the progression of his career, the UFS alumnus, Prof Solomon Werta – Vice-President: Administration and Development at the Dire Dawa University (DDU) – has been the ‘youngest’ to occupy positions of leadership in several instances. 

In fact, the DDU appointed Prof Werta as Vice-President: Research and Community Service in 2020, making him the youngest vice-president of any public university in Ethiopia. According to Prof Werta, when it comes to senior management roles in universities and government, the norm is that the positions are held by middle-aged, mature leaders. However, after a unanimous vote by senate members at the university, he assumed that role at the age of 31. “Holding such a senior position at that age makes me a role model not only for a generation of young people, but for those at the University of the Free State who may be following my career,” Prof Werta stated. 

What the role entailed 

As Vice-President: Research and Community Service, he was responsible for driving research, innovation, technology transfer, community engagement, and growth within the institution and the community at large. As such, some of his highlights within this role include establishing a university community radio station to serve both the university and the Dire Dawa community, establishing new university journals such as the Harla journal, and establishing a nationally accredited institutional review board, among others. 

He occupied this role until November 2023 when he was promoted to his current role as Vice-President: Administration and Development at the DDU. Prof Werta credits this most recent promotion to the dedication and hard work he put into his previous role, as well as the knowledge and experience he acquired during his time at the UFS. 

In recognition of his work as a researcher within the Department of Physics at the DDU, Prof Werta was also promoted to Associate Professor in Physics. As a result, he indicates that he can be regarded as the youngest associate professor of physics in Ethiopia. Therefore, he continues to contribute to his institution and beyond on these accounts. 

What the future holds 

Prof Werta indicated that he plans on continuing to make strides as his career progresses, particularly in his role as Vice-President: Administration and Development. “I’d like to focus on increasing the university’s internal revenue, particularly through urban farming and other businesses using our academics,” said Prof Werta. In addition, he would also like to work on changing the university’s internal business practices, particularly the automation and digitalisation of the university system and the implementation of a contemporary university property management system, among others. 

News Archive

UFS presents its third Amazing Rainbow Rally
2007-05-31

The University of the Free State (UFS) and OFM will present the third Amazing Rainbow Rally on Friday, 8 June 2007 in Bloemfontein.

This year’s Rally promises to be loads of fun with plenty of new surprises in store. The Amazing Rainbow Rally, our version of the popular television series the Amazing Race, is held in aid of children and babies with serious diseases in the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health in the Faculty of Health Sciences. By raising the necessary funds, equipment can be acquired to meet the unique health care needs of these special patients. It will also enable the UFS to maintain the high standards of education, training and research in this field.

In the Amazing Rainbow Rally, teams travel along a route with various checkpoints where activities will have to be completed, or clues solved, to be able to proceed to the next checkpoint. The team who completes the Rally first will be the winner of the Amazing Rainbow Rally 2007.

The day promises to be a huge event with lots of challenging activities for the teams and live crossings to the OFM Breakfast Team. Teams will travel in marked “taxi’s” from checkpoint to checkpoint. So give them a shout and show your support!

The Coca-Cola Celebrity Team, with Ebi Halberstadt (Braam from Egoli) and Lorraine Kriek (UFS Rag Queen and SRC President) will add extra sparkle to the event.

Join us at the Windmill Casino, the starting point for this year’s Rally at 12:00 on 8 June 2007!

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl@ufs.ac.za
29 May 2007
 

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