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UFS Thought-Leader series sparks national dialogue on employability and sustainability in higher education

18 June 2025 | Story Onthatile Tikoe | Photo Kaleidoscope Studios

Prof Hester C. Klopper, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the UFS, will facilitate the UFS Thought-Leader Series discussion titled Reimagining Higher Education for Employability and Sustainability.

The University of the Free State (UFS) is proud to announce the next instalment of its prestigious Thought-Leader Series, titled Reimagining Higher Education for Employability and Sustainability. This highly anticipated event – held in collaboration with the Free State Arts Festival - will take place on Thursday, 17 July 2025, from 12:00 to 14:00 at the Albert Wessels Auditorium, UFS Bloemfontein Campus. Attendance is free and open to the public.

Now in its seventh year, the UFS Thought-Leader Series has established itself as a dynamic platform for robust public dialogue on pressing local and global issues. The series brings together influential voices from academia, industry, and civil society, reflecting the university’s continued commitment to thought leadership, public engagement, and transformative impact.

Rethinking the purpose of Higher Education

This year’s theme comes at a critical time. South Africa faces escalating youth unemployment, rapid technological change, and the complexities of a shifting global economy. Against this backdrop, questions around the purpose of higher education and its alignment with employability and sustainability have become increasingly urgent.

The panel will explore how universities can better integrate their teaching, research, and community engagement to address the real-world needs of graduates and society at large.

Prof Hester C. Klopper, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the UFS, will serve as the facilitator. With her extensive leadership experience and academic expertise, she is well-positioned to guide what promises to be an insightful and forward-thinking conversation.

Meet the panellists

The session will feature an esteemed panel of thought leaders from the higher education landscape:

Dr Max Price

Former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Town, Dr Max Price brings deep insights into leadership during transformative moments in South African higher education. A medical doctor and Rhodes Scholar, he holds postgraduate qualifications in public health. His recent memoir, Statues and Storms: Leading through change, reflects on steering a university through turbulent times and fostering dialogue on contested transformation issues.

Dr Phethiwe Matutu

As CEO of Universities South Africa (USAf), Dr Phethiwe Matutu leads national initiatives shaping the future of higher education. A mathematician by training, she has held strategic leadership roles at the National Research Foundation and the Department of Science and Technology. Her work is rooted in advancing equity, innovation, and access within the post-school education system.

Prof Paul E Green

Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Teaching and Learning at Sol Plaatje University, Prof Paul E Green is a specialist in systems thinking and higher education quality. Holding a PhD from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, he has served in senior academic positions across several institutions. His research centres on integrating education, innovation, and community impact to meet contemporary challenges.

Prof Pamela Dube

Prof Pamela Dube is the Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the Central University of Technology (CUT) - the first woman to be appointed to this role in the Free State. A distinguished academic and visionary leader with extensive global experience, she has served in senior positions across several universities and national institutions. Her work spans a wide range of fields, including student development, postcolonial studies, gender equity, and the evolving interface between technology and humanity. Known for her commitment to inclusive transformative education, Prof Dube has received numerous awards and international recognition for her contributions to higher education and leadership.

Event Details

Venue: Albert Wessels Auditorium, UFS Bloemfontein Campus

Date: Thursday, 17 July 2025

Time: 12:00–14:00 (90 minutes)

Click here to RSVP before 15 July 2025

News Archive

Mathematical methods used to detect and classify breast cancer masses

2016-08-10

Description: Breast lesions Tags: Breast lesions

Examples of Acho’s breast mass
segmentation identification

Breast cancer is the leading cause of female mortality in developing countries. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the low survival rates in developing countries are mainly due to the lack of early detection and adequate diagnosis programs.

Seeing the picture more clearly

Susan Acho from the University of the Free State’s Department of Medical Physics, breast cancer research focuses on using mathematical methods to delineate and classify breast masses. Advancements in medical research have led to remarkable progress in breast cancer detection, however, according to Acho, the methods of diagnosis currently available commercially, lack a detailed finesse in accurately identifying the boundaries of breast mass lesions.

Inspiration drawn from pioneer

Drawing inspiration from the Mammography Computer Aided Diagnosis Development and Implementation (CAADI) project, which was the brainchild Prof William Rae, Head of the department of Medical Physics, Acho’s MMedSc thesis titled ‘Segmentation and Quantitative Characterisation of Breast Masses Imaged using Digital Mammography’ investigates classical segmentation algorithms, texture features and classification of breast masses in mammography. It is a rare research topic in South Africa.

Characterisation of breast masses, involves delineating and analysing the breast mass region on a mammogram in order to determine its shape, margin and texture composition. Computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) program detects the outline of the mass lesion, and uses this information together with its texture features to determine the clinical traits of the mass. CAD programs mark suspicious areas for second look or areas on a mammogram that the radiologist might have overlooked. It can act as an independent double reader of a mammogram in institutions where there is a shortage of trained mammogram readers.

Light at the end of the tunnel

Breast cancer is one of the most common malignancies among females in South Africa. “The challenge is being able to apply these mathematical methods in the medical field to help find solutions to specific medical problems, and that’s what I hope my research will do,” she says.

By using mathematics, physics and digital imaging to understand breast masses on mammograms, her research bridges the gap between these fields to provide algorithms which are applicable in medical image interpretation.

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