Vol 1 - Support Services Ufs Ac Za - University of the Free State

Celebrating research development andexcellence at the UFS:An assessment of progress

Issued byThe Directorate Research DevelopmentUniversity of the Free State, South AfricaEditorialLise KrielIn cooperation with The Write CompanyLanguage revisionNanette LötterSuzette BothaChristo FourieLayoutChrysalis advertising and publishingPhotographersStephen CollettLeonie BolleursPrintingOranje PrintersContact detailsProf Frans SwanepoelTel: +27 (0)51 401 3047E-mail: swanepf.rd@ufs.ac.zaWebsite: www.ufs.ac.za

Table of ContentsForeword .................................................................................................................................................2Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Free State .................................................................2Chairperson of the University Research Committee ..................................................................................4Director of Research Development ...........................................................................................................6Significant Institutional Accomplishments ......................................................................................10A Strategy for Quality Research ..............................................................................................................12Quality and Excellence ............................................................................................................................13Equity and Diversity ................................................................................................................................16Financial Sustainability ...........................................................................................................................20Support Systems ....................................................................................................................................22Research Outputs ...................................................................................................................................24The Strategic Academic Cluster Initiative ................................................................................................26Cluster 1: Water Management in Water-scarce Areas .............................................................................30Cluster 2: New Frontiers in Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development ........................................31Cluster 3: Transformation in Highly Diverse Societies .............................................................................34Cluster 4: Technologies for Sustainable Crop Industries in Semi-arid Regions .........................................36Cluster 5: Materials and Nanosciences ...................................................................................................38Cluster 6: Advanced Biomolecular Research ...........................................................................................40Internationalisation ..........................................................................................................................44Research Commercialisation and Cooperation with Industry .........................................................50Postgraduate Student Support ........................................................................................................58Outstanding Research Achievements ..............................................................................................64Outstanding Contributions to the UFS Research Culture ........................................................................66Excellence at National and International Research Forums .....................................................................75Inaugural Lectures ..................................................................................................................................80Faculty Research ...............................................................................................................................84Economic and Management Sciences ....................................................................................................86Health Sciences ......................................................................................................................................90The Humanities ......................................................................................................................................94Law ........................................................................................................................................................98Natural and Agricultural Sciences .........................................................................................................104Theology ..............................................................................................................................................1081

Prof Frederick Fourie, Rector andVice-Chancellor of the Universityof the Free StateThe start of 2008 marked the beginning of mysecond five-year term as Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Free State.As is appropriate at such times, the Universityembarked upon an institutional process of reflectionand planning for the future. Looking backover the accomplishments and challenges of thepast five years, we asked: If we are to repositionourselves to a significantly higher level in fiveyears‘ time – both in terms of our intrinsic institutionalqualities and functioning, and in theminds of our external stakeholders – what are thekey successes that we must achieve?To answer this critical question, we consideredour vision, our mission and our values; our strengthsand our shortcomings; our context and our objective.Ultimately, we identified a set of new andcontinuing initiatives which will be our mostimportant building blocks towards the successfulmanagement of excellence and diversity at theUniversity. These include five key institutional ‘megaprojects’, as well as two strategically critical genericenabling projects. Two of these seven projects focusspecifically (but not exclusively) on researchdevelopment, namely the Strategic AcademicCluster mega project, and the continued supportand enhancement of general research programmesand the general research culture of the University.The Strategic Academic Cluster project wasinitiated towards the end of 2005 and involves thesuccessful implementation of academic focus areasto direct and converge our teaching and researchexpertise. The Strategic Academic Cluster initiativeis a critical component of our endeavours towardsquality and excellence and aims to position theUniversity as a world leader in six focused researchareas, termed Clusters. These Clusters representcomprehensive academic foci and are not onlyresearch-based. They will therefore include communityinvolvement and postgraduate programmes,and hopefully also filter down to undergraduatelearning programmes and curricula.The six Clusters were developed through anextensive internal and external consultative process.This process was concluded early in 2008 with theformal approval of the final descriptions of eachCluster’s content and focus. The six Clusters are:• Water Management in Water-scarce Areas• New Frontiers in Poverty Reduction andSustainable Development• Transformation in Highly Diverse Societies• Technologies for Sustainable Crop Indus tries inSemi-arid Regions• Materials and Nanosciences• Advanced Biomolecular Research2

Message from Prof Frederick FourieForewordThus far, academics from more than 30departments and ten centres and units are involvedwith the Cluster initiative. Even though thedevelopment of University-wide consensus withinthe Cluster context was at times challenging, it wasa fascinating journey of discovery of commonground for most participants – of uncoveringunexpected opportunities for synergies, and ofseeing colleagues being surprised at how muchmutual enrichment there could be between theirdifferent areas of expertise.An allocation of R10 million has been made in the2008 budget, bringing the total allocation in threeyears to R28 million for the Clusters. While an interimCluster Allocation Committee has been functional forthe past year (so as not to miss opportunities), theCluster financing model has still to be resolved during2008. The same applies to the appropriatemanagement model. These models or structures areboth critical elements of the Cluster process whichrequires careful consideration. The entrepreneurialelement of each Cluster will be an integral part of thedesign and focus of a financial model, while theappropriate management model must allow for thedifferent needs of different Clusters.There are many challenges ahead to really getthese Clusters working as a beehive of academicwork and innovation. This will be a major task ofresearch leaders, heads of de part ments, andespecially Deans (in addition to the topmanagement mem bers con cern ed).Apart from those outstanding research andentrepreneurial academic activities identifiedthrough the Cluster initiative, there are also manyexamples of exceptional research performance indepartments and areas that are not currently partof an approved Cluster. We applaud theseinitiatives and will continue to support them.Thus, the first of the two strategically criticalgeneric enabling projects identified during 2008is concerned with continued support to, andenhancement of, not only the general Universityresearch culture, but also general Faculty researchprogrammes. Even though the University willincreasingly focus its energies on the success ofthe identified Clusters, it remains supportive andproud of excellence and quality in all its research,including general research activities. Not only is itpossible that one or more of these researchactivities may become the kernel of a new Clusterin the future; this type of research continues tounderpin our intrinsic scientific abilities and toform the basis of our current and future researchprofile.At the start of 2008 we look ahead towards apromising future. We look forward to the successesand challenges that lay ahead in this rapidlychanging Higher Education environment. We moveforward by being a true, mature, strong, robust,outward-oriented, leading University in South Africaand Africa.3

Prof Teuns Verschoor, Vice-Rector:Academic Operations and UniversityResearch Committee ChairpersonThe University of the Free State is con sistent lystriving towards excellence in its researchactivities. We have articulated our intention ofbecoming a research-intensive University and withinthis context we respond with appreciation andoptimism to both the praise and advice offered bythe recent Institutional Audit Panel of the HigherEducation Quality Committee (HEQC) of the SouthAfrican Council on Higher Education.The 2006 Audit Panel acknowledged theenthusiasm and commitment with which our staffmembers are working towards becoming a researchledUniversity. The Panel confirmed that thededication of our staff members, as well as ourconsiderable financial and human investment inresearch capacity development, has positivelyassisted the University to progress with respect toits stated strategic research objectives.The recommended revision of the University’sstrategy for the development of research was initiatedduring 2007. This revision includes the externalevaluation of the previous five-year strategy and thedevelopment of a framework for a new strategy toguide research during the next five years (2008-2013).Changing internal and external imperatives will informand direct this review process and, among otherissues, the revised strategy will ensure that ourintention to become a research-led University will beappropriately supported at the operational level.The Panel commended and congratulated theUniversity on its adoption of a focused approach tothe development of research. The Strategic AcademicCluster initiative, as referred to by the Rector in hisintroduction to this report, resulted in the successfuldevelopment of six strategic Clusters which willbecome central to all research and innovationactivities at the University in the coming years. TheseClusters will serve as axis for not only research, butalso academic training at undergraduate andpostgraduate level, and to our engagement with thecommunities around us.Some HEQC recommendations are already inprocess of being addressed, either through thenoted research strategy review, or via other relatedinitiatives.The University, cognisant of the challengesposed by a less than optimal managementinformation system, joined the national ResearchInformation Management System project early in2007. The project is being supported by thenational Departments of Science and Technology,Education and the National Research Foundationand entails the nationwide implementation of asoftware system tailored to the needs of the SouthAfrican higher education sector. The system isbeing implemented at our University during thelatter six months of 2008 and will enable the moreefficient utilisation of monitoring data on researchactivities and output in strategic decision-makingprocesses.4

Message from Prof Teuns VerschoorThe HEQC Audit results prompted the Universityto reconsider its research govern ance structures. Forexample, a restructuring of the University ResearchCommittee in relation to the broader PortfolioCommittee on Education and Research is beingconsidered. The University further intends to clarifyand formalise its approach to the management ofresearch ethics. Research ethics management toolsand information will be available via the centralresearch information management system by theend of 2008, and we are discus sing the establishmentof an institution-wide Ethics Committee. This centralCommittee will bring together ethics boards andethics working groups from all faculties, departmentsand disciplines and it is envisaged that it will managenot only issues related to research ethics, but allaspects of academic ethics.In 2005, the University approved its Policy forthe Management of Intellectual Property. Since thenan acting Director for Entre pre neurship and SpecialProjects was appointed, and a process has beeninitiated to appoint a Director for TechnologyTransfer/Research Com mer cialisation. A candidateattorney was seconded to assist with contractmanagement, and legal representatives werecontracted to handle University patents. The HEQCacknow ledged these positive steps being taken tonot only expand the University’s capacity formanaging the commercialisation of research, butalso to support our researchers to develop and realisethe commercialisation potential of their activities.Even though the University’s research outputhas increased in terms of publication units, theHEQC Panel voiced a concern about the pre dominanceof staff publishing in local and in-housejournals. A proposal to revise the current researchoutput incentive system is being discussed, particularlywith reference to the support required byour researchers to publish more frequently in internationaljournals. At the same time, one of our inhousejournals, the Acta Theologica, recentlyachieved ISI-status. Not with standing, a drive towardsincreased internationally accredited researchpublication will form part of the University’s futureresearch strategy.Finally, the HEQC Audit identified the absenceof formal postgraduate student support services asa possible impediment to quality and excellence inthe University’s postgraduate training activities.The Direc to rate Research Development (DRD)initiated the process to establish an institutionalPost graduate Student Support Office in 2005 andthe University approved this initiative in 2007. Atpresent, dedicated staff members are supportingthe development of this service, and recom mendationsaimed at the improvement of postgraduateeducation at the University are being developed.Based on these activities, the role, responsibilitiesand structure of the Postgraduate Student SupportOffice will be clarified and the Office shouldcommence operations by the end of 2008.For their dedication and ingenuity of the pastfive years I thank the DRD management and staff.The strategies and support projects emerging fromtheir offices have enriched and advanced theUniversity research culture to ever-increasingheights and we remain confident in their supportand leadership over the next five years.5

Prof Frans Swanepoel,Director of Research DevelopmentIam pleased to report that 2005 to 2007 hasbeen a period of significant growth anddevelopment within the University of the FreeState’s (UFS) research environment.Since 2003, the Directorate Research De ve lopment(DRD) facilitated the development andimplemen tation of various strategic initiatives andsupport projects, with the aim of creating anenvironment at the University in which:•••research would improve and flourish;researchers and postgraduate students wouldfeel appreciated and valued; andthe University’s national and internationalprofile would be enhanced.This focus on the development of the University’sresearch culture has paid dividends in terms of allfive of the key objectives of the University’s ResearchStrategy, namely quality assurance, equity, financialsustainability, effective support systems and anoutput dimension.The Strategic Academic Cluster initiative,emphasised by the Rector in his introduction to thisreport, is a critical element of the quality assuranceobjective of the Research Strategy. The Clusterinitiative embodies our pursuit of quality andexcellence. It is an intensive, institution-wide effortto focus our research activities, which is expected toestablish the University as a world leader in thespecified strategic focus areas.In line with this new focused approach, eachCluster is associated with at least one recognisedNational Research Foundation (NRF) InstitutionalResearch Development Programme Research NicheArea (RNA). Eight RNAs were approved for theUniversity in 2007 – the highest number of alluniversities in the country. These RNAs encompass24 NRF-funded research projects, representing acombined total commitment of almost R30 millionto the UFS over the next five years (2008-2012).To further strengthen the Clusters, the processfor the University to participate in the NRF SouthAfrican Research Chairs Initiative was initiated bylinking proposed Research Chairs to existingClusters. The University has been awarded threesuch Research Chairs for 2008, with the possibilityof a further three for 2009. These chairs will imply asignificant boost to our research capacity, especiallyin terms of the corps of leading researchers at theUniversity. The UFS houses 73 NRF-rated researchers.This number has not changed significantly over thepast years and still represents between 10 and 15%of our permanent instruction and research staffmembers. In terms of the professional developmentof our researchers, however, it is encouraging that11 of our current rated researchers obtained a firsttimerating during 2007/2008, that five of these areunder 40 years old, and that one is a formerThuthuka grant holder.Postgraduate training is a prominent part ofour quality assurance objective and we are therefore6

Message from Prof Frans Swanepoelmaking a concerted effort to create an optimalenvironment for postgraduate students to achievequality and excellence in their research activities. APostgraduate Student Support Office was approvedin 2007 to promote the interests of postgraduatestudents and postdoctoral research fellows insynergy with Faculty and departmental facilities.This Office will not only provide a critical resourceto the Faculties in the form of a single database ofpostgraduate students, topics, supervisors andfunding oppor tunities, but will also serve as a usefulresource centre for early career researchers.The development of the research capacity ofpriority groups is particularly important in supportprovided to our early career researchers. Wetherefore proactively encourage participation in theNRF Thuthuka Programme, aimed mainly at blackand women researchers. Our tailored supportmechanisms – for example identifying potentialapplicants and assisting them in proposaldevelopment through workshops and individualsessions – have resulted in a very significant increasein UFS Thuthuka participation over the past threeyears: grant holder numbers increased from 13 in2004 to 44 in 2007, representing an additionalR1.8 million in Thuthuka funding.An initiative closely associated with both theobjectives of quality assurance and financial sustainabilityis the inter nationali sa tion of the University.The DRD facilitated the establishment of theInter national Office and the appointment of adedicated Head of Internationalisation in 2007.This com pre hensive and dedicated ser vice is aimedat creating research oppor tu ni ties, facilitatinginternational visits, mobilis ing research funding,expanding and maintain ing international researchagreements, esta blish ing administrative aid,expanding re search membership and providing theneeded support to international students andscholars visiting from abroad. A strategic planoutlining the proactive internationalisation of theUniversity has been approved and is currently beingimplemented.Internal and government research fundingincreased significantly since 2004, contributing tothe objective of financial sustainability. Centralresearch funds increased to R26 million in 2007,confirming the University’s commitment to research.We also received almost R20 million in NRF fundingin 2007, which includes R2.4 million in Thuthukafunding and R2.5 million from the NationalEquipment Programme. Moreover, the total 2007allocation signifies an increase of more than 105%in NRF funding since 2004.The period 2005 to 2007 also saw progress interms of increasing external income related toresearch activities. Some very promising endeavourswith respect to the commer cialisation of researchhave been undertaken, in addition to manyindustrial partnerships through the Technology andHuman Resources for Industry Programme (THRIP).Significant commercial investment was made bySasol, Empowerdex (South Africa’s foremost blackeconomic empowerment ratings agency), andNetcare Private Hospital Group; and one successfulresearch project led to the forma tion of a newcompany, Oxyrane. The company, a result ofcollaborative research between the University and7

the South African Council for Scientific and In dustrialResearch, bought the intellectual propertyresulting from the research and attracted internationalinvestors. The University will further collectroyalties on successfully marketed products. Mostrecently, the University was awarded a R13.7 millionbiotechnology contract to conduct research intoprehistoric micro-organisms which live under extremeconditions. The contract was awarded to theUniversity by BioPAD, a South African biotechnologycompany that brokers part ner ships betweenresearchers, entre pre neurs, business, governmentand other stake holders to promote innovation andcreate sustainable biotechnology businesses.The DRD prioritised the efficiency of its researchinforma tion management system as a criticalrequirement to achieve its support systemsobjective. The UFS therefore joined the nationalResearch Information Management System initiativein 2007 and implementation of the new system isscheduled to take place during 2008.Associated with this support systems objec tive,the DRD cultivates loyalty and enthusiasm forresearch through the recognition of researchachieve ment at all levels. To this end the Universityhosts an annual recognition function where outstandingprogress and achievements are acknowledged and honoured, from post graduate levelthrough early career to esta blished researchers.Significant progress has also been made interms of the output dimension objective. Publicationoutputs alone have increased by more than 30%since 2004. Research Masters and Doctoral degreeshave also increased by almost 40% since 2004, witha total of 99 masters and 78 doctoral degrees beingconferred in 2007. Subsequently, our total subsidybearingoutputs increased to the extent that, by2006, the University was one of only five universitiesin the country to exceed the benchmark for totalresearch outputs set by the Minister of Education.In addition, a 2006 study 1 ranked the UFS in the top1% globally based on its accredited publications,together with only five other South Africanuniversities. Findings also indicated that the numberof UFS citations in clinical medicine and plant andanimal sciences positioned the University as aworld-class institution in these two disciplines.On balance, our research achievements since2003 demonstrate a dramatic improve ment, whichsignifies a promising evolution of our researchculture over the past five years. These changes aremostly the result of the enthusiasm, dedication andteamwork of our researchers and our researchadmin is trators. I myself and the DRD as a whole areproud of the research being conducted at thisUniversity and we will continue to work closely withall our academics and scholars to sustain andaccelerate our development towards a trulyresearch-led institution.1 Source: http://www.be.up.co.za/images/documents/BEatUP-news-APouris-HighEducation.pdf8

Future VisionA new strategic framework to guide research development at the University of the Free State iscurrently under development. It is envisaged that this framework will pay particular attention tothe evolution of the following areas of our research culture during the next five years:• The Strategic Academic Clusters• The professional development of our early career researchers• The Postgraduate Student Support Office• Increased postdoctoral fellowship involvement• Alternative research funding frameworks• International funding opportunities for research and postgraduate study• Research commercialisation• The research output incentive scheme• The Research Information Management System project, including institutional knowledgemanagement• Institutional research governance structures, particularly our Research Committees andresearch ethics governance structure• Research leadership programmes in support of the professional development of researchers atall stages of their careersStaff members at the UFS Directorate ResearchDevelopment are, from the left: Dr Annelize Venter(interim Co ordinator: Postgraduate StudentSupport Office), Prof Frans Swanepoel (Director),Dr Olihile Sebolai (Manager: Capacity Building Initiatives),Ms Anna-Marie Pienaar (Administration:Research Outputs), Ms Claudine Macaskill(Office Manager and Personal Assis tant to theDirector), Ms Lise Kriel (Manager: SpecialProjects and Researcher), Mr Nico Benson(Assistant Director); and seated: Ms DineoGaofhiwe (Coordinator: Strategic AcademicClusters).9

