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07 July 2025 | Story Martinette Brits | Photo Charl Devenish
NAS Conference
Leaders in science and innovation at the NAS Research Conference 2025. From the left: Prof Samuel Adelabu (Vice-Dean: Research and Postgraduate Studies in NAS), Prof Vasu Reddy (Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Internationalisation), Prof Bonang Mohale (Chancellor), Prof Paul Oberholster (Dean of NAS), Dr Alba du Toit (Research Chair: Innovative Agro-Processing for Climate-Smart Food Systems), and Prof Daryl Codron (Department of Zoology and Entomology).

The inaugural Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences (NAS) Research Conference at the University of the Free State (UFS) signalled a decisive shift in how science is being imagined and practised at the institution. The two-day gathering, which took place on 1 and 2 July 2025, not only showcased research excellence, but also marked the official launch of two flagship initiatives: the Green Futures Hub and the Complex Systems Hub. Both are designed to enable transdisciplinary research that connects across fields, responds to global and local challenges, and contributes to the university’s Vision 130 strategy.

The conference theme, Integrating science for societal impact and a sustainable future, framed the programme, which featured presentations by researchers, postgraduate students, and postdoctoral fellows across all NAS disciplines. Opening the event, Prof Paul Oberholster, Dean of the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, said: “This is more than a research gathering. It’s a signal – a step forward in our faculty’s approach to science, innovation, and impact.”

He emphasised that in a world marked by climate instability, digital disruption, and growing inequality, science must step forward not only to understand the world, but also to help shape it. “Our goal is to create research pathways that are sustainable, collaborative, and responsive to both local and global needs,” he said. The Green Futures Hub and the Complex Systems Hub are practical, future-facing platforms that make that vision real – connecting researchers, government, industry, and communities, he explained.

 

A catalyst for agricultural and environmental transformation

Prof Wayne Truter, Executive Manager of the Green Futures Hub, introduced the initiative as a catalyst for bringing applied science and sustainability together. He asked how innovation can translate into practical solutions that serve society and the environment. “We often focus so deeply on our disciplines that we forget to ask how our work creates social and economic impact,” he said.

The Green Futures Hub is a virtual platform and flagship of agricultural and environmental stewardship and sustainable development. It fosters partnerships that unleash value through nature-based solutions, land rehabilitation, climate risk finance, water resource management, bio-energy innovations, and more – by connecting researchers with industry, government, and international stakeholders. It also supports initiatives that enhance food and water security, investigate the coexistence of mining and agriculture, and address the carbon and nitrogen economy. The hub serves as a space for funding, knowledge transfer, and community transformation.

Prof Truter noted that complex societal challenges – from sustainable agriculture to the energy transition – cannot be solved by isolated disciplines. “Research must be applied in ways that industry and communities can understand and value,” he said. “If we want businesses to believe in science, we must speak their language and show relevance. The Green Futures Hub exists to bridge that gap.”

 

Science that responds to complexity

Prof Oberholster explained that the faculty’s second major initiative – the Complex Systems Hub – is designed to equip researchers to solve pressing problems in a digitally interconnected age. By bringing together data science, AI, advanced modelling, and interdisciplinary design, the hub strengthens the university’s ability to respond to global challenges.

“These are not abstract concepts,” he said. “They are practical responses to the question: how can we do science that matters?”

Dr Jacques Maritz, Head of the Unit for Engineering Sciences, who presented the launch, emphasised that complexity is not a threat to science – it is a source of innovation. “Scalability, unpredictability, nonlinearity, and emergence – these aren’t just buzzwords. They define the future of research.”

The Complex Systems Hub is a digital platform that enables agile, multidisciplinary teams to develop integrated responses to major issues such as climate change, pandemics, and space science. It connects NAS entities such as the Green Futures Hub, the One Health Centre of Excellence, and Advanced Materials Research to foster collaboration and innovation.

Dr Maritz explained that the hub bridges academic research and real-world application by creating spaces where diverse fields intersect. “If we want research to move from lab scale to real-world solutions, we need diverse teams working together – no single field can do this alone.”

Current projects include eco-friendly materials for sustainable construction, scientific water management using algae, and genomic surveillance for public health – all united by one goal: to turn complexity into opportunity and data into direction.

 

Bringing research closer to impact

Prof Vasu Reddy, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Internationalisation, officially opened the conference and praised the faculty for its foresight and leadership. “This conference is not only about exchanging ideas,” he said, “but about igniting conversations that matter.” Science, he noted, is not a luxury of the privileged, but “the lifeblood of progress,” and its success must be measured not only in citations but in consequences.

He reminded delegates that global challenges such as climate change, food insecurity, and biodiversity loss are no longer distant threats, but urgent realities. “Science must respond – not with silence, but with solutions and deeper questions.”

Referencing the university’s Vision 130 strategy, Prof Reddy said the goal is not just to be research-intensive, but to reimagine the role of science in society. “The world doesn’t necessarily need more data,” he said. “It needs more direction. If our research does not touch lives, it is not reaching far enough.”

