Latest news with #UniversityOfTheFreeState
News24
6 days ago
- General
- News24
Academic excellence through mentorship
Strategic Mentoring Programmes Drive Academic Excellence and Transformation Grow your own timber. This philosophy, rooted in the commitment to invest in 'home-grown' academic talent, has seen the University of the Free State (UFS) continue to make remarkable strides in transforming its academic landscape through innovative mentoring initiatives. Building on five years of success, the university's comprehensive Transformation of the Professoriate Mentoring Programme has significantly enhanced research output, leadership capabilities, and institutional cohesion. MENTORSHIP AS A CATALYST FOR TRANSFORMATION At the UFS, the strategic implementation of structured mentoring has proven to be a powerful tool in building a pipeline of accomplished scholars who are ready to excel at the highest academic levels. This approach recognises that true transformation requires more than just appointments – it demands sustained development and support. A PORTFOLIO OF SPECIALISED PROGRAMMES Since launching its Transformation of the Professoriate Mentoring Programme five years ago, the UFS has expanded its initiatives to address the specific needs of academics at different career stages. The current suite of programmes now supports 165 staff members across four tailored interventions: THE FUTURE PROFESSORIATE PROGRAMME Targeting academics five to eight years post-PhD, this flagship programme focuses on developing scholars who are poised to become professors and associate professors. The two-year fellowship emphasises building international profiles, increasing research impact through quality publications, and achieving recognition as established researchers through NRF ratings. In total, 41% of the 2025 cohort are black South Africans, 41% are white South Africans, and 18% are foreign-born African scholars. Supplied THE EMERGING SCHOLAR ACCELERATOR PROGRAMME (ESAP) This programme supports academics one to four years post-PhD, helping them increase research productivity, prepare for NRF Y-ratings, develop postgraduate supervision capabilities, and advance to senior lecturer positions. ESAP provides crucial early-career guidance that establishes foundations for long-term academic success. In the 2025 cohort, 54% are black South Africans, 32% white South Africans, and 14% foreign-born African scholars. THE WISE PROGRAMME (WOMEN INFLUENCING SCHOLARSHIP AND EDUCATION) Recognising the unique challenges that mid-career women academics face, WISE provides targeted support to female scholars. The programme emphasises strategic career planning and creating pathways for advancement. Among its 23 participants, 61% are black candidates, reflecting the university's commitment to intersectional representation. THE RESEARCHER EXCELLENCE ACCELERATOR PROGRAMME (REAP) REAP supports staff members who are completing their PhD qualifications or have recently graduated. With 54 participants (54% black and 69% women), the programme focuses on successful PhD completion, publishing research findings, and developing scholarship of engagement skills. ESTABLISHED PROGRAMMES – EXCELLENT RESULTS The Future Professoriate and ESAP programmes have had a significant impact on the career progression and research productivity of candidates. The results after five years of structured mentoring speak volumes about the programmes' effectiveness: EMERGING PROGRAMMES – PROMISING RESULTS The REAP and WISE programmes launched in 2024 are gaining momentum and continue to effectively support members in achieving their career goals. Beyond these quantifiable achievements, the mentorship initiatives have also fostered a culture of collaboration and excellence that permeates the institution. COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT APPROACH The UFS mentoring programmes implement a holistic approach to academic development: Intensive Writing Support: Regular writing retreats provide dedicated time and space for focused research output, with guidance from experienced mentors and editors. Expert Mentorship: Participants benefit from both internal mentoring and connections with external mentors from leading South African universities, many of whom are A- and B-rated researchers. Tailored Workshops: Programmes offer customised workshops on supervision, academic leadership, grant writing, time management, and presentation skills. Peer Learning Communities: Strategic retreats and group sessions foster collaborative networks across departments and faculties, breaking down institutional silos. Individual Guidance: Each participant receives personalised career planning and progress monitoring towards specific milestones. Supplied ADDRESSING CHALLENGES PROACTIVELY While celebrating its successes, the UFS recognises the challenges facing emerging academics, and the toll that high academic output can take on scholars' health and family life. By identifying systemic barriers and providing targeted support, an environment is created where talented academics choose to build their careers at the UFS rather than seeking opportunities elsewhere. This proactive approach has proven effective in retention and succeeded in cultivating a strong community of emerging scholars committed to the institution's future. BUILDING ON SUCCESS As the UFS mentoring initiatives enter their next phase, the focus is on sustainability and expanding impact. Alumni of the programmes now serve as mentors themselves, creating a virtuous cycle of development and support. The university's Vision 130 strategy emphasises continued transformation of the professoriate, with these mentoring programmes serving as cornerstone initiatives. Through strategic mentorship, the University of the Free State is not only transforming its professoriate but also redefining what academic success looks like in the South African context – ensuring that excellence and representation go hand in hand. Contact Us: Bloemfontein Campus: +27 51 401 9111 Qwaqwa Campus: +27 58 718 5000 South Campus: +27 51 401 9111 info@ More information: URL ________________________________________________________________ UFS social media Facebook:
Mail & Guardian
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Mail & Guardian
Universities defend hiring of foreign staff
Academics say claims by politicians and on social media are fueling xenophobia and could compromise their safety. Photo: Julian Stratenschulte/picture alliance /Getty Images Claims by politicians that South African universities are hiring more foreigners than locals for posts are stoking In parliament earlier this month, Reports of this sparked outrage on social media, with some users accusing institutions including the University of Fort Hare, University of the Free State, the University of Pretoria and the University of the Witwatersrand of being biased against local academics. Some posted lists of the names of foreigners they claimed had been hired. 'If a narrative such as this begins to take hold, if it becomes something that people believe to be true, then my concern is that that would generate a hostile environment — for international academics, specifically for African international academics — which can make life and work in South Africa profoundly difficult,' said Alf Nielsen, a Norwegian professor and director of the Centre for Asian Studies in Africa at the University of Pretoria. 'It's important to note that it's already quite challenging for most of us to be international academics, in terms of the difficulties that we experience with renewing our work permits, where rejection is more of a rule and an exception, despite the fact that you've worked at an institution in South Africa for quite a long time.' One list which was posted on social media was of academics at the University of Pretoria's Centre for Human Rights. The director of the Department of Institutional Advancement at the university, Rikus Delport, said it 'unequivocally rejects the false and misinformed commentary circulating regarding the staff composition of the Centre for Human Rights'. 'All academic staff are South Africans or permanent residents of the country and bring invaluable continental expertise that enhances the quality and relevance of the centre's academic and advocacy work,' Delport told the Mail & Guardian. 'The diversity of the centre's academic team is not incidental — it is essential. It directly reflects the centre's mandate to engage with human rights issues across Africa with depth, credibility and authenticity,' he said. He added that, overall, the university's law faculty exceeded the government's employment equity target. Parliament's portfolio committee on higher education said it was concerned about the University of the Free State's employment of 141 foreign academics and 26 foreign support staff and in March visited institutions of higher learning in the province to assess whether transformation, legislation and employment equity policies were being implemented. (Graphic: John McCann/M&G) Chairperson Walter Tebogo Letsie told the M&G that the committee 'observed non-adherence legislation as some institutions employed foreign nationals in non-scarce skills positions, despite South Africans having qualifications, skills and competencies to execute the duties of such positions'. 'Why are South Africans overlooked, even when they meet the requirements?' he asked. Following attacks that appeared on social media, the 'There are no legal quotas restricting the hiring of international academic staff. 'Many emerging markets around the world strive for international academic representation of 10% to 15% as a means to promote diversity, spur innovation and collaborate on research,' it said in a 'According to our most recent audited data, 81% of [our] academic staff are South African, while 19% are international.' Asked about reports of his committee requesting information from universities on the number and qualifications of the international staff they employed, Letsie said it would seek to 'ensure that their appointments adhere to the policy'. He said that universities must take responsibility 'where there is evidence of transgression' of the Employment Service Act. Responding to the xenophobic comments circulating on social media, Letsie said the portfolio committee sought to ensure that foreign academics, who are welcome in the country, 'meet all the legal requirements, have qualifications and that they have skills that South Africans do not'. Senior journalism and media studies lecturer at Wits University, Zimbabwean-born Collen Chambwera, said that while the nature of social media was generally 'anarchic' he was more concerned about false claims coming from political figures. 'Politicians are supposed to be more responsible than social media, you would think, and officialising something like listing names of foreign nationals who are employed by universities — I think it's reckless,' he said. The Free State's Central University of Technology did not respond to questions from the M&G.