10Accom

Significant Institutionalplishments11

A Strategy for Quality ResearchDeveloping a research culture through astrategic focus on research develop mentThe University of the Free State (UFS) committeditself to an innovative focus on research asone of the three core functions of theUniversity, being the aspect that usually determinesthe reputation of a university. This was a significantand essential step. With more extensive resourcesand a stable academic environment, the Universityleadership perceived good potential for obtain ingrapid results with innovative ap proach es. Consequently,a new Strategic Frame work aimed at theproactive develop ment of re search at the UFS wasimplemented during 2003, with a shift of emphasisfrom the admin is trative to the strategic managementthereof. In order to really make a difference withina short period, this Strategy was designed to beholistic, logically thought through, streamlined,focused and effective.The Directorate Research Development (DRD)was established in 2002 and tasked with both theconsultative design and implementation of the newStrategy. From the outset the DRD understood thatthe value added by its activities must far exceed theresources it expends. This required innovativeapproaches and a professional, dedicated andservice-oriented team cooperating closely withresearchers and partners to the benefit of researchat the University.The overarching goal of the Strategic Frameworkfor the Development of Research at the Universityof Free State is to develop a research culturethrough a strategic focus on research development.This was achieved through synergistic researchpolicy directives, effective strategies and a strategicunder standing of the research environment. Anessential success factor to this goal remains apersonnel corps who understands and acceptscritical changes and new approaches in the universityenvironment, both nationally and internationally.This goal is underpinned by five supportingobjectives, derived directly from the University’sbroad goals of excellence, equity and innovationand aligned with its overall strategic priorities.• Quality assurance: Ensure an inter na tion al lycompetitive research system through highquality researchers and ef fec tive and qualitypostgraduate training.• Equity: Development of the research capa ci tyof priority groups.• Financial sustainability: Enhance the pro file ofthe UFS as a research-oriented in stitu tion, inorder to effectively increase income fromexternal sources.• Support systems: Ensure user-friendly andeffective systems that facilitate and sup portresearch at the University, and culti vate loyaltyand enthusiasm for re search through therecognition of pro gress and achievement at alllevels.• Output dimension: Stimulate research andincrease research outputs by using internalfunds effectively.12

Significant Institutional AccomplishmentsThese objectives have shaped the develop mentof a vibrant research culture at the UFS since theimplementation of the new Strategic Framework in2003. This report will highlight the research-relatedaccomplish ments of the UFS within the frameworkof these five objec tives, with specific emphasis onthe period 2005 to 2007.ture, and consequently enjoy continued support fromboth UFS leadership and staff members.Behind excellent research one will always findexcellent researchers. In addition to the thrivingcorps of emerging researchers – many of whom areQuality and ExcellenceEnsuring an internationally competitive researchsystem through high quality re searchersand effective and quality post graduatetrainingA critical element in the UFS pursuit of excellenceis the Strategic Academic Cluster initiative. TheCluster initiative, which is described in depth elsewherein this report, is included as one of the BigFive insti tutional mega-projects aiming to re positionthe UFS to a significantly higher level in fiveyears’ time. The audit panel of the Higher EducationQuality Com mittee (HEQC) congratulated the UFSin 2006 on the successful development of itsClusters, which is expected to establish the Universityas a world leader in a selected number ofstrategic focus areas.In addition to the areas of excellence which con stitutethe UFS Clusters, high quality research acti vitiesmay be found in many other academic disciplineswithin the University. The cultivation of such generalresearch activi ties remain a key component of a dynamicand comprehensive institutional re search cul-NRF ratings explainedB-rated researchers enjoy considerable internationalrecognition by their peers for the highquality of their recent re search outputs.A B1 rating signifies that all reviewers onthe rating panel concur that the applicant is anindependent re search er of high quality,enjoying considerable inter na tional recognitionwith some of them, indicating that she/heis a leading international scholar in the field.A B2 rating indicates that reviewers arefirmly convinced that the applicant is anindependent researcher enjoying con si der ableinternational recognition for the high qualityand impact of her/his recent research out puts.Most of the reviewers are convinced that aB3-rated researcher is an inde pendent re searcherenjoying considerable inter nationalrecognition for the high quality and impact ofher/his recent re search outputs.(source:http://evaluation.nrf.ac.za/Content/Evaluation/Apply.htm#Definition)13

associated with the NRF Thuthuka Programme atthe UFS – the University is proud to house 73 ratedresearchers. These researchers have successfullyparticipated in a process of evaluation undertakenby national and international peers in their researchfields. An individual’s rating is based primarily onthe quality of their research outputs. This ratingsystem serves as a benchmark of research excellenceand contributes to UFS’s status as one of the top sixuniversities in South Africa 2 . The UFS is home to 11internationally acclaimed researchers, as well as 48established researchers and 14 promising emergingresearchers. More than ten UFS researchers obtaineda first-time rating during 2007.The proactive development of research leaderssuch as these is of particular importance at thepostgraduate level. Therefore, effective and qualitypostgraduate training is essential in increasing theUFS corps of excellent researchers. The DRD isaddressing this need through the establishment of aPostgraduate Student Support Office which willpromote the interests of postgraduate students andpostdoctoral research fellows in synergy with facultyand departmental facilities. More detail about thisinitiative is provided elsewhere in this report.Prof LodewykKock, B1-ratedresearcher inMicrobiology,Food Sciencesand Tech no logy,Health Promotionand Disease Prevention.Prof SakkiePretorius, B1-rated researcherin Agriculture andPlant Production.2 In 2005, the UFS was sixth in the country in terms of percentage of academicstaff with a valid NRF researcher rating. Source: Evaluation and Rating Facts &Figures 2007, NRF Evaluation Centre.14

Prof James duPreez, B2-ratedresearcher inMicrobiology andBiotechnology.Prof Louis Scott,B2-ratedresearcher inBo tany, Ecologyand EnvironmentalScience.Prof André Roodt,B3-ratedresearcher inInorganicChemistry.Prof JohanGrobbelaar, B2-rated re search erin Fresh WaterBiology andLimnology,Biotechnologyand Physiology.Prof MaxFinkelstein, B3-rated researcherin Statistics andProbability.Prof HendrikSwart, B3-ratedresearcher inTheoretical andCondensedMatter Physics.Prof Johan Meyer,B2-ratedresearcher inMathematics.Prof HughPatterton, B3-rated researcherin Biochemistryand Genetics.Prof BennieViljoen, B3-ratedresearcher inMicrobiology,Biology, FoodSciences andTechnology,Ecology andEnviron mentalScience.15

Equity and DiversityDeveloping the research capacity of prioritygroupsThe University places a high premium on thedevelopment of its young researchers. This was clearin the Research Turnaround Strategy of 2002, whichallocated financial support to many young researchersto bolster their research and their careers. The UFSfurther recognised the need to encourage black andwomen researchers in particular. Two significantschemes addressing this need at the University arethe Grow Our Own Timber Programme, and theproactive promotion of participation in the NRF’sThuthuka Programme.The NRF Thuthuka Programme has prioritisedhuman resource development, research capacitydevelopment and the development of research orknowledge areas for priority groups through threesub-programmes, namely Researchers-in-Training,Women-in-Research and a Research DevelopmentInitiative for Black Academics. At the UFS, potentialThuthuka applicants were identified and assisted indeveloping their proposals through workshops andindividual sessions. These tailored support mechanismshave resulted in a very significant increase in Thuthukaparticipation (see Figure 1).The Grow Our Own Timber Programme wasintroduced to prepare black graduate students whoare interested in academic careers. The programmeprovides opportunities for graduate students to acquireDoctorate degrees and introduces these emergingresearchers to University worklife. This is achievedthrough the successful utilisation of the ScholarshipProgrammes of the AW Mellon Foundation and theAtlantic Philanthropies. At this time 29 postgraduateFigure 1: Thuthuka Funding and Grant Holders at the University of the Free State (2004-2007).16

students from priority groups – exhibiting the necessarypotential and interest in pursuing an academic career– are being prepared for academic positions throughthis Programme. The DRD benefited indirectly from thisProgramme through the recent appointment of DrOlihile Sebolai, previously a Mellon Fellow working inMicrobiology at the UFS Department of Microbial,Biochemical and Food Biotechnology, and currentlyMan ager: Capacity Building Initiatives at theDirectorate.tations in different research categories by bothFaculty and guest researchers.The UFS Research Coordinators play a pivotalrole in research capacity development at Facultylevel and at the University’s satellite campuses. Thisis particularly important for Qwaqwa, where thedistance of this Campus from the Main Campus inBloemfontein pre sents challenges in terms ofresearch support. Here Dr Elias Malete, Head of theIn addition to these directed programmes, theUFS is also taking more generalised actions to developthe research capacity of priority groups throughactivities at Faculty level. These efforts are aimed atdeveloping not only young and emerging researchers,but also those who are already established in theirrespective fields. Faculty activities include:• presenting research development and em powermentprogrammes to emerging researchers;• securing the services of external experts;• introducing a process of structured mentor ing;• developing writing and publishing skills byestablishing forums and workshops foremerging authors;• placing greater emphasis on team researchinvolving these researchers;• arranging exposure to leading national andinternational researchers;• instituting annual junior and senior re searchprizes for faculty members;• headhunting promising postgraduate stu dents;and• hosting annual research days where ideas areshared through general discussion and pre sen-Dr Elias Malete, Head of the UFS Qwaqwa Campus, alsofulfils the role of Research Coordinator at this campus.17

Qwaqwa Campus, also fulfils the role of ResearchCo ordina tor by liaising with the Main Campus andfacilitating the mentorship of young and emergingresearchers. Furthermore, the Strate gic AcademicCluster on New Frontiers in Poverty Reduction andSustainable Develop ment includes a specific focuson the Qwaqwa region with the intention ofutilising its distinctive research opportunities andinvolv ing emerging researchers from this Campus.Evidence of the success of the University’sinvestment in its young researchers is reflected in thefact that 14 of our NRF rated researchers areconsidered to be promising emerging researchers(see Table 1). For the first time at the UFS, this groupincludes two researchers rated at the highest level(Y1), namely Prof Frikkie Booysen of the Departmentof Economics and Prof Gustav Visser of theDepartment of Geography. These two individuals arerecognis ed by their peers as having demonstratedpotential, through their research outputs, to establishthemselves as outstanding research ers and tobecome future leaders in their respective fields.Prof Gustav Visser (left) of the Department of Geography and Prof Frikkie Booysen of theDepartment of Economics, are the UFS’s first two Y1-rated researchers, confirming theirdemonstrated potential of becoming leading researchers in their respective fields.18

Table 1: Promising Emerging Researchers (Y- and L-rated) at the University of the Free State (2007)ResearcherL-rated* (late entrant into research)Conradie, Jeanet, DrY-rated ** (promising young researcher)Booysen, Frikkie, ProfBurger, Philippe, ProfDu Plessis, Freek, DrHerselman, Liezel, DrKroon, Ted, DrMarais, Johann, ProfMaree, David, DrMeijboom, Reinout, DrSnyman-Van Deventer, Elizabeth, ProfUsher, Brent, DrVan Heerden, Esta, ProfVisser, Gustav, ProfWepener, Cas, DrResearch Field(s)ChemistryEconomics, Development StudiesEconomicsBiophysicsMolecular and Cell Biology, AgriculturePhysics, Material Sciences and TechnologiesDevelopment StudiesChemistryChemistryLawHydrology, Geology, GeochemistryBiochemistry, Microbiology, Mining EngineeringHuman GeographyTheology, Religious Studies* L-rated researchers are persons (normally younger than 55 years) who were previously established as researchers or who previously demonstrated potential throughtheir own research products, and who are considered capable of fully establishing or re-establishing themselves as researchers within a five-year period afterevaluation. Candidates who are eligible in this category include black researchers, female researchers, those employed in a higher education institution that lacked aresearch environment, and those who were previously established as researchers and have returned to a research environment.** Y-rated researchers are normally younger than 35 years of age and have held the doctorate or equivalent qualification for less than five years at the time of application.These researchers are recognised as having the potential to establish themselves as researchers within a five-year period after evaluation, based on their performanceand productivity as researchers during their Doctoral studies and/or early post-doctoral careers.(source: http://evaluation.nrf.ac.za/Content/Evaluation/Apply.htm#Definition)19

ating Prof Hudson became the first UFS Thuthukagrant holder to be rated by the NRF.It is clear that the future research reputation ofthe University rests upon the shoulders of itsemerging researchers. Supporting an equitable anddiverse research culture at the UFS not only involvesthe nurturance of competence and enthusiasmamong this group of researchers in particular; italso requires the continued expansion and re ju venationof a strong corps of leading researchers. Withthis in mind, the DRD has identified the need tofacilitate and accelerate the proactive developmentof the next generation of research leaders and isdesigning a Research Leadership Programme toaddress this need. This new initiative will focus onresearchers at all levels, paying particular attentionto the identification and further development ofpromising black and female researchers.Prof Heidi Hudson is the first UFS Thuthuka grant holder toreceive a researcher rating (C1) from the National ResearchFoundation.Financial SustainabilityEnhancing the profile of the University as are search-oriented institution, in order to effective ly increase income from externalsourcesIn addition, Prof Heidi Hudson received thehighest rating in the category of establishedresearcher (C1) in 2007. While all reviewersconcurred that she is an established researcher witha sustained record of pro ductivity in the field ofPolitical Sciences and Public Policy, some indicatedthat she already enjoys considerable internationalrecognition for her high quality outputs. With thisResource allocation and distribution reflect theextent to which research is prioritised in an institution,as well as the feasibility of de ve lop mentplan ning and the effective im ple men ta tion ofresearch policies. The University has shown its commitmentto research by in creasing central researchfunding dramatically to R26 million in 2007(including the Cluster allocation).20

There has been a similarly significant increase infunding for research at the UFS from externalsources. The DRD makes every effort to keep abreastof external funding opportunities and is in constantcontact with primary national funding agencies(such as the NRF, Water Research Commission andthe Medical Research Council) as well as variousinternational funding sources. The University’s NRFfunding allocation, for example, has increased bymore than 105% since 2004 (see Figure 2).A number of factors and directed initiativeshave contributed to this increase in external researchfunding. The Strategic Academic Clusterinitiative, for example, has contributed greatlythrough its association with the NRF InstitutionalResearch Development Pro gram me Research NicheArea (RNA). The eight UFS RNAs entail 24 NRFfundedresearch projects, representing a combinedtotal commitment of almost R30 million to the UFSover the next five years (2008-2012).Another key reason for the significant increasein NRF allocation to the University is linked to theNRF Focus Area Programmes. In 2005 and 2006 – inan attempt to increase the number of researcherssupported within these Focus Area Programmes –an initiative was introduced whereby seed fundingwas provided from the Strategic Research Fund tosupport UFS applicants who had not been successful,but who had received a favourable as sessment.This funding is granted to encourageapplicants to revise proposals and to re-apply.In 2005 the UFS was one of only nine ap plicationsfunded by the Research Infra structure SupportProgramme of the NRF and received almost R2million designated for research infrastructure andequipment. In 2006 the UFS received a further R1.5million, and for 2007, R2.5 million was allocated tothree of the University’s researchers.Finally, the very successful increase in Thuthukagrant holders (noted earlier) resulted in almost R1.8million in additional research funding since 2004.Figure 2: NRF Funding Allocation to the University of theFree State (2004-2007).The DRD continues to investigate opportunitiesto increase the financial sustainability of research atthe UFS. Some very promising endeavours with respectto the commercialisation of research have beenundertaken and are highlighted elsewhere in thisreport. Cognisant of the importance of solicitingresearch funding from abroad, concerted efforts arealso being made through the InternationalisationOffice where dedicated staff members support UFS21

Support SystemsEnsuring user-friendly and effective systemsthat facilitate and support research at the University,and cultivating loyalty and enthu siasmfor research through the recognition of progressand achievement at all levelsProf Frans Swanepoel (right) and Dr Aldo Stroebel areleading a multi-million rand initiative to revise agriculturaleducation and training in Africa.researchers to take full advantage of such fundingopportunities. Currently the University receivesresearch support from a number of internationaldonor agencies, including a US$14 million grantfrom the Bill and Melinda Gates- and WK KelloggFoundations in support of a 10-year AfricanAgricultural Education research and developmentprogramme. This is one of the biggest grants in thehistory of the UFS. R8 million has been granted toUFS during 2007 for the initial 18-months exploratoryphaseThe programme – led by the UFS in partnershipwith the Academy for Educational Development (aUSA-based non-governmental organisation) – willrevise agricultural education curricula in Africa tobecome more responsive to the needs of smallholderAfrican family farms. Prof Frans Swanepoel hasbeen appointed as the part-time Iitiative Directorand Dr Aldo Stroebel as Initiative Researcher.The DRD has prioritised the efficiency of itsresearch information management systems as acritical requirement to strategically enhance the profileof the UFS as a research-oriented institution. Whileeach South African Higher Education Institution isresponsible for providing the same types of reportsand com plying with the same government regulations,system capabilities vary greatly between institu tions.Therefore, a consortium of South African universities,with repre sentatives from the Southern AfricanResearch and Innovation Management Association(SARIMA), discussed the possibility of pooling theirfinancial, technical and research expertise in order toleverage their resources collectively, during 2006.The consortium issued a group tender for thisSouth African Research Information Man age mentSystem (RIMS) project to identify potentialcommercial solution providers with the intent ofsecuring a group purchase price and to explore thepossibility of a single com mon shared infrastructure.The consortium further involved the nationalDepartments of Science and Technology (DST) andEducation (DoE) and the NRF, which provided theirin-principle support for the project. After carefulcon sideration, involving both external and internalconsultation, the UFS joined the con sortium andthe RIMS project during 2007.22

Minister Mosibudi Mangena (Minister of Scienceand Technology) reiterated the value of the project,and confirmed government’s commitment to theprocess, at the launch of the RIMS at the InnovationHub in Pretoria in February 2008 when he said: “Itwould be hard not to exaggerate the importance ofsuch a national system in addressing the highlydisaggregated and fragmented picture of researchand development investment in South Africa,particularly considering the amount of moneygovernment has invested in this project.”The South African RIMS is an integratedplatform which will be shared by all highereducation institutions and science councils in thecountry, and which is facilitated by the NRF with thesupport of the DST. The platform will provide acentral repository for research data that will allowresearch intuitions and funding agencies to createand view reports as required, facilitating the entirenational research management and fundingprocess. It is envisaged that the new software suitewill be operational at the UFS by late 2008. The keybenefit for UFS is that it will be integrated into anational research management network, supportedby the DST. Further benefits of the system for theUFS include:• speed and ease of access to NRF funding;• speed and ease of access to information onresearch activities;• enhanced decision-making and policy in flu enceat institutional level and in govern ment;• greater ‘connectivity’ within the research communityand amongst government, re searchinstitutions, researchers and in dustry;Ms Lise Kriel, Project Coordinator for the implementation ofthe national RIMS project at the Directorate ResearchDevelopment, and DPhil candidate at the Centre for Researchon Science and Technology at the Stellenbosch University.• access to international funding infor ma tion;and• accurate reporting on research outputs andhuman resources.While effective research administrative systems areessential, it is not the only type of in stitutional supportrequired to nurture a de velop ing research culture. TheDRD considers the recognition of outstandingachievement among the University’s researchers to be23

an equal ly important aspect of its support sys tems. Tothis end, a number of events design ed to rewardresearchers who have ex cell ed in their respective fieldsof expertise have been hosted by the DRD.The first of these events took place on the MainCampus in November 2004 to coincide with thecentenary celebrations of the UFS. This recognitionfunction also served as the first annual UFS lecture inresearch excellence. The University recognised theresearch achieve ments of 97 of its leading researchers,includ ing 21 women and 16 black researchers, in categoriesranging from outstanding post grad uatestudent achievement, through emerg ing researcherswith demonstrated po ten tial, to establishedresearchers acknow ledged for the internationalrecognition they receive from their peers.Another recognition function was held inFebruary 2006, specifically to honour 24 youngresearchers taking part in the NRF’s ThuthukaProgramme. The guest speaker, Prof JonathanJansen, former Dean at the Faculty of Education atthe University of Pretoria, offered tips to theseyoung and promising researchers on how tobecome outstanding scholars. Nine professors werealso congratulated with their promotion to seniorresearch professor at this event.Research OutputsStimulating research and increasingresearch outputs by using internal fundseffectivelySome of the guests at the first recognition function forresearcher excellence held in November 2004 are, from theleft: Dr Andrew Kaniki (guest speaker and Executive Directorof Knowledge Management and Strategy at the NationalResearch Foundation), Prof Letticia Moja (Dean: Faculty ofHealth Sciences at the UFS), and Prof Frans Swanepoel(Director: Research Development at the UFS).The Research Turnaround Strategy (2002) acceptedits major focus to be the target of increasing andrewarding subsidy-bearing research outputsthrough financial incentives (excluding contractresearch). In 2003, the new Strategic Frameworkfor research development acknowledged the needto ensure that researchers make active and effectiveuse of these rewards. The substantial resourcesinvested in this regard have resulted in a steadyincrease in the accredited publication outputs ofthe University, as well as its number of Masters andDoctoral graduates (see Figure 3).24

