Jaaroorsig - University of the Free State

The UFS is nurturing its young researchers. Attending a function to honour some ofthem, were, from the left: Mrs Annelize Venter (researcher at the UFS ResearchDevelopment Directorate and co-ordinator of the Thuthuka Programme), Prof.Jonathan Jansen (Dean of Education at the University of Pretoria and guest speakerat the function), Prof. Frans Swanepoel (Director: Research Development at theUFS), Ms Pravani Naidoo and Mr Edwin du Plessis (lecturers in the Department ofPsycology who will take part in the Thuthuka Programme in 2007).Increasing the pool ofresearchersResearch funding increased significantlyduring 2005. The university’s NationalResearch Foundation (NRF) allocationrose by 57% from R7,7 million in 2004 tomore than R10 million in 2005 — thehighest in history. Central researchfunds allocated, grew by 13,2% fromR10,8 million in 2004 to R12,2 million in2005.While the number of NRF-ratedresearchers at the university showed asteady increase up to 2004, their numbersdropped from 77 to 73 in 2005.However, the UFS is still ranked fourthoverall in a list ranking the top 20 highereducation institutions in South Africaaccording to proportion of staff with avalid NRF rating (published in The NRFEvaluation and Rating System: Facts andFigures 2005). According to these findings,14,5% of academic staff at the UFSwere rated researchers.Two B-rated researchers, Prof. AndréRoodt (Chemistry) and Prof. Hugh Pat-terton (Microbial, Biochemical and FoodBiotechnology) joined the ranks of theUFS, pushing the number of internationallyacclaimed UFS researchers up fromnine in 2004 to eleven. Prof. Pieter Verster(Missiology) became the first facultymember of Theology to obtain a C rating(as an established researcher), wherenumbers are down from 58 to 52. Dr CeliaHugo (Microbial, Biochemical and FoodBiotechnology), formerly a Y-rated researcher,obtained a C rating. The L-ratedresearchers remained constant at one.The majority of top researchers atmost universities in South Africa arewhite males of over 50. This trend is reflectedat the UFS, where some will beretiring within the next five years. It istherefore reassuring that a number ofpromising young researchers seem eagerto establish themselves as recognised researchers.Two of them, Dr Gustav Visser(Geography) and Prof. Frikkie Booysen(Economics), received Y ratings.As part of the university’s researchstrategy, a strong emphasis is placed onthe development of the pool of youngresearchers, especially promising researchersfrom designated groups. TheUFS participates in the Thuthuka Programme,the NRF initiative which aimsto develop the individual capacity ofwomen and black researchers. The numberof grantholders at the UFS rose impressivelyfrom 5 in 2003 to 19 in 2005.The Thuthuka Programme allocationrose more than sixfold from less thanR300 000 in 2003 to more than R2 millionin 2005.Despite the disproportionately highnumber of junior and contract staff onthe Qwaqwa Campus, reasonable researchoutputs were produced. A numberof academic staff published in peerreview accredited journals and present-18