Bult - University of the Free State

Nuus News
Jonathan Jansen wants
to bring people together
Integration among staff and students, and
the promotion of indigenous languages
such as Afrikaans and Sesotho, are some
of the challenges singled out by the newly
appointed Rector and Vice-Chancellor
of the University of the Free State, Prof.
Jonathan Jansen.
“The UFS has to find a way of integrating classroom
life while at the same time ensuring the promotion of
Afrikaans, an important cultural trust of the institution, as
well as Sesotho and other indigenous languages. It has
to bring academic staff, administrative staff, workers,
students, as well as the parent community behind a
compelling vision of transformation that works in the
interest of all members of the university community. And it
has to rebuild trust and confidence among students and
staff in the mission of the university,” Prof. Jansen said.
He is optimistic that he will be able to achieve this. “It is
a great privilege to lead the UFS and I will really do my
utmost best to be of service to the UFS.” Prof. Jansen
is the thirteenth Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the
institution in its 105-year history.
The UFS Council decided with an overwhelming
majority on his appointment, signalling the institution’s
commitment to be a world-class university that is also
pursuing transformation in the interests of the entire
university community.
In his announcement of the appointment Judge Faan
Hancke, Chairman of the UFS Council, appealed to the
entire UFS community – staff, students and alumni – to
support Prof. Jansen in his endeavour to lead the UFS
to greater heights. “This is an important moment in the
life our institution. We should celebrate this achievement
as a united university community. As a council we are
unanimously behind Prof. Jansen and want to assure him
of our full support,” Judge Hancke said.
“The University of the Free State has gained a national
reputation for three things: [1] its turnaround strategy
in terms of financial stability in a context where external
funding has been uncertain; [2] its research strategy
which has seen a steady and impressive growth in
research outputs; and [3] its managerial decisiveness in
the wake of the Reitz incident,” Prof. Jansen said earlier.
Prof. Jansen is a recent Fulbright Scholar to Stanford
University (2007-2008), former Dean of Education at the
University of Pretoria (2001-2007), and Honorary Doctor
of Education from the University of Edinburgh. He is a
former high school Biology teacher and obtained his
undergraduate education at the University of the Western
Cape (B.Sc.), his teaching credentials at UNISA (HED,
B.Ed.) and his postgraduate education in the USA (MS,
Cornell; Ph.D., Stanford). He is also Honorary Professor
of Education at the University of the Witwatersrand and
Visiting Fellow at the National Research Foundation.
His most recent books are Knowledge in the Blood (2009,
Stanford University Press) and his co-authored Diversity
High: Class, Color, Character and Culture in a South
African High School (2008, University Press of America).
Vroeg reeds,
sedert die
vorige eeu,
speel die
Vrystaatse
sinode ‘n
belangrike rol in die Zambiese kerk. Dit is juis die
Vrystaatse sinode wat in die tyd van die Anglo-
Boereoorlog besluit het om met sendingwerk in Zambië
te begin. Hieruit het die stigting van talle kerke en
uiteindelik die vestiging van die Justo Mwale Teologiese
Universiteitskollege in Lusaka gevolg.
Daar is toe ook later ‘n band tussen die UV en dié
kollege gevorm. ‘n Aantal van ons dosente en studente
het verbintenisse met dié kollege. Prof. Rian Venter van
ons Departement Dogmatiek was voorheen aan Justo
Mwale verbonde en ‘n paar van Justo Mwale Kollege
se studente het onderskeidelik hul meesters- en
doktorsgrade in Teologie aan ons universiteit behaal.
Die verhouding tussen die Justo Mwale Kollege en
ons universiteit het gegroei tot so ‘n mate dat hulle
ons Fakulteit Teologie genader het oor die aanbied
van ‘n meestersgraad in teologie. Tans kan studente
slegs B.Th.-graad- of diplomakursusse aan die Justo
Mwale Kollege voltooi. Studente van die verskillende
Christelike kerke in Zambië, Malawi en ander lande
wat aan die Justo Mwale Kollege teologiese opleiding
ontvang, om as predikante in hulle kerke te gaan
optree, het ‘n toenemende behoefte ontwikkel vir
nagraadse kursusse in teologie aan hierdie kollege.
Die Accreditation Council of Theological Education
(ACTEA), ‘n akkrediteringsliggaam in Zambië, bepaal
dat slegs residensiële grade deur hulle geakkrediteer
Afrika-leraars preek
met UV-kwalifikasie
Deur Lyzette Hoffman
Toe ons Fakulteit Teologie ‘n besondere
samewerkingsooreenkoms met ‘n Zambiese
Universiteitskollege aangegaan het, het hy net weer
bewys hy is ernstig oor gehalte, ook in die internasionale
hoëronderwysgemeenskap.
word. Dit is egter ‘n probleem by Justo Mwale,
aangesien talle studente nie residensiële studente
is nie. Dit was toe dat die Justo Mwale Kollege ons
Fakulteit Teologie genader het.
Aan die hand van ons regulasies, is ‘n kurrikulum vir die
MA in Bybelse Studies en Hermeneutiek saamgestel.
“Ons universiteit en die Justo Mwale Kollege sal elk ‘n
dosent vir elke module aanstel en kontaksessies met
die studente sal in Lusaka aangebied word,” sê prof.
Rian.
Studente wat die program suksesvol voltooi, sal ‘n
UV-graad ontvang by die gradeplegtigheid wat by
Justo Mwale sal plaasvind. In hierdie teologiegraad sal
aandag geskenk word aan ‘n eie Afrika-hermeneutiek.
Verder sal kerklike leierskap ook hierdeur ontwikkel
word. “Dit gebeur dikwels dat persone met nagraadse
teologiese kwalifikasies in bestuursposte in die sinodes
van die Zambiese kerk dien en so ‘n invloed kan
uitoefen op die kerk in die breë verband. Dikwels vervul
kerkleiers ook ‘n belangrike rol in die gemeenskap.
“Die besonderse band tussen ons universiteit en die
Zambiese kerk word tot nuwe hoogtes gevoer met
hierdie nuwe samewerkingsinisiatief,” sê. prof. Rian.
Prof Hermie van Zyl,
Departement Nuwe
Testament, dr. D.T.
Banda, Prinsipaal
van Justo Mwale
in Lusaka, en prof.
Fanie Snyman,
Departement Ou
Testament.
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