Attending the recognition functionfor young researchers taking part inthe Thuthuka Programme of theNational Research Foundation are,from the left: Prof Jonathan Jansen(guest speaker and former Dean ofthe Faculty of Education at theUniversity of Pretoria), Prof MagdaFourie (former Vice-Rector:Academic Planning at the UFS),Prof Frans Swanepoel (Director:Research Development at the UFS),and Dr Olihile Sebolai (formerThuthuka grant holder and currentlyManager: Capacity BuildingInitiatives at the UFS DirectorateResearch Development).This encouraging trend in UFS researchproductivity is reflected in some related achievementsin recent years. For example, the University was oneof only five universities in the country in 2006 toexceed the benchmark for subsidy-bearing outputsset by the Minister of Education. The first surveyusing accredited publications to establish how wellSouth African universities perform in the sciences,relative to each other and to international institutions,further revealed that the UFS was one of only sixinstitutions in the country to rank in the top 1%globally in 2006. The results showed that the relativenumber of citations in clinical medicine and plantand animal sciences credited to the UFS, positionsthe University as a world-class institution in thesetwo disciplines. 33 Source: http://www.thetimes.co.za/TheVault/Article.aspx?id=316044Figure 3: University of the Free State Subsidy-bearingResearch Outputs (2004-2007).25

26Cluste

The Strategic Academicr Initiative27

In line with international and national researchtrends, the UFS initiated a process of developingstrategic research niche areas in 2005. Consensuswas reached that the University would align its keyacademic and research efforts with national prioritiesthrough six Strategic Academic Clusters, eachsupported by a number of constituent Focus Areas.The audit panel of the Higher Education QualityCommittee (HEQC) congratulated the UFS in 2006on the successful development of the StrategicAcademic Cluster Initiative and its aim to focus anddeepen its academic work through this approach.Following extensive workshops and consultation,the content and focus of six Clusters were finalisedand descriptions of these were formally approvedby Senate in 2007. It is envisaged that Clusteractivities will not be based only on research, butwill include postgraduate programmes and willfilter down to undergraduate learning programmesand curricula. The six Clusters are:Ms Dineo Gaofhiwe, Coordinator for the Strategic ClusterInitiative at the Directorate Research Development.It has become imperative for the University of theFree State (UFS) to position itself not only as agood teaching and research University, but as aninstitution that truly excels in certain strategic areasof knowledge and research. This is an extremelyimportant process which is expected to establishthe University as a world leader in a selected numberof strategic focus areas.• Water Management in Water-scarce Areas• New Frontiers in Poverty Reduction andSustainable Development• Transformation in Highly Diverse Societies• Technologies for Sustainable Crop In dus tries inSemi-arid Regions• Materials and Nanosciences• Advanced Biomolecular SystemsAcademics from more than 30 departments andten centres and units are participating in theimplementation and development of thesecomprehensive academic Clusters. The major task ofthe Directorate Research Development (DRD) in the28

The Strategic AcademicCluster Initiativefuture, with the support of research leaders, Headsof Departments and especially Faculty Deans, will beto operationalise each Cluster to function as abeehive of academic activity and innovation.Related to the Cluster initiative, the DRD hasinitiated the process for the UFS to participate inthe National Research Foundation’s (NRF) SouthAfrican Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI) by linkingproposed research chairs to existing Clusters. TheUniversity has been awarded three such researchchairs for 2008, with the possibility of another threefor 2009. These chairs imply a significant boost toresearch capacity at the University.Each Cluster is further associated with at leastone recognised NRF Institutional Research De velopmentProgramme Research Niche Area (RNA).Eight RNAs, involving 24 NRF-funded researchprojects, were approved for the UFS in 2007 – thehighest number of all universities in the country.The approved RNAs include:• Agricultural Risk Management for Africa, led byProf André Jooste• High throughput Identification and Characterisationof Biological and Bioactive Molecules,led by Prof Hugh Patterton• Integrated Water Resource Management, ledby Prof Maitland Seaman• Local Development in Arid and Semi-Arid Areasof the Central Region of South Africa, led byProf Doreen Atkinson• Managing the TB-HIV/Aids Co-epidemic: Patientand Systems Dimensions, led by Prof DingieJanse van RensburgResearch Niche Arealeader: Prof DoreenAtkinson, Centre forDevelopment Support.Research Niche Arealeader: Prof Riaan Luyt,Department of Chemistry.• Nano-Solid State Lighting, led by Prof Hendrik•SwartPolymer Blends, Composites and Nanocomposites(Modified Polymers), led by ProfRiaan Luyt• The Development of Sustainable Crop ValueChains for Staple and Underutilised Crops inthe Semi-Arid Regions of Southern Africa, ledby Prof Wijnand SwartA governance and management model for theCluster initiative has recently been approved and is29

currently being implemented. The first step inimplementation is the appointment of a dedicatedDirector for each Cluster to provide academic leadership,facilitate cutting edge research and coordinatethe overall Cluster activities. In the interim, eachCluster is headed by a Cluster Coordinator – aleading academic at the University who has beenactively involved with the process from the outset.These Coordinators are supported by the DRD andare tasked with engaging academic staff membersacross disciplines in the preliminary activities oftheir respective Clusters.Cluster 1: Water Managementin Water-scarce AreasThere are strong indications that water is becominga critical resource worldwide as populations increase.As large parts of southern Africa and thedeveloping world are water-scarce, this underlinesa need for the development of this Strategic AcademicCluster at the UFS.This Cluster carries out research and developsteaching in the management of the physical,ecological, social and economic aspects of thescarce water resource. Its members pay attention tothe risks attendant on the availability of the waterresource in its natural and utilisable states.Entrepreneurship is developed in the fields ofroutine water quality analysis, in the description ofthe minimum requirements for the maintenance ofindividual ecosystems (groundwater, rivers andother wetlands), in the optimal utilisation of waterfor agriculture and other socio-economic needs, inthe prediction of water availability and in theassessment of the risks associated with waterCluster Coordinator: Prof Maitland Seaman, Centre forEnvironmental Management.scarcity in numerous fields of use. The latter risksinclude loss of quality and competitive usage.Focus Areas1. Management of aquatic ecosystems inwater-scarce areasAs water supply becomes critical in water-scarceareas, it becomes imperative to safeguard the waterbodies, both above and below ground. These water30

odies are sustained by their ecosystems. Thedevelopment of management tools, the aim of thisFocus Area, is a key aspect in the protection and useof water in water-scarce areas.2. Climate change and variability inwater-scarce areasWater-scarce areas show large variability in climaticconditions and all sectors of the country need to beprepared to expect extremes in weather over thenext few decades. This Focus Area enablesresearchers to plan for water use and operationalearly warning systems which are developed forAfrican application to benefit the peoples of Africa.3. Managing water scarcity in agricultureOne third of the developing world is facing bothnatural and man-made water scarcity. Arid andsemi-arid climatic zones are regarded as naturallywater-scarce due to the erratic, spatial and temporaldistribution of rainfall. These areas are also highlysensitive to soil erosion. Rural farmers are the mostvulnerable as they depend on the natural resources(veld, soil and water) to provide food, fibre andshelter for their families.4. Optimal water-use for development inwater-scarce areasThe supply of water to communities establishedinappropriately or unavoidably or strate gically (inthe case of mines) has, in many cases, led toextensive damage of ecosystems in those com munities.Planning for the wise use of the availablewater can lead to huge benefits to water-scarceareas, not only in South Africa, but also in largeparts of southern Africa and the developing world.ActivitiesThis Cluster already draws together a number ofprojects within its Focus Areas. Prof MaitlandSeaman leads three projects, focused on (i) the useof remote sensing in the identification of significantpools in the dryland Seekoei River in the NorthernCape province of South Africa; (ii) the ecologicalaspects of the fish community in Knellpoort Dam, aholding reservoir in the Free State; and (iii) aparticipatory sustainability assessment frameworkfor biodiversity conservation in rural areas.A participatory sustainability assessment frameworkfor biodiversity conservation in rural areas isbeing investigated under the leadership of Dr JanRoos of the Centre for Environmental Man agement.Prof Johann du Preez (Department of PlantSciences) guides a project on the phytosociology ofthe riparian and macrophyte vegetation of theSand and Vet Rivers in the Free State. Dr BrentUsher’s project (Institute for Groundwater Studies)involves the characterisation of bulk flow propertiesof South African aquifers to improve water supply,while Prof Jo van As of the Department of Zoologyand Entomology and his team are investigating theconservation condition of the unprotectedOkavango Delta in Botswana.Cluster 2: New Frontiers inPoverty Reduction and SustainableDevelopmentDeveloping countries face numerous challenges oflow levels of human development and high levels ofpoverty and deprivation. It is the aim of this Clusterto seek new frontiers and perspectives on poverty31

eduction and sustainable development, as a meansto promote the asset base of people, their livelihoods,their empowerment, and their quality of life. ThisCluster seeks to provide a research portal for transdisciplinary,multidisciplinary and disciplinary researchto address these critical issues.The Cluster focuses predominantly on the nonmetropolitanareas of South Africa, with the FreeState, Northern Cape and central South Africanhinterland as key regions of interest. Focus areasare based on the available assets, capabilities andresources of individuals and communities,including natural, physical, financial, social andpersonal assets.Focus Areas1. Local development in resource-poorenvironmentsThe aim of this Focus Area is to promote local developmentin ‘resource-poor environments’, whichis interpreted as areas that are lacking in eco nomicassets, such as land, physical infra structure, entrepreneurship,commercial finance and technicalskills. This includes a strong emphasis on localitybaseddevelop ment in specific geographic en vironments,with their specific needs and problems.2. Empowerment, leadership andcapacity building for developmentThis Focus Area is primarily human-centred, in thathuman skills, employee and workplace skills as wellas leadership capabilities are emphasised. Theresearch focus includes civil society, both the publicand private sectors, non-government organisations,and the in formal sector.Cluster Coordinator: Prof Gustav Visser, Department ofGeography.3. Governance and management forimpactDue to skills shortages and a lack of manage ment andleadership capacity, many policies, strate gies and32

programmes are not imple mented effectively andefficiently, particularly those relating to service delivery.Institutional management is indispensable fordevelopment. This includes political management,adminis tra tive design, bureaucratic practices, andrelation ships of accountability within and betweeninstitutions, institutional ethics, and civil society. Theobjective of this Focus Area is to contribute, both inpractical and theoretical terms, towards governingand managing for impact.4. Economic policy for development andpoverty reductionWith a view to combating the severe levels ofpoverty, unemployment, and inequality of wealth,income and opportunities, there is a critical need toengage seriously and continuously with economicpolicy-making and implementation. This Focus Areais concerned with all economic policies, insofar asthey address development and poverty reduction.ActivitiesMany of the new initiatives in the Cluster developedfrom projects previously undertaken in isolation indifferent Departments and Faculties at theUniversity. Research efforts and projects have nowbeen consolidated to collectively speak to thesearch for New Frontiers in Poverty Reduction andSustainable Development.A unique aspect of this work is its vantage point– that of development in peripheral, resource-poorcontexts moving beyond “silo-type” thinking inThe recent publication, Spatialities of Urban Change (2008),serves as an example of what the New Frontiers in PovertyReduction and Sustainable Development Cluster aims toachieve.familiar metropolitan locations. Aspects of thecollective efforts of these investigations has beenpublished as an edited collection entitled Spatialitiesof Urban Change (2008), which serves as anexample of what this Cluster aims to achieve.Indeed, a new collection of essays relating to the33

collective efforts of researchers in this Cluster is duefor publication in 2009. Again the approaches topoverty reduction and sustainable developmentdraw on the challenges and opportunities presentedin peripheral, non-metropolitan areas.The Cluster research also links closely with thehighly successful Arid Areas Socio-EconomicResearch Programme headed by Prof DoreenAtkinson of the University’s Centre for DevelopmentSupport. Projects falling within the ambit of boththis programme and the Cluster includeinvestigations into the challenges of low-costhousing policy issues (Ms Kholisa Sigenu), mineworkerhousing options in arid areas (Mr JanCloete), the impacts of large-scale investment insmall towns located in arid areas (Ms Deidré vanRooyen), and guidelines to mine-close in theseunique environments (Ms Cathy Muller).better understand the South African labour market,while Ms Annelize Booysen is unpacking the socioeconomicrole of women in the South Africaneconomy and society.Cluster 3: Transformation inHighly Diverse SocietiesSocieties in transition experience challenges due tothe problems brought about by the process ofNewly-funded Cluster projects include theimpact of economic multipliers in the growth of thesmall business sector in the Eastern Free State (DrMusigi Ruhiiga) and second home development inthe post-productivist country-side undertaken bythe newly established Second Homes ResearchGroup, led by Prof Gustav Visser with coinvestigatorsMr Gijsbert Hoogendoorn of theDivision Physical Resources, Mr JJ Pienaar of theDepartment of Urban and Regional Planning, andMs Anette Pienaar and Ms Elle Goitsemodimo (bothwith the Department of Anthropology).In addition, two postdoctoral projects arefunded. Ms Helene Maisonnave is exploringComputable General Equilibrium modelling toCluster Coordinator: Prof Piet Erasmus, Department ofAnthropology.34

transformation. Such transformation permeates everyaspect of society and culture and frequently leads todiverse problems, constraints, confusion anddisruption in the social and cultural life of individuals.At the same time, transforming societies pose uniqueopportunities for multidisciplinary research, forexpanding the body of knowledge about societies intransition, and for scientists to apply their knowledgeand skills to steer transformation in sound directions.Focus Areas1. Political and institutionaltransfor mationThis area focuses on the need to understand howtransformation works and how to manage thechanges that it brings about.2. Social justice – a yardstick fortrans for mationThis Focus Area deals with the social conditions forthe full recognition of human dignity and therealisation of human potential.3. Critical transformation discourse andits ethicsResearchers in this Focus Area investigate the typesof transformation discourse and their ethical ormoral assumptions.4. Identity dynamicsThe fact that racial and ethnic identities are stillstrongly embedded in the new democraticdispensation invites scholars within this Focus Areato reflect on the discursive power of these collectiveidentities.5. Indigenous knowledge systems forpeople’s transformation and de vel opmentAny analysis or interpretation of existing orchanging cultural patterns and societal institutionscannot claim validity without recognition of therole that indigenous knowledge systems play.6. Language and societaltransfor ma tionThis area focuses on enhancing the under standingof language as a social phenomenon of society andsocial categories, and the interactive qualitiesinherent in oral, visual and textual communicationthat result in societal transformation.7. Health, health care and people’s wellbeingin transforming societiesThis Focus Area will generate comparative knowledgeon the health of people in transforming societies;identify problems and constraints regarding thehealth of people in diverse societies; inform strategiesand practices to solve problems and constraints; andassist policy makers, managers and practitioners toimplement strategies and practices in the domain ofhealth care transformation.8. Crime in highly diverse societiesIt is often suggested that the increase in crime in SouthAfrica is related to the transition from authoritarian rule35

to democracy. Crime has an enormous impact on allspheres of life and could jeopardise the transition todemocracy. This Focus Area highlights and explores thisphenomenon.ActivitiesCurrent projects within this Cluster encompassdiverse disciplines within the Faculty of theHumanities. Prof Theo du Plessis of the Unit forLanguage Management is leading an investigationinto the multiple languages of the Xhariep districtof the Free State Province. Ms Herme Foster of theDepartment of Criminology is looking at alternativesto violence, while Prof Dap Louw of the Departmentof Psychology is developing a measuring instrumentto determine the release of prisoners.Prof Anwar Osman, Senior Professor at the Centre for AfricaStudies, is conducting research within the Cluster onTransformation in Highly Diverse Societies.Prof Anwar Osman of the Centre for AfricaStudies is exploring medicinal clays, and Prof AndréWessels of the Department of History is documentingthe history of the South African national defenceforces chaplain services from 1961 until 2004.A team from the Centre for Health SystemsResearch and Development, led by Prof Dingie Jansevan Rensburg, aim to inform intervention throughresearch into phase II of non-uptake of counsellingand testing for HIV among tuberculoses patients inthe Free State.Cluster 4: Technologies forSustainable Crop Industries inSemi-arid RegionsThe high incidence of poverty in southern Africa islargely due to natural resource challenges. Theagricultural sector, and in particular crop production,will play an integral role in solving these problems.Future agricultural research in the region mustutilise technologies that are adapted to semi-aridregions while also being ecologically sound andeconomically viable.This Cluster will adopt a holistic multi disciplinaryapproach to agro-ecosystem analysis, inorder to improve yields and encourage the developmentof new value-added products and food supplychains for alleviating food shortages. This will beachieved by the innovative application of existingtraditional or indigenous technologies and thedevelop ment of new technologies.36

y biotic and abiotic constraints in their environment,and how these constraints can be managed and/ormanipulated to the benefit of crops and theenvironment by means of suitable productiontechnologies.2. Genetic technologies for cropimprovementThis area focuses on using various molecular andbiotechnological applications to gene tically improvethe yield and nutritional quality of crops, and toincrease tolerance to biotic and abiotic environmentalstress factors.Cluster Coordinator: Prof Wijnand Swart, Department ofPlant Sciences.3. Technologies for adding value to andimproving crop product qualityResearch in this Focus Area will work towards increasingfood and non-food product quality and safety bydeveloping high-quality products and establishingefficient manu fact ur er and retailer networks. Qualityand safety control will be addressed by utilising a UFSSeal of Approval.ActivitiesFocus Areas1. Production technologies for managingcrop environmentsMembers of this Focus Area will strive to gain agreater understanding of how plants are influencedThree projects within this Cluster are being led byresearchers from the Department of Microbial,Biochemical and Food Biotech nology: (i) safe animalfeed for safe human food (Prof Arno Hugo); (ii)physical and chemical analysis and sensoryevaluation of cactus pear cultivars (Dr Maryna deWit); and (iii) microbial diversity as indicator of soilquality (Dr Lizelle Piater).37

