UV Jaaroorsig - University of the Free State

Change and transformation amidst continuity as
a university
In his inaugural address in February 2003, titled Continuity
and change, scholarship and community, quality and
equity, the new Vice-Chancellor pointed out that this
reconstitution of the UFS signaled how much a university
can and often must change – but also how, amidst such
change, it must safeguard its continuity of existence as a
university.
Two points were critical. First, in order to serve society,
the University much always fulfill the tra di tional
role of a university, i.e. to be a place of critical inquiry
and scholarship, of the generation and transfer of scientific
knowledge.
Secondly, while the UFS respects its intrinsic na ture as
university, it must continually adapt its form and scope to
meet changing opportunities and demands. In South Africa
as a developing society, for a very long time the UFS will
have to do many unconventional things to sup port
development and shape a new society – using its foundation
of knowledge.
Therefore, he said: “The greatest contribution the UFS
can make to the Free State community is to be and con ti nue
to be, now and in 25 years’ time, a very good, high quality
university – and always a creative, innovative, dynamic,
equitable, socially responsive and pro-active university.
“Therefore my vision for the University of the Free
State is to be a university of excellence, equity and in novation
– a leader in research, teaching, community service,
adult learning, transformation, non-racialism, non-sexism,
multiculturality and multilingualism; a contributor to our
country and our continent’s growth and develop ment; a
truly South African university,” Prof Fourie said at the
time.
The idea of a robust university
A particular theme, highlighted in the opening address and
annual review of 2004 (the UFS Centenary Year), was to
Annual Review • 2007 1
The year 2007 marks the last year of the first term of office of the current Rector and
Vice-Chancellor, Prof Frederick Fourie. In July of this year he was also unanimously
re-appointed, by the University Council, for a second term of office.
The five-year milestone marks a systematic process of strengthening the foundations
of the University of the Free State over a five-year period. The purpose of this process was to lift
the UFS to a higher level of functioning in all key strategic areas. Much was achieved in these
five years.
firm up the foundations of the UFS in order to become a
great and robust university. Prof Fourie defined robustness
as begin strong and vibrant, vigorous, able to withstand
shocks, competition and turbulent times. Robustness was
required in many areas:
• The UFS must firstly be academically robust with high
quality staff, solid intellectual and disciplinary depth,
research integrity and research depth. It must also be
managerially and administratively robust: high quality
support and manage ment staff and processes, sys tems
integrity, ingrained professionalism and service culture.
• Secondly, it must be financially robust with sound
financial management, sufficient reserves to ab sorb
shocks, sound investment in the core business, and sound
remuneration and staff practices.
• Thirdly, the UFS must be robust in its management of
diversity and equity: solid and sound relations between
diverse groups, strong commitments to live in mutual
respect, strong common values to underpin an equitable,
diverse workplace and student community, and a firm
campus consensus on what kind of university society we
want to be.
Others include robustness in the regional role and regional
engagement of the UFS, playing a strong leader ship
role to meet the needs of a poor and developing society,
vigor ously playing its role as an engaged university, and
also in the UFS’ national and international leadership
role, projecting its expertise in niche areas into the sci entific,
industrial and policy arenas.
Dreaming a dream, in early 2004, of a great and ro bust
uni versity was almost unthinkable if not for the dramatic
success of the Financial Turnaround strategy of 2000-2004.
Its intention (and effect) was not just to get the UFS out of
a financial crisis, but to create sufficient financial space to
en able a turnaround in the core busi ness: to invest in topclass
staff, facilities, research, teaching and learning and
tech no logy in order to be a very good university, in disputably
one of the top five or six universities in the coun try,
whilst retaining a firm and sustainable financial basis.