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13 March 2025 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Tanya Allen
Founders 2025
Celebrating the legacy and achievements of the UFS Business School were, from the left, front: Prof Liezel Massyn, Dr Cornelie Crous; second row: Prof Hendri Kroukamp, Prof Frederick Fourie, Prof Niel Viljoen; third row: Prof Ben Anderson, Prof Tienie Crouse; back: Prof Philippe Burger and Prof Nicolene Barkhuizen.

During a special event held at the Business School on the Bloemfontein Campus on 10 March 2025, the University of the Free State (UFS) paid tribute to the founders and those who helped build the UFS Business School to its current standing.

Those recognised include Prof Frederick Fourie, Prof Niel Viljoen, Prof Helena van Zyl, Prof Tienie Crous, Prof Hendri Kroukamp, and Prof Ben Anderson.

Prof Liezel Massyn, Associate Professor and Programme Director of the Bachelor of Management Leadership (BML) programme in the UFS Business School, welcomed the group of guests. "I remember, as a young academic growing within the faculty, seeing the five leadership principles come to life in practice. These practices demonstrate that a true leader challenges the status quo, inspires a shared vision, empowers others to take action, and leads by example. We have seen this throughout the development and growth of the Business School,” she said.

UFS Business School: a place with heart

According to Prof Philippe Burger, Dean of the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, it was more than a third of a century ago – with the establishment of the Centre for Management Development – that this dream of creating a business programme to support the business community through training and educating people started.

“The UFS Business School is the one business school where a whole career development opportunity is provided. One could come in with just a school qualification and do from a higher certificate to a bachelor's degree, a postgraduate diploma, an MBA, and ultimately even a PhD.”

He continued, “The BML degree offered is unique because it provides individuals in their thirties and forties – who may have missed out on higher education but are ready to step into middle management – the opportunity to get that educational background. It also provides a learning space for those pursuing a bachelor’s degree without having to sit among school leavers. It is something we treasure in the Business School,” he said.

Prof Burger believes the UFS Business School is a place with heart. “It's a place where we care about our students.”

Prof Nicolene Barkhuizen, Director of the UFS Business School, opened her speech with a quote from Theodore Roosevelt: “The more you know about the past, the better prepared you are for the future.” “The best lessons come from the past,” she said, stating that it was a great privilege to celebrate the exceptional leaders who helped build the UFS Business School.

“Your legacy lies not only in what you have achieved, but in the inspiration you're leaving behind. Your contributions have set new standards of excellence, and your legacies will continue to inspire future generations.”

Her call to action was clear, “Honour the past, not just with admiration, but with action. The true essence of leadership is not only in remembering history but also making it.

Impressive reach of the Bachelor in Managerial Leadership

For former UFS Rector and Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Economics and Finance, Prof Frederick Fourie, establishing the Business School was an incredible achievement, despite scepticism about whether the Free State needed it without a strong corporate presence. “But we persevered and created something special that primarily served the needs of businesses in the Free State,” he said.

A key milestone for him was the introduction of the Bachelor of Managerial Leadership (BML) – the vision of Prof Ben Anderson, co-founder and Executive Director of the DaVinci Institute.

Prof Fourie reminisced on the lives that have been transformed – individuals who previously did not have the opportunity to earn a degree but now do, and who go on to become managers, senior managers, directors, and even government leaders. “This makes our Business School unique,” he said, expressing his pride in the MBA and the BML.

The qualification was developed in collaboration with DePaul University in Chicago, known for its expertise in adult learning.

Prof Anderson reflected on the collaborative effort that shaped the programme and highlighted the contributions of 27 corporates and industry representatives in its design, with an emphasis on a transdisciplinary approach that integrates knowledge from various fields to provide a broad and holistic view of managerial leadership. He also acknowledged the programme’s impressive reach, extending beyond South Africa into the broader African continent. He expressed pride in the impact of its graduates in both the public and private sectors.

For Prof Niel Viljoen, the founding director of the Business School and later Vice-Rector: Operations, the greatest highlight was the opportunity to make a lasting difference in people's lives. “It is a wonderful privilege, and we were able to do it for many years and are still doing it now.” He also recalled the first course presentations – from the Management Development Programme to the first MBA class. “It was full of jokes from morning till evening. We once forgot a lecture for the MBA! Moments like those stay with you, because there’s only one first time for everything.”

He also cherished the support from the university leadership, colleagues, and the Free State business community, all of whom played an important role in the school’s success.

Prof Tienie Crous, who became Dean of the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences in 1999, also recalled the agreement with DePaul University. As one of the first four participants in an MBA summer school there, he described how the experience broadened their perspectives and exposed them to a well-run business school. Inspired by this, they returned to teach classes themselves. The faculty also later sent senior colleagues to the United States for six weeks annually to gain industry insights.

Students making a difference

Prof Hendri Kroukamp, Dean of the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences from 2012 to 2022, focused on defining the Business School’s niche alongside then-Director Prof Helena van Zyl. They positioned the school as a leading medium-sized institution, earning national recognition in 2016.

He said when he thinks of the Business School, the staff stand out – their professionalism and dedication to serving students. “These are not first-year students; they are adult learners. Adult learners require a completely different approach – you must, as a lecturer, ensure you are well-prepared and informed, because they will quickly pick up if you are not knowledgeable, and that can cost you credibility.”

He believes that the Business School does more than award qualifications. “We produce students who will make a difference in their communities and environments.”

Prof Helena van Zyl, the longest-serving director of the UFS Business School, was key in shaping it into a boutique business school with strong international ties. Under her leadership, the Business School achieved remarkable milestones, a testament to her impactful leadership. Beyond the UFS, she has also played an important role in the broader organisation of business schools in South Africa by leading in the promotion and advancement of the sector.

News Archive

MSc student plans to FEED our hungry planet
2015-01-27

Photo: Hannes Pieterse

Since attending the 2014 Youth Ag-Summit in Canada, Lisa Coetzee – an MSc student in Plant Pathology in the Department of Plant Sciences at our university – developed a plan to address hunger:

FEED – Forum of Education, Empowerment and Development.

Coetzee, together with a junior lecturer at Plant Sciences, Marguerite Westcott, started this student association to tackle the issue of food insecurity head-on.

Education, empowerment and development “are keywords vital to the solutions to poverty. Hunger is an issue which is found in our own homes. One in every four South Africans is food insecure. Hunger kills more people every year than Aids, malaria and TB combined,” says Coetzee.

“This forum allows awareness to be raised about the hunger situation locally and globally. FEED is talking about hunger and it is assisting in reducing it by reaching out to communities which are in need.

“FEED is the generation which is going to make a difference in eradicating hunger,” Coetzee continues. “We want students to think about how they can feed the hungry through what they are studying”. For Coetzee it is a high priority to ensure that the youth are aware of the importance to feed our hungry planet in a sustainable way.

Her philosophy on relieving hunger and increasing food safety is to enhance the efficiency of crop production, ensure crop security and reduce mycotoxins in the food we eat.

During the 2014 summit, Coetzee was elected to represent the African delegates on the Youth Ag Summit Committee. Ever since, she has been enthusiastically active in the agricultural community. As 43% of the globe’s farmers are women, Coetzee also feels she acts as a voice for female farmers in South Africa.

An important lesson Coetzee has learned is that there is power in one person to make a change – that we should start small but think big.

If you would like to get involved in this project, contact Lisa Coetzee on +27(0)51 401 9681 or email coetzeela@ufs.ac.za.

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