Prof Maryke Labuschagne’s team is evaluatinghigh and low lysine and ryptophan maize genotypesunder N stressed conditions, while a biochemicalmolecularstudy of Russian wheat aphid resistanceand control is being led by Prof Amie van derWesthuizen (both from the Department of PlantSciences).Prof Sue Walker from the Department of Soil,Crop and Climate Sciences is investigating radiationand water use efficiency of maize production underin-field rain water harvesting with mulch. Also fromthe Department of Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences,Prof Seef Pretorius is leading research into plantbased fungicides, while Prof Leon van Rensburg’steam is separating crop water use into itscomponents of evaporation and transpiration.Cluster 5: Materials andNanosciencesThis Cluster deals with the study and use of materialson a very small scale, since one nanometre is only amillionth of a millimetre. Materials at this smallscale can behave differently from when they are inbulk form, and are expected to lead to new deviceswhich will be faster and more efficient. Moreover,the materials can be stronger and lighter, andconduct heat or electricity in a different way, andcan even change colour. For example, small particlesof gold can appear red, blue or gold, depending onthe size.This Cluster anticipates different impacts onsociety. Even though its main focus is materials andCluster Coordinator: Prof André Roodt, Department ofChemistry.its main activities will fall within the ambit of theNatural Sciences, it will also address relevantenvironmental, social, ethical and judicial issues.Thus, its members will ultimately work acrossDepartments and Faculties to develop an interdisciplinaryCluster.38

Focus Areas1. Nano solid state materialsThis Focus Area includes the development ofluminescent nano-materials that will improve thequality of life and add to high-technologydevelopment. This promises to replace conventionallight sources with impressive economic andenvironmental savings, and improvement of thelifetime of field emission display (FED) and plasmadisplay (PD) television and computer screens. Anobjective is to enable the supply of luminescentinfrastructure materials to the construction industry,which will allow manufacturing of luminescentlighting for streets, roads, road signage, buildingsand mine tunnels. Hydrogen storage capabilities ofsome nanocrystalline materials as renewable energysources will also be investigated.2. PetrochemicalsThis Focus Area includes thrusts in homogeneousand heterogeneous catalysis. Catalysis dramaticallyincreases the rate of formation of new compounds/solvents/detergents/materials as well as selectivityof products. It necessitates clean operating systemsbased on economic and environmental considerations,since the process is more effective andyields pure products with higher yields and lesswaste. Liquid natural resources (crude oil) arerapidly being depleted, while solid (coal) and(natural) gas are becoming increasingly importantto ensure future supplies. The Focus Area aims toassist and contribute toward developing chemicalprocesses to create a world class downstreamchemical industry.3. PolymersThis Focus Area will investigate new materialsdesigned or obtained from blending different polymericand composite materials and the mixing witha variety of fillers in the absence or presence ofmodifiers. It will explore the inclusion of nano-sizedparticles into different matrices, modifying themorphology and physical properties of the polymersand composite materials for commercial ap plications.Phase-change materials (like waxes) asenergy-storage systems will also be studied. Theincreased use of thermoplastics for the manufacturingof plastic products has render ed researchinto fibre-reinforced thermoplastics increasinglyimportant. Similarly, polymer blends and compositesis a promising field.ActivitiesThree postdoctoral projects are currently beingfunded within this Cluster, namely (i) polymerblends, composites and nano com posites (Dr VRGorla); (ii) improving physical properties of PVAalkydhybrid systems by uniform dispersion ofhydrotalcite nano particles (Dr SS Ochigbo); and (iii)metallo-por phyrine and phtalocyanine conjugates(Dr E Fourie).The Cluster also incorporates the researchprojects of seven graduate students. PhD studentsMs NI Barnard, Ms GSJ Venter, Mr PD Nsimama and39

Mr JA Molefi are studying, respectively: (i)metallocene, alkyl and aryl carboxylate metalcomplexes; (ii) silver and Rhodium nanomaterialsfor catalysis; (iii) Nano-Phospor applications ininfrastructure; and (iv) phase change conductingmaterials from polyethylene, paraffin waxes andcopper. MSc studies include (v) thermal, mechanicaland morphological properties of poly chloro prenenanocomposites (Mr SM Mohomane); (vi) copperbased nanomaterials for catalysis (Mr M Muller);and (vii) sol-gel synthesis and luminescent propertiesof SiO 2:ZnS:Mn phos phor (Ms MM Biggs).Cluster 6: AdvancedBiomolecular ResearchThis Cluster is driven to help improve the quality oflife of humans and is a multi disci pli nary groupingwith significant research ex per tise in molecular lifesciences, bioinformatics, proteomics, genomics,mathematical sciences and statistical mathematics.Cluster activities are supported by several stateof-the-artcore facilities, including a facility forGenomics and Proteomics where the genetic orprotein complement is studied at an organismiclevel. The Cluster is also backed by a BioinformaticsNode, which allows the storage and analysis ofextremely large experimental data sets withpowerful computers. These types of analyses allowus to identify genetic pathways that are switchedon in response to viral infection, discover proteinsand modifications of proteins that are involved inprolonging lifespan, identify components inCluster Coordinator: Prof Hugh Patterton, Department ofMicrobial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology.indigenous plants that can be used in the treatmentof human disease, and design synthetic enzymesthat can be used to make drugs more efficientlyand cheaply.Focus Areas1. High throughput biologyThis area focuses on the microarray analysis of theexpression of all genes in an organism, the two-40

dimensional electrophoretic analysis of the entireprotein complement of an organism, and theidentification of proteins and analysis of proteinmodifications using nanoflow liquid chromatographydirectly coupled to a mass spectrometer.2. BioinformaticsThis Focus Area is involved in bioinformaticsresearch; providing bioinformatics support toresearch activities within the Cluster; the de velopmentof databases to archive and allow correlativeanalysis of large data sets; and the development ofnew algorithms and software. The BioinformaticsNode also conducts intro duc tory and specialistwork shops in bio infor matics to researchers.3. Advanced cloning systemsResearchers in this area focus on the mani pula tionof the genetic content of microbes in a safe,contained environment to manufacture novel,modified proteins with valuable pro per ties. TheFocus Area also engages in bio-pro specting; thedesign of new genetic systems that facilitate thepreparation of large amounts of novel proteinsrequired in bio reme diation; and in the study ofprotein structure that is required in the design ofsyn the tic enzymes.4. Novel drugs discoveryThis Focus Area is involved in the systematic analysisof complex extracts from indigenous plants andlarge chemical libraries. The Focus Area, formedthrough collaboration between the Department ofChemistry and FARMOVS-PAREXEL, methodicallyscreen for candidate drugs that suppress the biologicalactivity of agents involved in human diseasedstates, including tissue inflammation and cancer.ActivitiesProjects within this Cluster range from understandinghow and why we age, to designing novelmolecules that act as drugs in the treatment ofmajor human diseases. Research group ings includebiochemists, organic chemists, microbiologists,mathematicians and computer scientists togenerate cutting edge advances in fundamentalscientific insight as well as developing newsolutions to central issues in biotechnology.Scientific questions studied in this group includean investigation of the chemistry of a cell thatallows lifespan extension, the way in which thepackaging of DNA in a cell regulates geneexpression, the identification of changes in thelevel of proteins in response to growth underextreme conditions or in the presence of xenobioticor even toxic components, the effect of pathogeninteraction on the gene expression and proteomicprofile of the host, and the identification of traitsin wheat that help with the breeding ofagriculturally superior strains.Ms Elize Muller-Patterton and Prof Hugh Pattertonare leading two projects, namely (i) proteomic analysisof sirtuin targets in polyphenol-mediated lifespanextension; and (ii) the identification of common pathsin gene expression networks involved in lifespanextension by resveratrol and EGCG.41

Prof Patterton is also involved with the microarrayanalysis of the whole-genome expression profilein chickens in response to Avibacterium paragalinariuminfection, toget her with Prof Rob Bragg.Prof Koos Albertyn’s team is investigating wholegenome-se quenc ing and annotation of Avibacteriumpara gali na rium as the basis for NAD independence,as well as the development of novel expressionsystems for Yurowia lypolytica. A project on wholegenome sequencing of Thermus ther mo philus andthe identification of genes encoding novel enzymaticactivities is being led by Prof Derek Litthauer.A further four projects are underway under theleadership of Prof Patterton: (i) the identification ofthe molecular switch allowing chromatin binding oflinker histone H1; (ii) the characterisation of posttranslational mo difi cations of core histones associatedwith early events in chromatin decondensation dur ingextensive transcrip tional reprogramming; (iii) thedelineation of the role of core histone tails in chromatincompaction and gene repres sion; and (iv) a massspectrometricanalysis of protein cross-links: applicationto nucleosome-nucleosome contacts in thecondensed 30nm chromatin fibre.42

44Internat

ionalisation45

Staff members at the UFS Internationalisation Office are, from the left, front: Ms Cecilia Sejake (Liaison Officer), and Dr AldoStroebel (Head of Internationalisation); back: Ms Refilwe Masiba (Office Coordinator), Mr Sookrit Hulloowan (StudentAssistant), Ms Jeanne Niemann (Coordinator for International Students), Ms Louise Steyn (Professional Officer), and Mr ArthurJohnson (Coordinator for Research Funding Opportunities).In 2003, the Strategic Framework for theDevelopment of Research at the University ofFree State (UFS) acknowledged research andpostgraduate study as key drivers of the effectiveinternationalisation of universities. Conversely, theDirectorate Research Development (DRD) recognisedthat an internationally competitive research systemcan only be ensured if the University is able toeffectuate exposure to high-level expertise throughthe promotion of cooperation with internationalexperts in critical areas. Implementation of theResearch Strategy resulted not only in the46

Internationalisationprioritisation of research internationalisation (aspart of the DRD’s quality assurance efforts), butalso underscored the University’s commitment toinstitutional internationalisation. This commitmentis an inherent feature of the UFS mission; it formspart of its strategic priorities and is evident in manyaspects of strategic planning at institutional level.A formal process of revising the role andposition of internationalisation was initiated in2003 and culminated in the formulation andacceptance of the Internationalisation Policy in2005 and the Internationalisation Business Plan in2006. In January 2007, Dr Aldo Stroebel wasappointed as the first Head of the new UFSInternationalisation Office.The Strategic Plan for Internationalisation atthe University of Free State, approved early in 2008,is informed by and cascades down from thestrategic priorities of the University. The overall goalof the Strategy is to ensure a coordinated andsynergistic University-wide internationalisation supportfunction, with effective strategies thatmaximise opportunities for international researchand professional development of academic staff,and ensure a quality experience for both studentsand visitors. Through this it will position and profilethe University as a world-class, research-intensiveinstitution.This overarching goal is supported by a numberof strategic objectives and associated priorities. Ofthese, the following will contribute to researchsupport and development at the UFS:• Developing appropriate systems andprocesses to support internatio na lisationat the University:• to develop, maintain and enhance systemswhich ensure that the University benefitsfully from participation in the global internationa lisation of higher education.• Supporting and enhancing the internationalstanding of the University:• support of research and scholarly collaboration.• to increase the number of active partnershipswith relevant and appropriate institutionsoutside South Africa to provide the UFScom munity with a broader range of optionsfor research, study abroad, scholarship andservice.• to develop and support exchange andmobility programmes which enable atargeted number of UFS students and staffto participate in an international learningexperience.• to utilise international opportunities foracademic staff development in particularfor professional development and buildingof research skills.A critical responsibility of the InternationalisationOffice is to increase international funding of researchat the UFS. This entails the identification ofinternational research funding opportunities,establishment of contact with funding bodies,expansion and maintenance of international researchagreements, establishment of administrative aid,47

and expansion of research membership. Amongstothers, the UFS receives international researchfunding from the WK Kellogg Foundation, May andStanley Smith Charitable Trust, Bill and MelindaGates Foundation, and the Ford Foundation. Inaddition, the position of Coordinator: InternationalResearch Funding was created in the InternationalOffice and Mr Arthur Johnson was appointed toassist, in close collaboration with the DRD.The Internationalisation Office will also play animportant part in the further development of theStrategic Academic Clusters. Given that this initiativeaims to establish the University as a world leader in aselected number of strategic focus areas, the Clusterswill provide a vehicle for many internationalisationactivities. These activities will support the Clustersthrough directed and strategic marketing, and byenhancing international opportunities for researchfunding, research cooperation, postgraduate studentand postdoctoral fellow recruitment, and appropriatecurriculum development.Ultimately, the UFS operates within a globalcontext where markets for education services arehighly competitive, where graduates are increasinglymobile and require skills and qualifications that areglobal ly acceptable, and where the research environmentis highly focused and well-resourced. It istherefore imperative that the institution main tainsa dynamic focus on effective internationalisa tion inorder to uphold and consolidate its position as aleading South African university, both nationallyand internationally.Successful negotiations with theChangchun Advanced MedicalInstitute (CAMI) in China resulted ina formalised agreement with theUniversity of the Free State Schoolof Nursing. Pictured here are, fromthe left, front: Prof Letticia Moja(Dean: Faculty of Heath Sciences,UFS), Prof Zhang Xiangfu(President of CAMI); back: Dr YuanZhao Xin (InternationalCommunication, CAMI), Prof Anitavan der Merwe (Head of the Schoolof Nursing, UFS), Prof Dr Xin Li(Chief Secretary, CAMI), Dr AldoStroebel (Head ofInternationalisation, UFS), ProfFrancois du Toit (Professor ofSociology, CAMI), and a CAMIgraduate in International Nursing.48

50with

Research Commercialisationand CooperationIndustry51

The University of the Free State (UFS) re cognisesthe importance not only of generatingnew knowledge by means of researchprogrammes, but also of actively participating inthe application and utilisation of knowledge andtechnology to generate new products, processesand services. The Directorate Research Development(DRD) also recognises the po ten tial of thirdstream-funding– generated through contractresearch, the effective man age ment of intellectualproperty and the com mer ciali sation of innovativeresearch – to ensure greater financial sustainabilityin support of re search at the University. Researchcommercialisation and in creas ed cooperation withindustry has therefore been a priority within theStrategic Framework of the DRD since 2003, andthis prioritisation has led to some very promisingendeavours in these areas.Dedicated human resources, policy direc tivesand administrative and legal processes have beenput in place in support of UFS researchcommercialisation activities. Prof Gerrit van Wyk,acting Director for Entre pre neurship and SpecialProjects, has been assisting the DRD on a part-timebasis since 2005 and a candidate attorney, MsVictoria Motloung from Phatshoane Henney Inc. (aBloemfontein-based law firm), has been responsiblefor contract administration from 2006. In the sameyear, the UFS Policy for the Management ofIntellectual Property (IP) was approved forimplementation and legal re pre sen tatives werecontracted to handle UFS patents. The Universityfurther decided to create a dedicated managerialposition to spearhead research com merciali sation,Ms Victoria Motloung, candidate attorney from PhatshoaneHenney Inc., has been responsible for contract researchadministration from 2006.in nova tion and entrepreneurship, and the appointmentprocess was initiated.The University is currently engaged with manyindustrial partners through the Tech nology andHuman Resources for Industry Pro gramme (THRIP).It has also received significant third-stream fundingfrom some prominent South African andinternational companies. These include global52

Research Commercialisation andCooperation with Industryenergy company Sasol, and BioPAD, a South Africanbiotechnology company that brokers partnershipsbetween researchers, entrepreneurs, business,govern ment and other stakeholders to promote innovationand create sustainable biotechnologybusinesses.Sasol has made considerable commercial andsocial investments in the University in recent years,benefiting the UFS Department of Chemistry andthe Research Institute for Education Planning (RIEP)in particular. Sasol invested R9 million over the pastthree years in the Department of Chemistry,focusing specifically on process technology andresearch development on oxidation andhomogeneous catalysis. This strategic partnershipalso involves the secondment of a senior Sasolresearcher, Prof Ben Bezuidenhout, to theDepartment, effectively enhancing the Department’sinteraction with the chemicals industry.The investment bolstered the research capacityof the Department in a number of ways. It nowboasts with some of the most advanced chemicalresearch apparatus in Africa, including a nuclearmagnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer and asingle crystal X-ray diffractometer. With theseequipment the Department is not only able to servethe petrochemical and the pharmaceutical industriesmore effectively, but also to train a much largercorps of postgraduate students. The NMR apparatusenabled the Department to conduct contractresearch for the multinational pharmaceuticalcompany FARMOVS-PAREXEL, and to negotiateresearch agreements with international universities.Research development linked to Sasol’s investmentalso forms an integral part of the Strategic AcademicCluster on Materials and Nanosciences, focusing onpetrochemicals. Finally, the Department registereda 100% increase in published research outputs onbasic petrochemical reactions from 2005 to 2006.Sasol also funded the establishment of aTechnology Research Activity Centre (TRAC)Laboratory on the Qwaqwa Campus in 2006, inProf Ben Bezuidenhout, SASOL-seconded Research Chairin Organic Chemistry.53

collaboration with the UFS RIEP. The Sasol TRACLaboratory will provide valuable research andcommunity engagement opportunities for academicstaff members and students at the UFS.In 2007, BioPAD awarded a R13.7 millionbiotechnology research contract to the UFSDepartment of Microbial, Biochemical and FoodBiotechnology to conduct research into prehistoricmicro-organisms which live under extremeconditions. This is one of the largest researchcontracts awarded to the UFS in recent years andincludes equipment, student bursaries andpostdoctoral fellowships.The contract involves the establishment of aPlatform for Metagenomics – a technique whichallows researchers to extract the DNA from microbesin their natural environment and investigate it in alaboratory. The Platform aims to tap into the uniquegenetic material in South African mines which willlead to the discovery of new genes and theirproducts. These new and unique products will findapplication in the medical field (anti-cancer, antibacterialen anti-viral cures), the industrial sector(nanotechnology, commercial washing agents andthe food industry) and the environmental sector(pollution management, demolition of harmfulmetals and other toxic waste). The Platform furtheraims to establish unique expertise for spin-offconsultation and service companies run by thestudents trained in the Platform.The project is endorsed by the Department ofScience and Technology and the National ResearchSome of the guests attending thelaunch of the UFS/BioPAD Meta genomicsPlatform contract are, from theleft: Dr Siyabulela Ntutela (DeputyDirector for Biotechnology at the Department of Science and Technology),Dr Godfrey Netswera (Manager ofThuthuka and the Support Programmeat the National Research Foundation),Prof Esta van Heerden (Platform Managerand Lec turer at the Department ofMicrobial, Biochemical and FoodBiotechnology at the UFS), Mr ButanaMboniswa (Chief Executive Officer ofBioPAD), and Mr Vuyisele Phehani(Portfolio Manager for BioPAD).54