He described the conference as a space to “plant ideas, cross-pollinate disciplines, and harvest innovation,” and applauded the launch of the two new research hubs as engines of hope and practical impact. Addressing postgraduate students and early-career researchers directly, he encouraged them to be curious, collaborative, and courageous: “You are not simply here to follow footsteps. You are here to forge new paths.”

 

Building a future grounded in our own narratives

Prof Bonang Mohale, the Chancellor, reminded delegates that science cannot be separated from history, context, or social justice. Quoting Emeritus Professor J Edward Chamberlin, he asked: “If this is your land, where are your stories?” He challenged researchers to ensure that science is not only excellent but also rooted in African realities and driven by the desire to transform society.

“Those nations that make English compulsory but agriculture optional are destined to produce a citizenry that speaks fluently – but on an empty stomach,” he said. “We must do science that describes, defines, and shapes this country in our own image.”

 

A faculty on the move

Over the two-day programme, students and researchers presented cutting-edge work aligned with the faculty’s wide range of disciplines and the university’s strategic research goals. The conference replaced the Flash Fact competition as NAS’s flagship research platform.

In closing, Prof Oberholster invited delegates to make the most of the opportunity to engage across disciplines. “Let’s ensure that the science we do here continues to transform lives – locally, nationally, and globally.”

News Archive

Important message to UFS students on NSFAS and financial aid in general
2013-02-01

31 January 2013

Dear Students

There remains some uncertainty as well as misinformation within the student body concerning NSFAS and financial aid in general. This communication is intended to provide the facts on the state of student funding at the University of the Free State (UFS). I hope you find this information helpful and that it would guide you in your decisions as you wait to hear from, or hopefully receive funding from NSFAS or any other source.

  1. Every year the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) determines how much funding is available to fund students at all universities in South Africa; this is determined in part by the student numbers. Universities do not ask for, or determine the DHET allocation and are instructed by government that “NSFAS will ensure that the universities comply with the processes, procedures…for the allocated funds.”

  2. On 14 December 2012 the UFS received notice from the DHET that our total allocation would be R108,331,215.66 and that this amount must be apportioned in the following categories:
    General NSFAS Funding R85,174,275.07
    Teacher Training R2,291,940.59
    Disability Funding R1,265,000.00
    Final-Year Programme R19,600,000.00

  3. The UFS received 5 952 applications for NSFAS funding and with the available funding we can only finance up to 3 000 students on the Qwaqwa and Bloemfontein Campuses, provided that those students satisfy the stringent criteria, e.g. the so-called “national means test” determined for all universities in the country. If we funded more students that the available monies allow, the university would be held accountable by the NSFAS Board and the DHET and this would threaten future funding.

  4. Students apply in the previous year and therefore late applications are less likely to receive funding.

  5. Academic merit also counts, therefore students who fail one or more modules are less likely to receive new or ongoing support from NSFAS. The combination of academic standing and financial need are among the important criteria in decision-making on NSFAS funds.

  6. The UFS is one of the few universities with a very efficient record in using every cent made available to support poor students; we are proud of this record. No money is sent back to NSFAS, except small amounts not claimed by students in the disability category. The university is not allowed to shift funds between categories as described in point #2 above.

  7. Allocations are not based on campus, but need.

  8. The UFS sets aside an additional R35,7 million (in 2013) from within its own budget as bursaries so that we can accommodate as many students as possible. We spend every cent of this funding on students.

  9. The UFS also raises millions in bursaries from the private sector to support poor and promising students, though these funds are often linked to the industry granting the money, e.g. Investec for Accounting students and SASOL for Chemistry students. This recruitment of bursaries is a 24/7 commitment of the Marketing Office and the Faculties and Heads of Departments are also active in raising funds from government agencies, parastatals and the private sector for students in their units.

  10. After almost all our 2013 funds were allocated in favour of students, we calculated a shortfall in the NSFAS allocation of approximately R51 million. We are in the process of making an urgent submission to NSFAS to consider this additional allocation, but we cannot guarantee that this plea can or will be met.

Finally, I want all our students to know that the University of the Free State works very hard to raise every cent we can to provide poor students with funding for their studies. Many of my colleagues, including support staff, who do not earn very much, use some of their meagre personal resources to help a student with money for registration or clothing or food. In fact, the No Student Hungry Campaign that raises more than R600,000 by UFS volunteers annually, is another mechanism for trying to assist students who might have money for studies, but not much else.

We do this because we care, and because this is what The Human Project at Kovsies is all about.

I therefore ask for your patience as we continue our labour of raising the funds that enable every deserving student to continue their studies at the University of the Free State.

Should you have any further questions about NSFAS, please leave an email inquiry on choanet@ufs.ac.za or mallettca@ufs.ac.za and we will endeavour to provide you with the information you require.

Sincerely Yours

Jonathan D Jansen
Vice-Chancellor and Rector
University of the Free State

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