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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

New guidelines to increase diversity in student residences at the UFS
2007-06-08

As from 2008, the University of the Free State (UFS) will implement new policy guidelines for student residences so as to increase diversity on the Main Campus of the UFS in Bloemfontein.

These new policy guidelines were approved by the Council of the UFS today (Friday 8 June 2007) after consultations with a range of stakeholders, especially students currently in residences, student leaders and student organisations, with inputs received from alumni and parents as well.

According to a statement by the Chairperson of the UFS Council, Judge Faan Hancke, and the Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS, Prof. Frederick Fourie, the guidelines are based on an educational rationale with a definite educational objective.

“What the UFS seeks to do with these new policy guidelines, is to overcome the racial divides of the past and equip students in residences with the knowledge and skills to understand people from other cultures, appreciate other languages and to respect differences in religion but also economic background,” Judge Hancke and Prof. Fourie said in their statement.

“This will give students in UFS residences a distinct advantage over many other work seekers in South Africa, because the workplace today is a very diverse place with people of many backgrounds,” Judge Hancke and Prof. Fourie said in their statement.
They said the UFS wanted to establish a new model of residence life in which students will voluntarily embrace diversity and learn about diversity so as to add value to their educational experience in a residence.

In the late 1990s the UFS made the first attempt to integrate its residences which led to violent clashes between white and black students. A compromise agreement was reached based on freedom of association but this has over the years led to the current situation of largely white and largely black residences.

To support students during the implementation of the new policy guidelines, the management of the UFS will establish several mechanisms and programmes for students to empower them, to build their capacity and to facilitate a smooth transition to a new model of student life in the residences.

Judge Hancke and Prof. Fourie said the decision is another important milestone in the ongoing transformation of the UFS and in the provision of quality higher education for all UFS students, and that the decision had been taken in the best interests of the students.

“This is a very carefully managed transition to bring about a non-racial character to our student residences in line with the Constitution and the ethos of a democratic South Africa,” Judge Hancke and Prof. Fourie said.

How the new policy will work in practice

As from 2008, the new policy aims to bring about an important shift in the way first-years are placed in a residence. From 2008 first-year students are to be placed to achieve a minimum diversity level of 30% in each junior residence.

In senior residences a mix of approximately 50-50 will be the goal from 2008.
Residences will be responsible for placing 50% of first-years, which gives them the scope to increase diversity. The university’s accommodation service will place the other 50%. All these placements must occur in accordance with the educational rationale and the related diversity objective.

If a residence cannot reach the diversity objectives, the university will use the 50% of placements that it controls to achieve sufficient diversity in a particular residence.

Support mechanisms for students

According to Dr Ezekiel Moraka, Vice-Rector: Student Affairs, students in the residences will not be left on their own to deal with the issues of diversity. The management of the UFS has identified several important areas where the process may need support, especially in the early stages of implementation. Students and student leadership will be involved in the further design and finalisation of the implementation details.

These areas where support will be finalised are the following:

  • Providing properly trained and qualified personnel (such as live-in wardens, residence heads etc.) to supervise the implementation of the policy on a 24-hour basis;
  • Ongoing orientation workshops for all students in residences to deal with diversity in a mature way;
  • Support to deal with language issues, including interpreting services so that language rights of all students can be respected; and
  • Assistance with the review of residence governance, administrative and other procedures that have been used in residences up to now.

“There can therefore be no doubt that the management is committed to the well-supported and successful implementation of this new policy and to giving the best possible education to all our students,” Judge Hancke and Prof Fourie said.

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

 
 

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