Foundation (NRF), which contributes to thebursaries of the 17 postgraduate students currentlyon the programme. The project also engages anumber of industrial and academic collaborators,both local and international. These include PrincetonUniversity and the University of Tennessee in theUnited States of America (USA); GeosynecConsultants Inc. and Oak Ridge National Laboratory(both in the USA), the Universities of theWitwatersrand, North West and Limpopo in SouthAfrica (SA); BHP Billiton and MINTEK (SA); andSouth African mining companies Harmony, GoldFields and AngloGold Ashanti.The Platform will provide valuable op por tunitiesfor some of the Strategic Academic Clusters,specifically Advanced Biomolecular Research andTechnologies for Sustainable Crop Industries inSemi-Arid Regions. Gene and product discovery, aswell as extending microbial impact in plant breedingare some areas where joint research between theseClusters and the Platform will be conducted.Research at the UFS Faculty of Health Sciencesalso received a significant external investment in2007. The Netcare Private Hospital Group donatedR265 000 to the Department of Haematology andCell Biology with respect to the establishment of abone marrow transplant programme and thedevelopment of a molecular biology laboratory andanti-leukemia remedies.In 2006, the UFS became the first tertiaryinstitution in the country to sign a joint ventureagreement with Empowerdex – South Africa’sCelebrating the donation of R265 000from Netcare Private Hospital Group tothe Department of Haematology andCell Biology are, from the left: ProfGert van Zyl (Head of the School ofMedicine at the UFS), Prof LetticiaMoja (Dean: Faculty of Health Sciencesat the UFS), Prof Dion du Plessis(Director: Netcare Holdings), and ProfPhilip Badenhorst (Head of theDepartment of Haematology and CellBiology at the UFS).55

foremost black economic empowerment (BEE)ratings agency – to train BEE practitioners across allsectors of the economy. This joint venture entailsthe establishment of a transformation office withinthe Centre for Business Dynamics at the UFS whichwill administer training programmes and conductcontract research on BEE.A joint research project with the Council forScientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), whichutilised yeast cultures from the culture collection ofthe UFS, serves as another fine example of thesuccessful commercialisation of research at theUniversity. This project led to the establishment of afor-profit company, Oxyrane, which attractedinternational inves tors. In addition to the successfulsale of the IP resulting from this collaborative research,the UFS will collect royalties on sales shouldproducts be successfully marketed.Considered as a whole, these successes confirmthat UFS research is making very good progress inexploiting external sources of income. However, it iscritical that the University continues to project animage of a research-orientated University in orderto effectively increase its commercial researchventures. In addition to the palpable potential ofthe Strategic Academic Clusters in this regard, theexpansion and duplication of projects such as thosediscussed in this section will be a key responsibilityof a new UFS Head for Research Commercialisationand Entre preneurship.Prof Frederick Fourie, Rector andVice-Chancellor of the UFS, and MrVuyo Jack, Executive Chairman of BEEratings agency Empowerdex.56

58Student

PostgraduateSupport59

Postgraduate students are the researchers ofthe future. These burgeoning aca de mics,engaged with Masters, Doctoral andpostdoctoral work, represent the key driver ofresearch productivity and the creation of newknowledge in South Africa. Cognisant of this reality,the University of the Free State (UFS) is committedto providing a research-rich environment andinfrastructure for all of its postgraduate students,by:• inducting students into an active researchcommunity, introducing them to alter na tiveviewpoints and providing them with suitablyskilled and knowledgeable super visors andopportunities to interact with stu dents andacademics across a wide spectrum;• encouraging students to undertake re searchwithin the world of work and within thecommunity, including collabo ration withexternal partners; and• building student research capacity through arange of support activities.These support activities include orientation orinduction programmes, research design andmethods training, research skills training, languageand writing skills development, editorial supportfor writing, the development of research-relatedskills (such as project man agement, team work,information retrieval and database management), amentoring system and the provision of guidanceand counselling in the event of difficulties. Themajority of these services are already being offeredthough various Depart ments and units at theUniversity. However, when postgraduate support isnot managed as a whole, at an institutional level, itis often challenging for postgraduate students toidentify and access activities relevant to theirindividual capacity develop ment needs.Consequently, the UFS identified the need for aformal, dedicated support structure which wouldcoordinate all academic support services andactivities aimed at postgraduate students. Thissupport structure takes the form of an institutionalPostgraduate Student Support Office, a one-stopservice offered through the UFS DirectorateResearch Development (DRD).The DRD’s Strategic Framework for theDevelopment of Research at the UFS (2003)prioritised effective and quality postgraduatetraining as a prominent part of its quality as suranceobjective. This entails not only an in crease inthe quantity of postgraduate stu dents, but alsoin the quality of the research activities of theseemerging researchers. The High er EducationQuality Committee of the South African Councilon Higher Education further confirmed the urgentneed for formal and coordinated postgraduatestu dent sup port services at the UFS during its2006 insti tu tional audit. Moreover, the NationalResearch Foundation (NRF) identi fied theproduction of “large numbers of high-qualityPhDs to pro vide the bedrock for an innovativeand entre preneurial so ciety” 4 as a key driver forall of its pro gram mes in 2005. This strategy of4 Source: http://www.nrf.ac.za/publications/news@nrf/apr2005/apr05.pdf60

PostgraduateStudent SupportPhD: A Key Driver was recently underlined by theNRFs SA PhD Project, a major campaign aimed atincreasing the number of South African PhDsfive-fold by 2025.With these national and institutional aims inmind, the DRD initiated the process to establish thePostgraduate Student Support Office in 2005. TheUniversity approved this initiative in 2007 andrecommendations aimed at the improvement ofpostgraduate training at the University are currentlybeing developed.The primary purpose of the Postgraduate StudentSupport Office will be to provide coordinationand support services to post graduate students andpostdoctoral fellows, as well as academic staffacross the University. The Office will foster anenabling, inclusive and supportive environment forall spheres of postgraduate study – teaching, learning,research and scholarship – and will strive toengage students in the vibrant worklife of aresearch-oriented University. Some of its main aimswill be to increase Masters and Doctoral studentthroughput, to increase the scholarly publication ofpostgraduate research, and to ensure the productionof high-quality post graduates.The establishment of the Office as part of theDRD provides it with the necessary linkages to otherresearch-related structures, including the InternationalisationOffice and the Strategic AcademicClusters. It also ensures open access to the vitalresearch administration functions of the Directorate.This is particularly relevant in terms of the identificationof sources of funding for postgraduateDr Annelize Venter, interim Coordinator of the PostgraduateStudent Support Office.students. The Office will take a leading role in thisregard by making funding information readilyavailable, assisting students in obtaining funding,and facilitating and leading fund raising initiativesfor postgraduate bursaries and scholarships. It willalso provide other targeted information services,including a single database of post graduate61

students; post graduate topics; super visors, studylead ers and promoters; and capacity de vel opmentactivities. This will provide a useful tool formonitoring students’ learning experiences andprogress, completion rates, research outputs, andeven post-study experience.Although postgraduate students will be themain clientele and target audience of the PostgraduateStu dent Support Office, it will also serveas a resource for academic staff members who areless experienced in research supervision and UFSsupervision policies. The Office will provide a trainingbase and information hub for these staffmembers in particular, but also for the larger corpsof UFS postgraduate study leaders and promoters,by developing and consolidating ap pro pria te documentationto support their activities. Such documentsinclude, for example, a supervisors’ checklistand an institutional policy document entitledMutual Re spon si bili ties of a Supervisor and Postgraduate Stu dent which is currently beingfinalised.The anticipated goals, objectives and activi tiesof the Postgraduate Student Support Office arecurrently being informed and vali dat ed by aUniversity-wide study of the UFS postgraduate environment. It is envisaged that the role, re spon si bilitiesand structure of the Office will thus be clarifiedand the Office should commence full operations bythe end of 2008.62

64Achiev

Outstanding Researchements65

Honouring our LeadingResearchersIn this section, we highlight the achievements ofsome of the many leading researchers at theUniversity of the Free State (UFS). We pay tributeto individuals and teams who have demonstratedexceptional research leadership and have receivedin-house, national and international recognition,across a broad range of research and researchrelatedachievements. Although this listing is in noway exhaustive, it does provide a snapshot of thequality and excellence exhibited by researchers atthe University.Outstanding Contributions tothe UFS Research CultureDr Zerihun Alemu, Affiliated Associate Professor atthe Department of Agricultural Economics, receivedan award for the best article published in the SouthAfrican Journal of Agricultural Economics (Agrekon),an accredited journal of the Agricultural EconomicsAssociation of South Africa, in 2006.Prof Constanze Bauer of the Department ofPolitical Science is an Audit Committee member ofthe Free State Department of Education (2006).Dr Adri Beylefeld (Senior Lecturer at theDivision of Health Sciences Education), Mr KaliNena (Lecturer at the Department of Sosiology)and Prof Engela Prinsloo (Head of the Departmentof Family Medicine) received the Kerneels Nel medaland cash prize for the best article published inqualitative research in 2006.Dr Susan Bonnet (Lecturer) and Prof Jan vander Westhuizen (Associate Professor) of theDepartment of Chemistry, together with staffmembers from FARMOVS-PAREXEL, received the2008 National Science and Technology Foruminnovation award for an outstanding contributionto science, engineering and technology from eitheran individual or a team over the last ten years.Prof Frikkie Booysen of the Department ofEconomics is a member of the interim ResearchSector Steering Committee of the South AfricanNational Aids Council.Prof Jopie Botha, Affiliated Researcher at theInstitute for Groundwater Studies, became an honorarymember of the Groundwater Division of theGeological Society of South Africa in 2007. He alsoreceived the Groundwater medal recognising hisscientific contribution to the field of groundwaterin South Africa, especially in developing thetheoretical understanding of groundwater flow infractured rock aquifers.Prof Philippe Burger of the Department ofEconomics was the 2005 senior top achiever in theFaculty of Economic and Management Sciences.The Centre for Development Support (CDS)received a Gold Award in the category of Researchand Development at the Free State Premier’sExcellence Awards in 2007. The CDS team receivingthe award included Prof Lucius Botes (Director of66

Outstanding Research AchievementsThe CDS team from the UFS is, from the left, front: Mr Willem Ellis, Prof Lucius Botes, Ms Dorie Olivier; middle: Dr ZacheusMatebesi, Prof Lochner Marais; back: Ms Deidré van Rooyen, Mr Molefi Lenka, Ms Anita Venter, Ms Kholisa Sigenu, and MsJulia Kambule.the CDS), Mr Willem Ellis (Executive Officer of theInternational Institute for Development Ethics atthe UFS), Ms Julia Kambule (Student Assistant), MrMolefi Lenka (Junior Researcher), Prof LochnerMarais (Researcher), Dr Zacheus Matebesi (Re searchAssociate), Ms Dorie Olivier (Program me Co ordina-tor), Me Deidré van Rooyen (Junior Researcher), MsKholisa Sigenu (Researcher), and Ms Anita Venter(Assistant Researcher).Prof Louise Cilliers (Senior Professor at theDepartment of English and Classical Languages)67

Mr Vernon Collett, Registrar: Academic StudentServices, received the Certificate of Honourfrom the International Education Association ofSouth Africa (IEASA) in support of their goals in2007. He participated in the very first meetingwhich supported inter nationalisation at South Africanuniversities. Ms Jeanne Niemann, Co ordina torfor Inter national Students at the Inter nationalisationOffice, received the award for the individual whodelivered the most outstanding inter national studentsupport services from IEASA in 2007.Ms Jeanne Niemann and Mr Vernon Collett.and Prof François Retief (former UFS Rector) receivedthe Stals prize for multi- and interdisciplinaryteamwork from the South African Academy forScience and Art in 2006.Prof Daan de Waal.Prof Daan de Waal of the Department Statistics/ Mathematical Statistics is a member of theSouth African Statistics Council, appointed by theMinister of Finance (2005-2007).Profs François Retief and Louise Cilliers.The Directorate Research Development received a National Research Foundation award in2007 from the Institutional Research De velop mentProgramme for excellence in research officeadministration.68

Prof Max Finkelstein, Senior Professor at theDepartment of Statistics / Mathematical Stat istics,received the Sichel Medal awarded by the SouthAfrican Statistical Association for the best publicationin 2007.Prof Magda Fourie.Prof Magda Fourie, former Vice-Rector: AcademicPlanning, is a member of both the Councilon Higher Education and the Umalusi Council,appointed by the Minister of Education in 2006.Prof Neil Heideman.Prof Neil Heideman, Vice-Dean of the Facultyof Natural and Agricultural Sciences, received aSenior Fulbright Researcher Fellowship to visit thelaboratory of Prof Jack Sites, a fellow herpetologist,at Brigham Young University, Utah, in the UnitedStates of America in 2007.Prof Johan Henning, Dean of the Faculty ofLaw, became Senior Research Fellow and Director ofthe Centre for Company and Partnership Law in theInstitute of Advanced Legal Studies at the Universityof London, United Kingdom, in 2006.Prof Charles Herbst of the Department ofMedical Physics is a member of the Council of theSouth African Association for Physics in MedicalBiology (2005-2006).Dr Dipane Hlalele from the School of Educationis a member of the Maluti Further Education andTraining College Council, appointed by the Memberof the Executive Council for Education (2007).Prof Heidi Hudson of the Department of PoliticalScience worked on democratisation, globalisation,and South African foreign policy in theAfrican Researchers Scholarship Programme at theNordic Africa Institute in Uppsala, Sweden in 2006.Ms Kasweka Kakoma, Ms Ji-Yun Lee and MrLehlohonolo Mathengtheng, all from the De partmentof Microbial, Biochemical and Food Bio technology,won R50 000 in the local leg of the NationalInnovation Competition. Their business planfocused on the use of bacteriophages to combatspecific bacterial infections in poultry.Mr Gerben Kamper, Lecturer at the Departmentof Drama and Theatre Arts, was nominated asbest player in “Caliban in die Storm” in 2007.69

Prof Hendri Kroukamp of the Depart ment ofPublic Management received the senior top achieveraward in research in 2007 in the Faculty of Economicand Manage ment Sciences. He is also the Africanrepresentative on the Management Board of theInternational Association of Schools and Institutesof Administration (IASIA; 2006-2007), and theChairperson of the IASIA working group on PublicAdministration Training and Education: AligningMissions and Quality (2007).Prof Maryke Labuschagne (Department ofPlant Sciences) received two prestigious nationalresearch awards in 2008: the National Science andTechnology Forum award for the development ofresearch capacity over the past ten years (for hersuccessful mentoring of black students andresearchers) and the Cereal Science and Technology– SA award for research and development. Togetherwith Profs Wijnand Swart (also of the Departmentof Plant Sciences) and Schalk Louw (Department ofZoology and Entomology), she received the 2007Technology and Human Resources IndustryProgramme (THRIP) excellence award presented bythe national Department of Trade and Industry. Theteam received this award for the commersialisationof kenaf as fibre crop.Prof Kobus Laubscher.Prof Kobus Laubscher, Department of AgriculturalEconomics, is the Chairperson of the NationalProductivity Institute’s (NPI) Social Plan andProductivity Advisory Council, appointed by theMinister of Labour, and the Chairperson of the NPIBoard of Directors (2007).Prof Dave Lubbe of the Centre for Accountingreceived the Stals prize for Economic and Man agementSciences in 2007 for his contribution to thedevelopment of Auditing as a discipline. He is thefirst Chartered Accountant to receive this prize.The recipients of the National Science and TechnologyAwards are, from the left: Prof Jan van der Westhuizen (UFSDepartment of Chemistry), Dr Susan Bonnet (UFS Departmentof Chemistry), Prof Thinus van der Merwe (FARMOVS-PAREXEL), Prof Maryke Labuschagne (UFS Department ofPlant Sciences), and Prof Ken Swart (FARMOVS-PAREXEL).Prof Lochner Marais of the Centre for De velopmentSupport was honoured as the 2005 juniortop achiever in research in the Facul ty of Eco no micand Management Sciences.Ms Elsa Mengsteab, an Eritrean student at theCentre for Development Support, received an awardfor best student in Development Research in 2006.70

Prof Johan Meyer, Senior Professor at the De partmentof Mathematics and Applied Mathematics,received an honorary award for research in the Facultyof Natural and Agricultural Sciences in 2007.Prof Letticia Moja.Prof Letticia Moja, Dean of the Faculty ofHealth Sciences, is the Chairperson of the NationalCommittee of Medical Deans (2006).Dr Liezel Nel, Lecturer at the Department ofComputer Science and Informatics, received theannual Kallie Strydom prize awarded by the Centreof Higher Education Studies and Development forthe best research in Higher Education Studies in2006.Mr IB Oosthuizen, Prof Hennie Snyman (both ofthe Department of Animal, Wildlife and GrasslandSciences) and Prof Seef Pretorius (Department ofSoil, Crop and Climate Sciences) received the SouthAfrican Society of Crop Production (SASCP) boardaward for the best paper published by a member ofthe SASCP in the South African Journal of Plant andSoil in 2006. Prof Snyman also received the 2005Compton prize for the best article in the South AfricanJournal of Botany.Prof Klopper Oosthuizen of the De part mentof Agricultural Economics received a medal fromthe Agricultural Economics As sociation of SouthAfri ca (AEASA) for his contributions to the Agri culturalEconomics discipline in South Africa in 2007.Prof ‘MabokangMonnapula-Mapesela.Dr Elsabé Pepler.Prof ‘Mabokang Monnapula-Mapesela, AssociateProfessor and Researcher at the Centre forHigher Education Studies and Development, wasthe annual visiting professor to the ExecutiveDoctorate in Educational Administration Programmeat Seton Hall University, New Jersey in the UnitedStates of America in 2007.Dr Elsabé Pepler, Senior Lecturer in the Departmentof Com munication and Information Studies,is a member of the Council of the Christian Television,Film, Arts and Media Commission of SouthAfrica (2005).71

