UV Jaaroorsig - University of the Free State

The total expenditure on research in the central university
budget has grew dramatically by more than 100% from
R12,2 million in 2005 to R26 million in 2007, confirming
the UFS’s commitment to research.
The Directorate Research Development has prioritised
the efficiency of its research information-management
systems as a critical requirement to further enhance the
profile of the UFS as a research institution. The directorate
has therefore joined the national Research Information
Management System (RIMS) initiative, led jointly by the
Department of Education (DoE) and the Department of
Science and Technology (DST).
The first five-year cycle of the current UFS research
strategy, which was approved in 2003, will come to an end
during 2008. The strategy guided research develop ment
from 2003 to 2008 by focusing on the development and
enhancement of a research culture at the UFS, through its
five objectives: quality assurance, equity and redress, financial
sustainability, support systems, and output dimension.
The HEQC Institutional Audit recommended that “the
UFS should revise its strategy for the development of
research, focusing particularly on the prioritisation of goals
and objectives…” This recommendation, in addition to
changing internal and external imperatives such as the
Strategic Cluster Initiative, the South African Research
Chairs Initiative (SARChI) and a new strategic plan
launched by the NRF, will inform and direct the external
review of research development at UFS. This review will
serve as framework to guide the UFS towards a New
Research Strategy for the next five years until 2013.
More get NRF ratings
Following a drop in the number of NRF-rated researchers
to 70 in 2006, the total of rated researchers at the UFS
increased when an additional ten persons obtained an NRF
rating. The UFS now has 75 NRF-rated researchers. According
to Evaluation and Rating Facts & Figures 2007, a
publication of the NRF Evaluation Centre, the UFS is rated
Annual Review • 2007 27
Research output for 2007 was 454, following increases from 410 in 2005 to 455 in 2006.
Since 2002 the UFS accredited research output has increased by approximately 50%
(from 304). The total subsidy-bearing output (the above plus research master’s and
doctoral degrees) has also increased to beyond the benchmark set by the Minister of
Education. Furthermore, as recommended by the HEQC, the Directorate Research Development
is developing the necessary mechanisms of support and incentives for researchers to publish
increasingly in ISI-listed journals.
UFS accredited publication output, 2000 – 2006
4th among the top-ten universities in South Africa in terms
of the percentage (11,6%) of their research/instruction staff
with a valid NRF rating.
The effort the university puts in the development of
young researchers is paying off as twelve young researchers
obtained a rating during the year.
Four researchers of the Faculty of Economic and
Management Sciences – Proff. Frikkie Booysen, Hendri
Kroukamp, Philippe Burger and Lochner Marais – received
NRF gradings. In the Faculty of the Humanities three
received first-time gradings. They are Proff. Heidi Hudson
(C1) en Jackie Naudé (C2) en Dr Christo Heunis (C3).
In Theology Prof. Johan Janse van Rensburg received
a C3 grading. The faculty now has four NRF-graded
researchers – a remarkable achievement for a small faculty.
Proff. Andries Snyman, Francois Tolmie en Pieter Verster
received C gradings in the past.
Boost for black researchers
The UFS recognises the need to encourage black and
women researchers in particular and therefore proactively