The academic details of Prof Andries Raath,Senior Professor at the Department of ConstitutionalLaw and Philosophy of Law, were published in the22nd edition of the Who’s Who in the World in2005. He was also honoured for his contributions inthe fields of law, philosophy and history by theInternational Biographical Centre in Cambridge,United Kingdom.Dr Olihile Sebolai.Prof Jan Smit, Associate Professor at the Departmentof Architecture, received awards for Architecturefrom the Free State Institute of Architectsfor House Enkalweni and House Uys in 2007.Adv Bradley Smith, Senior Lecturer at theDepartment of Private Law, received the Dean’sMedal for the best Master‘s degree in the Faculty ofLaw in 2007.Prof Elizabeth Snyman-Van Deventer, Departmentof Mercantile Law, is a member of theGeographical Naming Committee of the Free State’sDepartment of Sport, Arts and Culture (2007).Mr Jaco Spies, Lecturer at the Department ofFine Arts, received a merit prize at the Absa 1’Atelierart competition in 2007.In 2005, Dr Olihile Sebolai, current Manager:Capacity Building Initiatives of the Directorate ResearchDevelopment, made a ground-breaking discoveryin the field of microbiology by uncovering aseries of new compounds that may in future beused to lubricate man-made nanorobots in 2005.He received the UFS Senate medal and prize for bestMaster‘s student at the University; the Dean’s Medalfor best Master‘s student in the Faculty of Naturaland Agricultural Sciences; the Andries Brink/Sasolprize for the best MSc dissertation in Microbiology;the JP van der Walt prize for best MSc dissertationin yeast science; the Chris Small prize for an outstanding Master‘s dissertation; and honorary coloursfrom the UFS Student Representative Council.Dr Aldo Stroebel.Dr Aldo Stroebel from the InternationalisationOffice and Cen tre for Sustainable Agriculture andRural De ve lop ment is a member of the nationalAgricultural Research for Development Task Team(2005-2007); Vice-President of research and Directorof SARIMA (2006-2007); Coordinator of the NationalProgramme for the Creation of Small Enter prises andJobs in the Second Economy, part of the Acceleratedand Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa, drivenby the Deputy President (2006); and one of only fournon-European Union specialists members of the72

evalua tion panel for the European Union’s rural development strategy (2007).Prof Andries Stulting of the Department ofOphthalmology received a silver award at the 2006Free State Premier’s Excellence Award function foroutstanding excellence and leadership. Prof Stulting’swork also appeared in the 5th edition of the Who’sWho in Medicine and Healthcare (2004/2005), theMadison Who’s Who of Executives and Professionals(2005), and the 23rd edition of Marquis Who’s Whoin the World (2006). He is also an honorary memberof the Tanzanian Optometric Association.Ms Corlietha Swart, Lecturer at the Departmentof Afrikaans and Dutch, German and French, was afinalist of the Sanlam/Passi short stories competitionin 2007 for her short story “Die laaste stasie”.Prof Hendrik Swart of the Department ofPhysics received a National Research Founda tionaward from the Institutional Research Develop mentProgramme for the research niche area (RNA) in thedeveloped RNA cate gory with the highest score.Dr Pieter Taljaard, Lecturer at the Depart ment ofAgricultural Economics, received the award for thebest article published in Agrekon in 2005.Prof Hennie van Coller of the Department ofAfrikaans and Dutch, German and French is theChairperson of the South African Academy forScience and Art (2005).Prof Frans Swanepoel.Prof Frans Swanepoel, Director: Research De velopmentand Extraordinary Professor at the Cen trefor Sustainable Agriculture and Rural De ve lop ment,received a Senior Fulbright Fellow ship in 2007 andhas been appointed as a visiting profes sor at theCornell International Institute for Food, Agricultureand Development at Cornell Uni versity in New York,United States of America. He was appointed asAdvisor by the national programme leader of theAccelerat ed and Shared Growth Initiative for SouthAfrica’s National Programme for the Creation ofSmall Enterprises and Jobs in the Second Eco nomy in2006 and as a member of the Higher EducationQuality Committee insti tutional audit panel in 2007.Mr Sean van der Merwe, Lecturer at theDepartment of Statistics/Mathematical Statistics,received the Dean’s Medal for best student in theFaculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences in 2006,as well as the Senate Medal in the same year.Prof Dingie Janse van Rensburg receiving the GoldExcellence Award in Research and Development from MsBeatrice Marshoff (Premier of the Free State).73

Prof Dingie Janse van Rensburg, OutstandingProfessor and Head of the Centre for Health SystemsResearch and Development, received the Gold ExcellenceAward for outstanding excellence and leadershipin the category Research and De ve lop mentfrom the Premier of the Free State in 2006. He wasalso promoted to Outstanding Professor in 2007.Prof Leon van Rensburg.Minister of Agriculture and Land Affairs (2006); Vice-Chairperson of the Matjhabeng Municipality’sMarketing and Investment Company (2006); ActingChairperson of the Land Bank Board of Directors,appointed by the Minister of Agriculture and LandAffairs (2007); and a member of the Natio nalAgricultural Marketing Council, also appointed by theMinister of Agri culture and Land Affairs (2007).Prof Gert van Zyl, Head at the School ofMedicine, received a bronze award from the Premierof the Free State in 2006, honouring his research anddevelopment contributions towards promoting thepublic health management system in the Province.Prof Hermie van Zyl of the Faculty of Theologyis the Chairperson of the Regional Council of theBible Association (2006).Prof Leon van Rensburg from the Departmentof Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences and his team(AW Frezghi and I van der Stoep) received a medalfrom the Soil Science Society of South Africa forapplied (implementable) technology in 2005.Prof Herman van Schalkwyk.Prof Herman van Schalkwyk, Dean of the Facultyof Nat ural and Agricultural Sciences, is a member ofthe Ministerial Committee to review the South Africanagricultural marketing environment, appointed by theMs Anita Venter, Assistant Researcher at theCentre for Development Support, received the 2007junior top achiever award in the Faculty of Economicand Management Sciences.Prof Basie Verster of the Department ofQuantity Surveying and Construction Managementreceived a medal of honour from the South AfricanAcademy of Science and Art in 2006 for hiscontributions in the field of quantity surveying andconstruction management. He was a Fellow of theChartered Institute of Buildings in the UnitedKingdom (UK) in 2005 and received the DistinguishedInternational Fellow award from the InternationalCost Engineering Council. Prof Verster is alsonational president of the Association of SouthAfrican Quantity Surveyors and director of the RoyalInstitution of Chartered Surveyors in the UK.Ms Sheila Vrahimis, Department of Geography,is a member of the Geographical Naming Committee74

of the Free State’s Department of Sport, Arts andCulture (2007).columnist for various agricultural periodicals, and hasbeen a presenter and programme advisor on nationaltelevision in respect of agricultural matters. He hasreceived numerous national agricultural awards,including a certificate of appreciation in recognition ofexceptional service to Meadow Feeds in 2005.Prof Andrew Walubo.Excellence at National andInternational Research ForumsProf Andrew Walubo, Department ofPharmacology, is a member of the United StatesPharmacopeia Experts Committee on InternationalHealth and Africa’s Regional Coordinator for theWorld Health Organisation Research and De velopmenton Tropical Diseases programme GoodLaboratory Practices training activities. In 2006, hereceived a prestigious fellowship from the AmericanCollege of Clinical Pharmacology.Dr George Weideman, Research Associate atthe Department of Afrikaans and Dutch, Germanand French, received an honorary award in 2006from the South African Academy of Science and Artfor his radio plays. He also received the Akker awardin 2006 – the annual award from Versidaba – tohonour poets promoting the poetry genrethroughout their career and acted as mentor forothers in the genre.Prof Johan Willemse, Head of the Department ofAgricultural Economics, was appointed as anindependent non-executive director of Absa Group andAbsa Bank with effect 2008. He belongs to the SouthAfrican Agricultural Writers Association, is a regularPrizes and Awards Received atInternational Conferences2005Scholtz, NDepartment of GeologyPresented the best poster at the UraniumMining and Hydrogeology ConferenceProf Moses Sindane.Sindane, AMDepartment of Public ManagementReceived the Pierre de Celles award for the bestpaper delivered at the 2003 Con ference of the75

2006International Association of Schools andInstitutions of Admin is tra tion (received at the2005 event)Kotze, L & Smit, AVADepartment of Business ManagementReceived three prizes for best papers presentedat the International Academy of African Businessand Development ConferenceSwart, CW, Botes, PJ, Van Wyk, PWJ, Strauss, CJ,Nigam, S, Pohl, CH & Kock, JLFCentre for MicroscopyWon second prize for best poster overall at theInternational Conference on NonmammalianEicosanoids, Bioactive Lipids and Plant Oxylipins2007Human, DQuantity Surveying and ConstructionManagementReceived the Kenneth K Humphreys Award forthe most outstanding Quantity Survey ing art i-cle submitted by a student or a young memberof the International Cost Engineering Council(ICEC) at the Annual Meeting of the Associationfor the Advance ment of Cost Engineering International and World Conference of the ICECMs Ekaete Samson-Akpan from the Department of BusinessManagement at the Qwaqwa Campus of the UFS.Samson-Akpan, ESDepartment of Business ManagementReceived an award for the best paper withpractical applications on Africa, as well as theaward for best session presenter in the ses sionon ecological, environmental and agri cul turalissues, at the International Academy of AfricanBusiness and Development ConferenceKroukamp, HJDepartment of Public ManagementReceived an award for his contribution to thescientific value of the event at the Joint Congressof the International Institute for AdministrativeSciences and the International Association ofSchools and Institutes of AdministrationPrizes and Awards Received atNational Conferences2005Grobbelaar, JDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology76

Delivered the best presentation on head andneck surgery at the Annual Congress of theSouth African Society of Otorhinolaryn gologyAnnual Conference of the AgriculturalEconomics Association of South AfricaHarris, RA, Terblans, JJ & Swart, HCDepartment of PhysicsPresented the best MSc poster in Con dens edMatter Physics and Materials Science at theAnnual Conference of the South AfricanInstitute of PhysicsHensley, M & Le Roux, PALDepartment of Soil, Crop and ClimateSciencesDelivered the best paper for potential tech nologytransfer at the National Conference of theSoil Science Society of Southern AfricaJanse van Rensburg, G & Snyman, HAAnimal, Wildlife and Grassland SciencesPresented the winning poster at the An nualCongress of the Grassland Society of SouthernAfricaJordaan, AJDepartment of Agricultural EconomicsReceived the second prize in the category forthe best MSc thesis at the Annual Conferenceof the Agricultural Economics Association ofSouth AfricaJordaan, HDepartment of Agricultural EconomicsAcknowledged as the best undergraduatestudent, received a prize for the best MSc thesisand received third prize for best article at theAttending the launch of the bursary fund for Master’sstudents in DiMTEC are, from the left: Mr Chris Swiegers(De partment of Water Affairs and Forestry), Mr LanceWilliams (Head of the National Disaster ManagementCentre), Prof Magda Fourie (former Vice-Rector: AcademicPlanning at the UFS) Ms Ramadolela Lindelani (MScstudent), and Mr Andries Jordaan (Director of DiMTEC atthe UFS).Joubert, HD, Swart, HC & Terblans, JJDepartment of PhysicsPresented the best PhD poster in CondensedMatter Physics and Materials Science at theAnnual Conference of the South AfricanInstitute of PhysicsLombaard, SCUnit for Language ManagementReceived the prize for the best first paperdelivered at the Annual Language Congress ofSouth Africa. This was the first time that amember of the UFS has been awarded this prizeat a language congress, and also the first time77

that the prize has been awarded for a paperdealing with sign languageMaphoto, PK, Lindsay, R, Newman, RT & DeVilliers, DDepartment of PhysicsDelivered the best MSc poster in applied andindustrial physics at the Annual Conference ofthe South African Institute of PhysicsMeintjes, PJ & Breedt, EDepartment of PhysicsDelivered the best MSc talk in astrophysics atthe Annual Conference of the South AfricanInstitute of PhysicsOosthuizen, LKDepartment of Agricultural EconomicsReceived the Leopard Award at the AnnualConference of the Agricultural EconomicsAssociation of South AfricaVan Wyk, DDepartment of Agricultural EconomicsReceived second prize in the category for thebest essay by an Agricultural Economics studentat the Annual Conference of the AgriculturalEconomics Association of South Africa2006Botha, JJ & Van Rensburg, LDDepartment of Soil and Crop and ClimateScienceReceived a medal for the best oral presentationon new implementable technology at the NationalConference of the Soil Science Society ofSouthern AfricaDu Plessis, FCPDepartment of Medical PhysicsReceived the prize for delivering the best paperat the Congress of the South African Associationof Physics in Medicine and BiologyEngelbrecht, JDepartment of Medical PhysicsReceived the prize for presenting the bestposter at the Congress of the South AfricanAssociation of Physics in Medicine and BiologyHerselman, L & Spies, JJDepartment of Plant SciencesDelivered the best presentation by an MScstudent at the Conference of the South AfricanGenetics SocietyJennings, K, Le Roux, PAL, Van Huyssteen, CW,Hensley, M & Zere, TBDepartment of Soil, Crop and ClimateSciencesReceived the medal for the best oral paper by anauthor under 30 years at the Combined Conferenceof the Soil and Crop Science SocietiesMabannda, HN, Viljoen, MF, Kundhlande, G &Baiphethi, MNDepartment of Agricultural EconomicsDelivered the second best poster paper at theAgricultural Economics Association of SouthAfrica Conference78

Shaw, WDepartment of Medical PhysicsReceived the motivational prize for being thebest young scientist at the Congress of theSouth African Association of Physics in Medicineand BiologySpies, DC, Jooste, A, Kirsten, J, Gouws, M &Vojtech, VDepartment of Agricultural EconomicsReceived second prize for best paper presentedat the Annual Conference of the AgriculturalEconomics Association of South AfricaVan Wyk, DDepartment of Agricultural EconomicsReceived second prize for the best student essayat the Annual Conference of the AgriculturalEconomics Association of South AfricaVan Wyk, PWJCentre for MicroscopyReceived the award for the best confocal microscopypaper presented at the Annual Conference of theMicroscope Society of Southern Africa2007Coetzee, E, Terblans, JJ & Swart, HCDepartment of PhysicsReceived an award for the best publication presentedby an MSc student (E Coetzee) at the AnnualConference of the South African Institute of PhysicsDhlamini, MS, Terblans, JJ, Ntwaeaborwa, OM &Swart, HCDepartment of PhysicsReceived the award for best poster presented by aPhD student (MS Dhlamini) at the Annual Conferenceof the South African Institute of PhysicsLe Roux, PAL, Hensley, M & Lorentz, SADepartment of Soil, Crop and ClimateSciencesReceived second place as co-author for bestpaper by a junior author at the South AfricanGroundwater ConferenceMeintjes, PJDepartment of PhysicsReceived an award for the second best paperpresented by a PhD student (E Jurua) inastrophysics, as well as an award for the bestMSc paper presented by an astrophysics student(B van Soelen) at the Annual Conference of theSouth African Institute of PhysicsOluwafemi, SO, Revaprasadu, N & Swart, HCDepartment of PhysicsReceived an award for the best paper presentedby a PhD student (SO Oluwafemi) at the AnnualConference of the South African Institute ofPhysicsStrydom, JH & Diedericks, BJSDepartment of AnaesthesiologyReceived the South African Society for An aesthesiologyRegistrars’ Presentation prize for the bestlecture format presentation by a Registrar79

Terblans, JJ & Swart, HCDepartment of PhysicsReceived an award for second best posterpresented by an MSc student (WA Jordaan) atthe Annual Conference of the South AfricanInstitute of PhysicsVan der Watt, EDepartment of Soil, Crop and ClimateSciencesReceived the Board Floating Trophy for bestpaper presented at the Annual Congress of theSouth African Society of Crop ProductionInaugural LecturesProf Pieter BlignautDepartment of Computer Science andInformaticsThe value of eye tracking in the quest for usableinterfacesProf Frikkie BooysenDepartment of EconomicsButterflies and tornados: a systems approachto health systems research and developmentProf Robert BraggDepartment of Microbial, Biochemical andFood BiotechnologyControl of infectious avian diseases: lessons forman?At the inaugural lecture of Prof Pieter Blignaut are, fromthe left: Prof Theo McDonald (Lecturer at the Departmentof Computer Science and Informatics and mentor of ProfBlignaut), Prof Teuns Verschoor (Vice-Rector: AcademicOperations), Prof Blignaut, and Prof Herman vanSchalkwyk (Dean: Faculty of Natural and AgriculturalSciences).Judge Fritz BrandDepartment of Private LawLatest developments in liability for omissionsand for pure economic lossProf Philippe BurgerDepartment of EconomicsThe ups and downs of the South Africaneconomy: rough seas or smooth sailing?Prof Alain ClootDepartment of Mathematics and AppliedMathematicsDerivatives of general order: a modelling tool80

At Judge Fritz Brand’s inaugural lecture are, from the left:Prof Johan van Schalkwyk (Head of the Department PrivateLaw), the honourable appeal court Judge Fritz Brand(Professor Extraordinary in the Department of Private Law),the honourable Judge Faan Hancke (Free State High Courtand Chairperson of the UFS Council), and Prof JohanHenning (Dean: Faculty of Law).Prof André DannhauserDepartment of Nutrition and DieteticsSmart nutrition: a challenge for health and wellnessProf Pieter de VilliersDepartment of New TestamentBiblical spiritualityProf Johann de WetDepartment of Communication andInformation StudiesMeeting on the “narrow ridge” in interculturalcommunicationAt the inaugural lecture of Prof André Dannhauser are, fromthe left: Prof Letticia Moja (Dean: Faculty of Health Sciences),Prof Dannhauser, and Prof Frederick Fourie (Rector andVice-Chancellor).Prof Corene de WetDepartment of Comparative Education andEducation ManagementBullying in schools: everyone’s problemProf Heidi HudsonDepartment of Political SciencesThe impact that Pan-Africanist sentiments onSouth Africa’s foreign policyProf Laetus LateganDepartment of Systematic TheologyThe truth falters on campus: the contributionof the theological ethics to the search for aprofessional ethic in research81

At the inaugural lecture of Prof Edward Nesamvuni are, fromthe left: Prof Izak Groenewald (Head of the Centre forSustainable Agriculture and Rural Development), ProfNesamvuni, Prof Neil Heideman (Vice-Dean: Faculty ofNatural and Agricultural Sciences), and Prof Magda Fourie(former Vice-Rector: Academic Planning).At the inaugural lecture of Prof Heidi Hudson are, from theleft: Prof Frederick Fourie (Rector and Vice-Chancellor), ProfHudson, Prof Engela Pretorius (Vice-Dean: Faculty of theHumanities) and Prof Daan Wessels (Research Associate inthe Department of Political Science).Prof Neal McLarenDepartment of Plant PathologyBeyond the pathogen: revisitedProf Edward NesamvuniCentre for Sustainable Agriculture and RuralDevelopmentAn agricultural service delivery model for smallholderfarmers: a design for research extensionand innovationProf Frikkie NeserDepartment of Animal and Wildlife andGrassland SciencesThe quest for a superior animalProf Alice PellCentre for Sustainable Agriculture and RuralDevelopmentIssues around education, agriculture anddevelopmentProf John ShipleyDepartment of OrthopedicsThe intervertebral disc: past, present andfutureProf Theuns van der LindeDepartment Zoology and EntomologyThe detective was an insect: a short overviewof forensic entomology82

At Prof Alice Pell’s inaugural lecture are, from the left, front:Prof Magda Fourie (former Vice-Rector: Academic Planning),Prof Pell; back: Prof Herman van Schalkwyk (Dean: Facultyof Natural and Agricultural Sciences), and Prof FransSwanepoel (Director: Research Development).At the inaugural lecture of Prof Annette Wilkinson are, fromthe left: Prof Gerhardt de Klerk (Dean: Faculty of theHumanities), Prof Wilkinson, and Prof Driekie Hay (Vice-Rector: Academic Planning).Prof Ebben van ZylDepartment of Industrial PsychologySouth African leadership for the 21st century: aself-leadership approachProf Pieter VersterDepartment of MissiologyDie begronding van die sending by Paulus indie lig van sy erkenning van die godheid vanChristusProf Bennie ViljoenDepartment of Microbial, Biochemical andFood BiotechnologyMicrobial interaction in foods: emphasis onyeastsProf Annette WilkinsonCentre for Higher Education Studies andDevelopmentThe pursuit of “scholarship” in higher education83

84Faculty

Research85

an accredited publication output of almost 41 units. Ifone bears in mind that the Faculty’s average accreditedoutput for the period 2000 to 2005 was a mere 14units per year, increasing to 40.89 in 2006, this isindeed a mammoth achievement. The figure foraccredited publication output for 2007 is almost 47units.Prof Lucius Botes (left) (Director of the Centre forDevelopment Support and Chairperson of the FacultyResearch Committee), and Prof Tienie Crous (Dean: Facultyof Economic and Management Sciences).The past two years have been exceptionallysuccessful for the Faculty of Economic andManagement Sciences with regard to researchoutput and research excellence. The Faculty wasresponsible for more than a third of the growth inresearch outputs of the entire University in 2006 withThe Centre for Development Support (CDS)received a gold award in the category of Researchand Development during the 2007 Free StatePremier’s Excellence Awards ceremony. Thisaspiration to excellence by academics in the Facultyis also reflected in the fact that four staff membersare currently National Research Foundation (NRF)-rated research ers. They are Profs Frikkie Booysen,Hendri Kroukamp, Philippe Burger and LochnerMarais. Furthermore, Prof Dave Lubbe received theStals Prize for Economic and Management Sciencesfor his contribution to the develop ment of Auditingas a discipline. He is the first Chartered Accountantto receive this prize. Prof Philippe Burger wasseconded to the Organisation for EconomicCollaboration and Development in Paris, France toact as research consultant in the field of Public-Private Partnerships for a period of two months.This capped the acknowledgement of qualityresearch embarked upon in the Faculty.It is important for the Faculty to promoteresearch as a critical performance area. Facultymanagement prizes were therefore awarded to topresearchers in the Faculty. Prof Hendri Kroukamp ofthe Department of Public Management receivedthe senior award and Ms Anita Venter of the CDSreceived the junior award.86

Economic and Management SciencesMessage from the Dean: Prof Tienie CrousThe CDS (Profs Lucius Botes and Lochner Marais,and Dr Zacheus Matebesi) produced two reports onConflict in South African Cities: an Analysis ofService-Related Unrest, funded by the EuropeanUnion and National Treasury. The report elucidatesthe reasons for the unrest since September 2004and is based on four case studies from Phumelela,Khutsong, Phomolong and the Nelson Mandela BayMunicipality respectively. The results of theinvestigation were covered by national radio andtelevision and were also presented to theParliamentary Portfolio Committee on localgovernment in Cape Town.The CDS is still involved in extensive research inthe central region of South Africa. The programme,headed by Prof Doreen Atkinson, focusesincreasingly on the so-called arid regions and thesocio-economic develop ment of these areas in theundeveloped hinterland of South Africa, Botswanaand Namibia. In South Africa, the Karoo includesregions of four provinces, namely the WesternCape, Northern Cape, Eastern Cape and the FreeState. In Botswana it is the Kalahari and in Namibia,the Namib Desert. The programme is funded bythe NRF and various key studies were completed in2007. These include:• a socio-economic review of the arid areas;• an evaluation of the economic developmentstrategies of the four involved South Africanprovinces;• a temporary evaluation of desert products andmarkets in these areas;• case studies of seven Karoo towns;• a workshop conducted in Sutherland; and• two scientific papers on the economic historyof the Karoo and the prospects for interprovincialand international collaborationregarding desert tourism.The CDS produced no less than 31 articles inaccredited journals and presented eight selectedpapers at international and five at nationalconferences. A chapter appeared in State of theNation: South Africa and the book Going for Broke:the Fate of Farm Workers in Arid South Africa,published by the Human Science Research Council.Profs Buks Wessels and Philippe Burger, Mr J.P.Geldenhuys and Ms Marina Marinkov (all from theDepartment of Economics) published variousaccredited articles and chapters in books, and themajority of the academic staff members of theDepartment also presented 30 selected papers atnational and international conferences, includingevents in China and the United States of America. MrJohan Coetzee of the Department of Economicsacted as chairperson at a conference on Banking theUnder-Banked that was organised by the InternationalQuality and Productivity Centre.Prof Frikkie Booysen from the Department ofEconomics is the research leader of the Effective AidsTreatment and Support in the Free State (FEATS)Study at the Centre for Health Systems Research andDevelopment. FEATS is a multi-million rand projectfinanced by the World Bank and the Netherlands.This is the largest allocation ever by the ResearchCommittee of the World Bank to a research unit inone country and. The specific aim of the study is todetermine the benefits of anti-retroviral treatment87

for parents and families of patients in the community.Prof Booysen has also been elected to the InterimResearch Sector Steering Committee of the SouthAfrican National Aids Council.Furthermore, academics from the Depart ment ofEconomics, the CDS and the School of Man agementpresented papers at the International ResearchWorkshop on New Growth and Poverty AlleviationStrategies for Africa: Issues, Concepts, Policies andCom parative Analysis. This workshop emanates fromthe cooperation agreement between the Fa culty ofEconomic and Management Scienc es and the Institutfür Weltwirtschaft und Internationales Managementat the Uni versity of Bremen in Germany. The Schoolof Man age ment also produced three ac credited publications during 2006 and 2007.The Centre for Accounting and the Depart mentof Industrial Psychology produced a total of tenarticles. The Centre for Accounting presented 13national and two international papers and the staffof the Department of In dustrial Psychology presentedten inter national papers. Prof Hentie van Wyk fromthe Centre of Accounting was the main speaker atthe 7th National Management Convention of theMauritian Management Association and he was oneof the invited main speakers during the InternationalFinancial Accounting and Tax Practice Conference atthe I-Shou University in Taiwan.The Department of Business Managementreached new heights with five nationally and teninternationally selected papers by Profs Rudolphvan Buuren, Van Aardt Smit and Kobus Lazenby, aswell as Mss Liezel Kotze, Ekeate Samson-Akpan, DrsJohan van Zyl and Orpha Lotz in France, Greece,Finland, Mauritius, Ghana and Namibia. Prof Smitand Ms Kotze jointly received three prizes for bestpapers presented. Ms Samson-Akpan also receiveda prize for the best applied paper at the 7th InternationalConference of the International AfricanAssociation for Business and Development. Globalcompetitiveness of enterprises, personal financialliteracy, credit management and productivity, andchallenges for micro enterprises were some researchtopics covered.The Department of Public Management attendedthe annual conferences of the Inter nationalAssociation of Schools and Institutes of Administrationin Warsaw, Poland (2006) and Abu Dhabi,United Arab Emirates (2007) and presented 11papers. During the Abu Dhabi conference, ProfHendri Kroukamp was honoured with an awardfor his scientific contribution to the success of theconference. Added to this, staff members of theDepartment presented seven papers at nationalconferences and one in Namibia. The Departmenthas also published 13 papers in accredited journalsover the past two years. They also started a newera in multidisciplinary research when theyproduced three accredited articles in collaborationwith the Departments of Accounting, Economicsand Industrial Psychology.88

Prof Letticia Moja (Dean: Faculty of Health Sciences) and Prof Hennie Cronjé (Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, andChairperson of the Faculty Research Committee).School of Allied Health ProfessionsResearch projects in the Department of Oc cupationalTherapy focused on the relationship betweenoccupation and health. Active engage ment existsbetween clinical and educational staff to addressissues pertaining to Occupational Science and theintegration of its core values into researchphilosophies. Five research articles addressingvarious aspects of Occupational Science werepublish ed in accredited journals in 2007.The Department of Physiotherapy inves tigat edthe possible implications that cultural diversitymight have for health workers and how this couldaffect their treatment delivery and expectations of90

Health SciencesMessage from the Dean: Prof Letticia Mojaclients. In the paper on Culture and Communicationin Health Care: a South African Perspective, it wasconcluded that Sotho clients are positioned somewhereon a continuum ranging from traditional toWesternised and should be approached accordingly.Cultural competence is therefore an essential skillthat needs to be taught to professionals in order torender culturally sensitive care.The Department of Nutrition and Dietetics hassuccessfully initiated and managed the Assuringthe Health of All in the Free State (AHA-FS) projectin the Southern Free State. This Department andthe Departments of Chemical Pathology, BasicMedical Sciences, Theology and Social Work wereinvolved in the comprehensive baseline researchproject, including 577 homes in Trompsburg,Springfontein and Philippolis. The project includeda full medical examination, blood tests and thecompletion of various nutrition-related questionnaires.As a result of the findings, a large number ofparticipants were referred to local and provincialclinics. Based on the research findings, and as partof their community service learning activities, thedietetic students began nutrition interventionprojects in the various communities. The researchresults have also been used by various relateddisciplines in planning service learning modulesthat were to be implemented during 2008 incooperation with the Khula-Xhariep Partnership. Afew postgraduate students are also using theresearch information with a view to conductingfurther research in the communities of Trompsburg,Springfontein and Philippolis.The Department of Nutrition and Dietetics wasalso involved with the Effective Aids Treatment andSupport in the Free State (FEATS) Study at theCentre for Health Systems Research and De ve lopment,led by Prof Frikkie Booysen and financed bythe World Bank. This study promises to benefitindividuals with HIV infection and Aids.School of MedicineResearch in the School of Medicine takes place overa wide spectrum with different health issues beinginvestigated by the several disciplines in a subjectspecificway. This report highlights the mainresearch themes and the part that various disciplinesplay.Cancer remains a big international healthconcern that is currently being addressed by severaldisciplines. Prof Hennie Cronjé of the Departmentof Obstetrics and Gynaecology investigatesscreening methods to diagnose cancer of the cervixin an early stage in the broader community. ProfDavid Stones of the Department of Paediatrics andChild Health is conducting studies to determinewhether the prognosis of various types of cancer inchildren has improved over the past 20 years. ProfLouise Louw of the Department of Otorhino laryngologystudies the fatty acid content of varioustypes of cancer.In the Department of Haematology and CellBiology, molecular techniques are being employedto monitor the treatment of chronic myeloid91

leukaemia and to test new anti-cancer drugs. DrNerina van der Merwe of the Department ofGenetics studies the genetic defects responsible forhereditary cancer of the breast and ovaries. DrFrederik du Plessis and co-workers from theDepartment of Medical Physics are performingpioneering research in the field of cancer radiation.Prof Vernon Louw of the Department of ClinicalHaematology and Prof Louis Goedhals from theDepartment of Oncotherapy are actively involved incontract research in which the most recent andotherwise unaffordable cancer medication is beingmade accessible to local patients.Thrombosis with all its complications is anotherserious health concern. Prof Muriel Meiring and coworkersfrom the Department of Haematology andCell Biology concentrate on the development ofnew antithrombotic agents. They have alsodeveloped thrombotic models, for which there is abig international demand to test the efficacy ofnew antithrombotic agents.Assuring the Health of All in the Free State(AHA-FS) is a research project aimed at determininghow living in urban informal settlements and inrural areas influences the lifestyle of populationsthat predisposes them to both chronic diseases andunder-nutrition. This research is jointly undertakenby the Departments of Chemical Pathology, HumanNutrition, Biostatistics and Basic Medical Sciences.A very high prevalence of lifestyle diseases such asdiabetes, hypertension and infections such as HIVand tuberculosis have been encountered.Researchers from the Department of MedicalMicrobiology and Virology focus mainly oninvestigating tuberculosis and tick-borne diseases.School of NursingThe Research Initiatives Portfolio in the School ofNursing focuses on research programmes, projectsand initiatives that are considered instrumental inenhancing quality nursing care, the expansion ofnursing science, intellectual growth and partnershipbuilding. Within this framework, the following areconsidered critical:• The enhancement of the social and scientificvalue of research initiatives – in clud ing theresponsible use of finite resources and theavoidance of exploita tion.• The strengthening of methodological rigour inthe use of accepted scientific prin cip les andmethods to produce reliable and valid results.• The upholding of beneficence, non-malfeasanceand non-exploitation to minimise risks whileenhancing potential benefits.• The review of research proposals by theinstitutional review boards to ensure publicaccountability while minimising the influenceof potential conflicts of interest.• Respect of participant autonomy, confidentialityand the use of informed consent as part ofethicality.• Collaborative partnerships to ensure social andscientific value.• The development and involvement of nurseresearchers within the School, the University92

and the broader community by means ofscholarly research, mentorship, partnership andcontinuing education programmes.• The publication and dissemination of researchoutcomes in various forms, for example articles,reports, event pre sen tations and discussions.The School of Nursing embarked on a numberof endeavours, one of which is a research projectthat has as its aim to improve children’s access toantiretroviral therapy in the public sector in theFree State. This project is supported by a Master’sand a Doctoral student and is conducted in collaborationwith the Free State Department of Health.It is fund ed by the National Research Foundationand the University and falls within the recently established Fo cus Area of Health, Health Care andPeople’s Well-being in Transforming Societies,with in the Stra tegic Academic Cluster Trans for mationin Highly Diverse Societies.A pilot study on the prevention of teenagepregnancy was completed in 2005. In 2007, theFree State Department of Education implementedthe Doll Parenting project for Grade 6 learners in 80schools in all five districts in the Free State. Thetargeted schools are the feeder schools of thesecondary schools with the highest teenagepregnancy rates. The Department of Education willmonitor the pregnancy rate of learners to determinethe long-term effect of the project.The School is also involved with a collaborativestudy with five South African universities and theUniversity of London in the United Kingdom, aimedat improving evidence-informed decision-making inthe absence of definitive evidence. This strategy ispromoted throughout the country in participatingnursing education institutions through training ofstaff and enrolled postgraduate students.The School of Nursing developed learningmaterial for a South African Qualifications Authorityaccredited certificate in Emergency Care andTechnology. Learning material was developed permodule, after which a validation team consisting ofthe principals of the Further Education and Trainingcolleges offering the course critiqued the developedmaterial. This unique process of developing learningma terial ensured that all stakeholders partici patedin the process and that they agreed on the contentand the sequence of offering learning material.Internationalisation is an ongoing process. TheSchool has been successfully involved with theUniversity of Moi in Kenya, where experts inmidwifery and HIV and Aids accompanied Master‘sstudents and offered lectures. Under the auspicesof Sigma Theta Tau, the School enrolled 18postgraduate stu dents from the DemocraticRepublic of the Congo. Successful negotiationswith the Changchun Advanced Medical Institute inChina resulted in a formalised agreement involvingexchange of and collaborative development ofexchange (students and academic staff members),train ing and research programme.Currently 24 of the 37 postgraduate students inthe School of Nursing are persons of colour, ofwhich 12 are foreigners. Ten stu dents completedtheir postgraduate stu dies over the past two years.93

It is also a priority to make funds available forresearch with special consideration for designatedgroups. With an eye on the opti mali sation ofresearch, large amounts of money were allocated in2006 and 2007 for research assistance to enablesenior researchers in particular to optimally utilisetheir time for research.Prof Gerhardt de Klerk (Dean: Faculty of the Humanities) andProf Louise Cilliers (Department of English and ClassicalLanguages, and Chairperson of the Faculty ResearchCommittee).The Faculty of the Humanities strives tomaintain a dynamic research culture. Strategicresearch priorities within the Faculty are thepromotion of research excellence through thecontinuous monitoring of the quality of its outputsand the development of young, inexperiencedresearch ers through mentorship and with the assistanceof senior researchers.Research deliberations are presented regularlywithin the Faculty to discuss issues such as thequality assurance of research. Besides the mentorshipsystem to develop upcoming researchers, allresearch proposals from Master‘s and Doctoralstudents are submitted to a committee for evaluationand recommendations before these studiescommence. This prevents students discover ing thattheir topics are not viable at a later stage. TheFaculty also uses its own funds to arrange de velopmentopportunities for inexperienced research ersand to expose junior academic staff members tointernational conferences and contacts. Teamresearch is also promoted through the involvementof various colleagues in the Strategic AcademicCluster Trans forma tion in Highly Diverse Societies.A promising sign indicating that new researchersare improving at the University is the dramaticincrease in participants in the Thutuka programme– from five in 2003 to 44 in 2007. In comparison,the number of National Research Foundation-ratedaca demics has remained relatively constant since2005. The latest additions from the Faculty of theHumanities are Prof Heidi Hudson of the Departmentof Political Science with a C1 rating; Prof JackieNaudé from the Department of Afroasiatic Studies,Sign Language and Language Practice with a C294

The HumanitiesMessage from the Dean: Prof Gerhardt de Klerkrating; and Dr Christo Heunis from the Centre forHealth Systems Research and Development(CHSR&D) with a C3 rating. In 2006, Prof Hudsonalso received an award to conduct research at theNordic Africa Institute in Uppsala, Sweden.Five of the nine professors that were promotedto senior professors in 2006 are from this Faculty.They are Profs Louise Cilliers (Department of Englishand Classical Lang uages), Dap Louw (Departmentof Psychology), Philip Nel (Department of AfroasiaticStudies, Sign Language and Language Practice),Dirk van den Berg (Department of History of Art),and Dingie Janse van Rensburg (CHSR&D).In 2006, the Outstanding Award in Excellencefrom the Premier of the Free State was awarded toProf Dingie Janse van Rensburg for leadership inThe senior professors in the Faculty of the Humanities are, from the left, front: Profs Louise Cilliers (Department of English andClassical Languages), Dap Louw (Department of Psychology); middle: Dirk van den Berg (Department of History of Art),Dingie Janse van Rensburg (Centre for Health Systems Research and Development); and back: Philip Nel (Department ofAfroasiatic Studies, Sign Language and Language Practice).95

esearch and development. In the following year hewas promoted to Outstanding Professor. The Stalsprize for Interdisciplinary Research from the SouthAfrican Academy for Science and Art was awardedto Profs Louise Cilliers and François Retief (formerRector) in 2006. These two researchers have invarious instances shifted the boundaries of medicalhistory with their research.The University Council approved the esta blishmentof a Sesotho Language Research and De velopmentCentre in 2005, at the request of theNational Department of Art and Culture. This Centre,which resides in the Faculty, aims to establishSesotho as an academic language and to standardiseand promote the language. Another Universityinitiative residing in the Faculty is the Centre forAfrica Studies. Besides the focus on Africa and Africastudy in general, the emphasis falls on indigenousknowledge systems. The Unit for Khoekhoe and Sanstudies (Department of Anthropology) presented asymposium in 2007 where national and internationalacademics and indigenous leaders were present.The research undertaken here draws a great deal ofinternational interest.The Department of History delivered the high estnumber of research outputs of all Departments inthe Faculty for three consecutive years (2004-2006).The Department of Afroasiatic Studies, Sign Languageand Language Practice delivered 38 papers in2005 of which 15 were presented abroad.On the initiative of the Faculty’s MentorshipProgramme and the Directorate Research De ve lopment,a research day was held in 2007 for young researchers.This event provided these researchers withan opportunity to present papers in a safe en vir onment,to learn and to exchange ideas. A panel of established researchers provided feedback and adviceto the participants, based on their performance.96

The Faculty participated in a variety of nationaland international academic events in recentyears. In 2007, Adv Bradley Smith of theDepartment of Private Law attended and presenteda paper at an international symposium at theBrigham Young University in Salt Lake City, Utah,United States of America. The topic of this sym posiumwas same-sex marriages. Ties with academicsfrom other parts of the world were forged duringthis visit which could come to fruition in future.Participation from the Faculty of Law in the14th Annual William C Vis International CommercialArbitration Moot in Vienna, Austria in 2006 and2007 – under the leadership of Prof ElizabethSnyman-Van Deventer from the Department ofMercantile Law, accompanied by Prof Rita-MarieJansen, Department of Private Law, – contributed tothe enhancement of research skills and thedevelopment of knowledge in a scarce field of studyby the Faculty, specifically Purchasing Contracts.From the Faculty of Law are, from the left: Prof Elizabeth Snyman-Van Deventer (Department of Mercantile Law), Prof JohanHenning (Dean of the Faculty and Chairperson of the Faculty Research Committee), Judge Faan Hancke (Chairperson of theUFS Council), and Prof Charles Ngwena (Department of Constitutional Law and Philosophy of Law).98

LawMessage from the Dean: Prof Johan HenningThis competition made it possible for members ofthe Faculty to compete with 177 other universitiesfrom all over the world.The Faculty has been one of the organising in stitutionsof the week-long Cambridge InternationalSymposium on Economic Crime since 1988. TheSymposium is presented annually at the JesusCollege of the University of Cambridge in the UKand is attended by more than 1000 legalists frommore than 100 jurisdictions. At the 24th and 25thsymposiums, the Faculty made decisive contributionsthat added to the success of these events. Four LL Band LL M students and two staff members weremade available to the Secretariat and both theDean, Prof Johan Henning, and the Chairperson ofthe University of the Free State Council, Judge FaanHancke, participated in the 2006 symposium asspeakers and chairpersons of work sessions. ProfHenning delivered three papers at this event symposiumand Judge Hancke one paper. Prof Henningalso participated in the 2007 symposium where hedelivered three papers. Prior to the commencementof the symposiums, Prof Henning delivered a seriesof lectures on International Company Law to LL Mstudents of two leading uni versities in Tokyo,namely Hosei and the Waseda University. All thepapers were published in specialist journals.The Symposium on Violent Crime in SouthAfrica, hosted on the Main Campus in 2007,established closer cooperation between the Facultyof Law, the Centre for Psychology and the Law, theDepartment of Psychology, and the Law Inspectorateof Correctional Institutions. Deliberations betweenthe involved parties resulted in the opening of jailsfor research, which is of particular importance forresearch conducted in the Crime in Highly DiverseSocieties Focus Area of the Strategic AcademicCluster on Transformation in Highly DiverseSocieties.A substantial amount of research went into theTrust Law Seminars presented in 2007 at a numberof venues throughout South Africa, inter alia byAdv Bradley Smith and Prof Willie van derWesthuizen, both from the Department of PrivateLaw. The Seminars focused on the important officeof trustee in South Africa and on how to avoidunintended errors, as well as on an update onrecent important case law, statutory changes andpractice developments.Mr Iain Benson has been appointed as a researchfellow in the Department of Constitutional Law andPhilosophy of Law. He holds degrees from Queen’sUniversity, Cambridge and Windsor in the UnitedKingdom (UK). He has been asked to advise onmany of the important cases dealing with religiousand human rights in recent years in Canada, Ireland,UK and South Africa. In the brief time that MrBenson has been involved with the Faculty he haspublished two articles in accredited journalsregarding freedom of religion and related issues.A result of efforts to elicit team research withacademics elsewhere in the country was the publicationof the collected works of the reformationalphilosopher, HG Stoker, on Compact Disk. Togetherwith academics from Potchefstroom, Prof AndriesRaath, Department of Constitutional Law and Philosophyof Law, assisted in making available Stoker’s99

published and unpublished works in electronicformat.Prof Henning also served on the Nedlac taskgroup as representative of the Afrikaanse Handelsinstituutand Business Unity South Africa. In thiscapacity, and as member of the Department of Commerceand Industry’s specialist advice group, hedelivered papers and presentations on CompanyLaw reformation at a series of workshops andconferences, which were especially aimed at theretention of Closed Corporations as a form ofenterprise, the abolition of common law doctrinesdispensed from the English Law, types of companies,as well as the lifting of statutory limitations onpartnerships and the import of a new form ofpartnership, the Limited Liability Partnership.Prof Rita-Marie Jansen, Department of PrivateLaw, is involved with research in three of the University’sStrategic Academic Clusters, namely Transformationin Highly Diverse Societies (Focus Area onIndigenous Knowledge Systems for People’s Transformationand Development); Technologies forSustainable Crop Industries in Semi-arid Regions(Focus Area on Technologies for Adding Value toand Improving Crop Product Quality); and AdvancedBimolecular Research (Focus Area on Novel DrugsDiscovery).The Faculty of Law commits itself formally andofficially to deliver a number of qualifying researchoutputs per year, at least equal to the number of fulltimeacademic staff members. Over the past threeyears, the Faculty produced more than 74 researchoutput units in accredited publication outputs.An important breakthrough for the Faculty wasan agreement reached with the Institute of AdvancedLegal Studies at the University of London and theFaculty of Law at Leicester University (both in the UK)to jointly accept the editorial responsibility to proceedwith the International and Comparative CorporateLaw Journal, an international authoritive journalon Mercantile Law. Prof Henning is one of the chiefeditors, and a number of contributions were submittedby Faculty staff members after approval fromexternal international subject referents.Besides the accredited subject journal, theTydskrif vir Regswetenskap, the series Medede lingsvan die Sentrum vir Ondernemingsreg also plays animportant and unique role in the research setup ofthe Faculty. The mono graphies make provision forthe publication of dissertations, papers and researchoutputs which are too long for publication injournals. The high status enjoyed by the monographies– quoted in court cases – stimulate research.The 40th edition in the series Mededelings vandie Sentrum vir Ondernemingsreg was handed toProf Frederick Fourie, Rector and Vice-Chancellor ofthe University, by Prof Henning, editor of the series.This edition, Perspectives on and a Selection fromFelicius-Boxelius, A Treatise on the Law of Part nership,is a unique contribution to the Mededelingsseries. It is the translation of the 1666 work ofFelicius-Boxelius Tractatus desideratissimus decommunione seu societate deque lucro item acquaestu, damno itidem ac expensis. The publicationof this work provides a unique contribution to thede ve lop ment of South African Partnership Law100

through the unlocking of a source that was previouslyinaccessible.Prof Charles Ngwena of the Department ofConstitutional Law and Philosophy of Law publishedarticles on disability in the South African Journal onHuman Rights. He was also co-editor of the bookHealth and Human Rights, as well as a special issueof Developing World Bio-ethics, together with ProfRebecca Cook of the University of Toronto inCanada. The Department is also well positioned regardingresearch outputs in paradigms of internationallaw, one of them being the investigation ofa Swiss model of non-intervention. The constitutionalperspective of development of the South Africancommon law in the sphere of public law was also amain theme in which the contributions of the Dutchauthor Ulrich Huber served as a focal point. Hisseminal work on public law, De Jure Civitatis,received particular attention.Dr Nico Swartz of the Department of RomanLaw, History of Law and Comparative Law completedhis LL D (Dissertation) with the title ’n Kritiese ondersoekna societas, natuurreg en menseregte in diepost-Thomistiese regsleer van Antonio Rosmini(1797-1855). He also completed his MA (Latin) dissertationwith the title ‘n Kritiese bespreking van Victorvan Vita se aanbiedings in die Historia Persecutionisvanuit ‘n historiese en literêre perspektief.The Unit for Children’s Rights successfullydeveloped a niche area on trafficking in humanbeings. This research area is increasingly emphasisednationally and internationally and new legislation iscurrently being drafted. The Unit hosted a nationalconference on Trafficking in Human Beings in 2007on the Bloemfontein campus. The event involvedleading local role players in this field as speakersand was attended by stakeholders from variousnon-governmental organisations, the South AfricanPolice Service, the Depart ment of Justice, theNational Prose cuting Authority, the Department ofHealth, and the Department of Social Development,as well as interested parties from Germany, Nigeria,Ethiopia, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Nami bia andMozambique. This conference was part of apreliminary conference to the Euro pean Union’sregional conference on Traffick ing in Human Beingsin Southern Africa held in Mozambique, to whichthe unit will also contribute.Apart from publishing on the topic, Adv BeatriKruger and Prof Susan Kreston, a visiting FulbrightScholar during 2006 and 2007, presented papers ontrafficking in children at the 25th InternationalSymposium on Organised Crimes in Cambridge, UKin 2007. They also delivered papers on this topic atthe International Women’s Association of Judges’Conference on Trafficking held in Gauteng.The Unit also provided training to regionalmagistrates across the country on trafficking inhuman beings and on the proposed South Africanlegislation as part of the 2007 Sexual OffencesWorkshops. Training of district magistrates has alsotaken place. Outside South Africa, training wasprovided to community based, academic, andgovern mental organisations in Botswana, Rwandaand Zimbabwe.101

The Faculty did not only deliver contribu tions interms of law sciences. Prof Andries Raath alsodelivered a special contribution to historic writingabout the Anglo Boer War through the publicationof his magnum opus about General JacobusHerculaas De la Rey. This work was received acclaimfrom a number of historians and litterateurs. Inaddition, the Centre for the History of Law iscurrently collaborating with Prof Dolf Britz of theFaculty of Theology on the translation of theCommentary of Calvin (from Latin) on the Book ofGenesis into English.As in previous years, 2006 and 2007 had theirhigh lights and challenges. The Faculty continued in itscommitment towards higher quality and better researchby investing in equipment and infrastructure.102

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Message fromProf Neil Heideman (left) (Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences and Chairperson of the FacultyResearch Committee), and Prof Herman van Schalkwyk (Dean: Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences).The Faculty continued to roll out its equipmentand laboratory strategy. This comprises of thecreation of an environment that supportsresearchers and lecturers so that they can conducttheir work to the best of their ability. Under thisstrategy, an agreement was reached with Shimadsuto the value of approximately R7 million, accordingto which they provided equipment to the Faculty ata substantial discount. This agreement is valid forthree years, and all equipment will be replaced, atno cost, by new updated replicas.The Department of Computer Science and In formaticsreceived a sophisticated device which registerseye fasciations of computer users. The Eye Trackerdetermines the exact point on the computer screen104

Natural and Agricultural Sciencesthe Dean: Prof Herman van Schalkwykthat a user is looking at and will be applied to studyuser interaction with computer programmes. TheUniversity of the Free State (UFS) is the first tertiaryinstitution in Africa that boasts such a device.The biggest construction contract in the historyof the UFS, to the value of R40 million, was begun.The contract comprises the external modernising,refurbishment and extension of the ChemistryBuilding. A number of initiatives have led to theDepartment of Chemistry being recognised as oneof the leading departments in the country. Apparatusand equipment to the value of R20 millionwas purchased, including one of the most advancednuclear magnetic resonance apparatuses in Africa,one of the most advanced single crystal x-raydiffractometre in the southern hemisphere, and adifferential scanning calorie metre, one of the mostadvanced in the world. The Department is supportedthrough a strategic partnership with Sasol involvingsubstantial investments from the biggest researchand development company in the country.Under the leadership of Prof Leon van Rensburgof the Department of Soil, Crop and ClimateSciences, the University has become one of the firstinstitutions in the world to mechanise in-field rainwater harvesting. With this technique water ischannelled to the plant to limit drought risks and toincrease crops. This technique could be of greatbenefit to farmers, specifically those in semi-aridregions.R13.7 million was awarded to the Departmentof Microbial, Biochemistry and Food Biotechnologyfor research on prehistoric organisms. This contractwas awarded by BioPAD, a South African biotechnologycompany that negotiates partnershipsbetween researchers, entrepreneurs, businesses,the government and other role players, to promoteinnovation and develop sustainable biotechnologicalbusinesses. The contract comprises the establishmentof a Platform for Metagenomics – a techniquewhich enables researchers to extract DNA frommicrobes in their natural habitat and to furtherinvestigate it in their laboratories. The project issupported by the Department of Science andTechnology and the National Research Foundation,which contributed towards the scholarships of the17 postgraduate students on the programme.A project at the Centre for Plant HealthManagement (CePHMa) received the Technologyaward for 2007 from the National Department ofTrade and Industry at the Nelson MandelaMetropolitan University in Port Elizabeth. The awardgives recognition to pioneer research that wasconducted by the UFS on kenaf, a South Africancommercial fibre crop that is used, amongst otherthings, in the motor industry. The research wasinitiated six years ago in collaboration with the Britishcompany Sustainable Projects Development Group.Currently it is continued by the South Africancompany Sustainable Fibre Solutions.Three groups of students from the Department ofArchitecture participated and excelled in the nationalDes Baker competition. What distinguished theirparticipation was that they were to look at the specificneeds of buildings of local communities. The project wasalso to be a catalyst for community development. Thestudents could execute their projects in a practical105

manner by using the houses of the workers on theParadys Experimental Farm as their basis.A recent study 5 ranked the UFS fifth in thecountry in plant and animal sciences, in terms ofthe number of publications and citations in theEssential Science Indicators database of the Institutefor Scientific Information (ISI). Outputs producedby colleagues in Biology contributed substantiallyto this. Another report also indicated that theFaculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciencespublishes in top international journals, accreditedby the ISI, thereby promoting the name of the UFSas a research-oriented University.The Faculty’s research outputs continue toincrease. In 2006, 252 articles were published inaccredited journals. The output rose to 275 in 2007– an average increase of 1%, which may beattributed to the commitment of the Faculty’sresearchers.Various staff members of the Faculty wereelected to serve on national committees andcouncils. Prof Herman van Schalkwyk, Dean of theFaculty, was appointed by the National Minister ofAgriculture to the Land Bank Board and to theNational Agricultural Marketing Council. Prof KobusLaubscher, Department of Agricultural Economics,was appointed as chairperson of the NationalProductivity Institute’s Social Plan and ProductivityCouncil, and Ms Sheila Vrahimis of the Departmentof Geography was appointed to the Free State’sGeographic Name Giving Committee.The Vice-Dean, Prof Neil Heideman, wasawarded the Fulbright Senior Researcher Fellowshipto visit the laboratory of Prof Jack Sites, a fellowherpetologist at Brigham Young University, Utah inthe United States of America for six months. ProfJan van der Westhuizen and Dr Susan Bonnet of theDepartment of Chemistry, together with staffmembers from FARMOVS-PAREXEL received theNational Science and Technology Forum’s (NSTF)innovation award for their outstanding contributionto science, engineering and technology over thelast ten years. Prof Maryke Labuschagne of theDepartment of Plant Sciences received the NSTFaward for the development of research capacityover the past ten years. This was for her successfulmentoring of black students and researchers.5 Source: http://www.be.up.co.za/images/documents/BEatUP-news-APouris-HighEducation.pdf106

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esearchers in the Faculty). They are Profs FanieSnyman, Johan Janse van Rensburg, Pieter Versterand Francois Tolmie. The Faculty’s research philosophyis to give freedom to individual researchers.They are allowed to choose their own researchtheme and to conduct research on aspects whichthey feel they can make the biggest contri bution.This has resulted in the Faculty conducting researchon many theological issues. Besides the normalresearch activities that have taken place, thefollowing aspects can be highlighted:Prof Hermie van Zyl (left) (Dean of the Faculty of Theology)and Prof Francois Tolmie (Senior Professor in the Departmentof New Testament and Chairperson of the Faculty ResearchCommittee). Prof Tolmie was appointed as Acting Dean inthe Faculty of Theology, effective 1 July 2008. From 1 January2009 he will serve for a five-year period as Dean in theFaculty of Theology.Research in the Faculty of Theology is veryimportant. Not only are the high averageresearch outputs of the Faculty’s academicsproof of that, but also the four National ResearchFoundation (NRF)-rated researchers (30% of theIn the Department of Systematic Theology, ProfRian Venter is investigating the public meaning ofthe Christian God’s faith, in other words the socialimplications of the Trinitarian denomination. Twoarticles have been published in the past two yearson this topic, with the focus on space in terms oftown planning and theological training respectively.Prof Laetus Lategan was appointed in the Departmentas Professor Extraordinary in Researchand Professional Ethics. The aim was to enhancethe traditional question horizon on research onTheological Ethics.Over the past few years, Prof Piet Strauss of theDepartment of Church History and Polity (mainlychurch history and church law) has concentrated onmodern reformed church law. Via the Faculty ofChurch Law at the Catholic University of Leuven inBelgium, he has opened doors to overseas publicationsand contracts. Prof Dolf Britz’s researchincludes focus areas such as poverty, the poor,injustice and social justice in the reformationliterature of the 16th century. Together with DrVictor d’Assonville, research fellow in the108

TheologyMessage from the Dean: Prof Hermie van ZylDepartment, he is included in the InternationalCongress on Calvin’s research. In collaboration withthe Instituut vir Klassieke en Reformatoriese Studies,a summer university was presented on the 16thcentury doctrinal scripts and their meaning forAfrica as it is today. A theological conference on thesame theme was organised with the DutchReformed Church in Africa. On both occasionstheologists from Europe acted as guest lecturers.Under the leadership of Prof Britz and Drd’Assonville, young upcoming researchers embarkedon a study and research tour in August 2007 to theUniversities of Cambridge and Münster. Each ofthem delivered a lecture at the summer universityof the University of Münster on the reception of theHeidelberg Catechism in Africa.In the Department of Missiology there is aresearch project on poverty alleviation in theinformal housing community. The Department isalso connected with the University’s StrategicAcademic Cluster research on poverty alleviation.The focus of the research falls on violence andreconciliation, with theology as point of departure.Prof Pieter Verster delivered two research articles onthe latter. Dr Roelf Pienaar successfully completedhis research on the empowerment of the office ofbelievers in a missionary context. Dr Frans Hanckealso completed his D Th and is conducting furtherresearch on this important matter.Prof Johan Janse van Rensburg of theDepartment of Practical Theology published a bookon preaching the Old Testament. He received a fouryearscholarship from the NRF to conduct researchon a theology of poverty. At the Programme inPastoral Theology, the Department received anumber of lecturers from other universities (nationaland international), providing aspects such as thehuman soul and sexuality from a theological pointof view. Prof Jan-Albert van den Berg deliveredpapers on pastoral therapy at two internationalcongresses. Dr Jeanette Steyn is busy with researchon emotional pain in families in Bloemfontein aspart of an extended community service project.Both Prof van den Berg and Dr Steyn are involved inthe Strategic Academic Cluster on Transformationin Highly Diverse Societies.The local Department of Old Testament isworking together with the Department of OldTestament from Stellenbosch University (SU) on theproject Prophet Research with the aim to stimulateresearch on prophetic literature. A successfulconference was held at the SU on this topic. TheDepartments of Old Testament, New Testament andBiblical and Religious Studies have established aDiscussion Group on Bible Sciences, meeting once aquarter to discuss a research theme from the biblicalsciences.The local Department of New Testament inconjunction with the Department of New Testamentat the University of Pretoria established theInternational Colloquium on the New Testamentwith the aim of enhancing interaction betweenacademics focusing on the New Testament fromSouth African and abroad. Together with the localDepartment of Old Testament, the Department alsofocused on research on biblical spirituality. ProfPieter de Villiers was appointed as ResearchAssociate in Biblical Spirituality and delivered his109

inaugural lecture on violence and biblical spirituality.Two successful congresses on Biblical Spiritualitywere held – one in Nijmegen in The Netherlandsand one in Bloemfontein. A new Master‘s course onBiblical Spirituality was also developed. The De partmentpresented an international congress on therhetorical analysis of the Letter to the Galatians.This will be followed by further international congresseson Pauletic literature.Acta Theologica, the journal of the Faculty of Theology at theUFS, is the first theological magazine in South Africa to beaccepted for indexing in the Arts and Humanities CitationIndex of the American Institute for Scientific Information.Acta Theologica, the accredited academicjournal of the Faculty, published a number ofsupplements, over and above the normal issues.These include issues on the medical sciences in theantique world (receiving the Stals prize), Christianspirituality, and the rhetorical analysis of Galatians.In 2007, Acta Theologica became the first SouthAfrica theological journal to be accepted forindexing in the Arts and Humanities Citation Indexof the American Institute for Scientific Information(ISI). Due to the ISI’s high standards, only a smallnumber of South African academic journals havesucceeded in being added to the ISI list. It was thefirst theological magazine in South Africa to behonoured in this way.110