Leading Change: Prof Hester C. Klopper Charts Bold Course for the University of the Free State
Presented in the Odeion Auditorium on the Bloemfontein Campus and attended by a wide variety of university stakeholders, high-profile guests, and staff, the installation ceremony was a momentous occasion, marked by celebratory moments.
Prof Klopper's inauguration address, titled Walking Together with Purpose: Unlocking Excellence to Lead Change, unveiled an innovative vision that promises to reshape the UFS and South Africa's higher education landscape for the digital age. Bold new ventures include two major funding initiatives, as well as the launch of a Veterinary Science programme at the UFS, making it only the second institution in South Africa to offer this qualification. It all forms part of a vision to transform the UFS into a research-led powerhouse that harnesses artificial intelligence responsibly while preserving human connection and an African identity. Creating responsible societal futures is at the centre of this vision.
AI Revolution in Higher Education
During her inauguration address, Prof Klopper expounded on the educational crossroads facing universities worldwide. While artificial intelligence capabilities double in power every few months, she argued, educational systems remain frozen in 19th-century models. 'We are preparing students for a world that is transforming faster than we can imagine, using methods designed for a world that no longer exists,' she declared.
Prof Klopper has a clear vision for UFS graduates. In a world where AI can process information faster than humans and generate content more efficiently than writers, she urged for a critical evaluation of what makes graduates valuable. 'Not their ability to memorise information – AI can do that infinitely better,' she explained. 'What will make them irreplaceable is their ability to think creatively, empathise deeply, ask the right questions, challenge assumptions, and work collaboratively with both humans and artificial intelligence.'
Innovative Abilities within the UFS
Prof Klopper's approach is not about importing solutions from elsewhere. Through extensive engagement with staff, students, and stakeholders since her appointment on 1 February 2025, she has reached the encouraging realisation that the required innovative abilities already exist within the UFS. 'How do we further unlock the potential that lies dormant in our own university?' she asked. The answer, she believes, lies in one powerful concept: connection. Transdisciplinary teaching and research and regional and global collaboration form an environment for cutting-edge innovation.
She indicated that the UFS' purpose is embedded in five intersected and interconnected strategic pillars, four guardrails, and a concise action plan.
Five Strategic Pillars for the Future
Academic Excellence and AI-Enhanced Research Impact tops her agenda. Rather than viewing artificial intelligence as a threat, Prof Klopper envisions it as amplifying human creativity. The university will pursue transdisciplinary research tackling climate change, inequality, and technological disruption.
Institutional Agility in the Age of Exponential Change addresses the bureaucratic bottlenecks plaguing modern universities. A comprehensive digital systems maturity model aims to create seamless experiences while ensuring that systems serve people, not bureaucracy.
Transformational Culture for a New Generation goes beyond compliance to create an environment where emotional intelligence, creativity, and adaptability are valued alongside technical knowledge. The focus extends to curriculum innovation and deep societal connection.
Systemic Sustainability and Strategic Responsible Investment tackles the financial realities facing higher education. Two new initiatives demonstrate this commitment: The VC-ISRC Imbewu Legacy Fund for student support (already boosted by R1,3 million from the Motsepe Foundation, matched by the UFS) and the Talent Magnet Fund to attract world-class academics.
Collaborative Innovation and Global Integration breaks down artificial barriers between disciplines, institutions, and sectors. Rather than working in isolation, Prof Klopper envisions building future-fit partnerships. 'My vision is for the UFS to become an Innovation Hub – a true Entrepreneurial Knowledge Ecosystem, thriving on the creative synergy produced when our best academic minds work together across our three campuses, allowing us to be the very best we can be.'
Four Guardrails for Success
Four non-negotiable guardrails will assist the university in guiding this transformation:
The Irreplaceable Heart of the UFS is its People, as human connection becomes more precious in the age of artificial intelligence. The Strategic People Development Strategy will assist in building leadership capacity for the digital age.
Leading Through Partnership in the Age of Collaboration will require 'unified leadership with a unified purpose'.
From Vision to Innovative Reality will keep the university focused on the execution and transformative impact of its actions.
Responsible Societal Futures will be the institution's North Star, ensuring that knowledge serves justice, sustainability, and humanity.
A Seven-Point Action Plan
Moving beyond vision to execution, Prof Klopper announced concrete steps that are already in motion:
Establishing a Transdisciplinary Innovation Hub on the South Campus in Bloemfontein to drive research, commercialisation, industry partnership, and student entrepreneurship.
Transdisciplinary research within thematic research areas.
Optimisation of professional and support services through the alignment and streamlining of functions.
Systematically reviewing the academic programme portfolio.
A strategic people development strategy driven by the soon-to-be-launched UFS Training Academy.
Implementing a comprehensive transformation scorecard.
Creating the UFS Knowledge Enterprise and UFS Commercial entities for income diversification.
Walking Into History
Prof Klopper's vision positions the UFS not just as a follower of global trends, but as a leader in defining what African universities can become in the digital age. The journey has begun. The destination: a university that does not just adapt to the future but actively shapes it. 'We walk together towards responsible societal futures, unified in purpose, committed to excellence, and determined to make the University of the Free State a beacon of hope for our city, our province, our nation, our continent, and our world.' DM
Contact Us:
Bloemfontein Campus: +27 51 401 9111
Qwaqwa Campus: +27 58 718 5000
South Campus: +27 51 401 9111
[email protected]
https://www.ufs.ac.za/
UFS social media:
YouTube
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
13 hours ago
- IOL News
Why South Africa needs an urgent ICT policy reform to leapfrog into global digital leadership
South Africa's digital future depends on how quickly and boldly we reform our ICT policy landscape, says the author. Having recently participated in the Global Internet Governance Forum (IGF), I left with one burning realisation: South Africa's digital future depends on how quickly and boldly we reform our ICT policy landscape. The IGF discussions revealed a sobering geopolitical reality: ICT infrastructure is no longer just about connectivity or convenience; it has become a strategic asset, a tool of control, and, in many ways, a modern currency in the global power play. Subsea cables, Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite networks, radio frequency spectrum, and hyperscale data centres are now at the heart of geopolitical influence. The Global North is rapidly consolidating control over these digital arteries, ensuring that data traffic, internet governance decisions, and emerging technologies remain within their sphere of influence. Sub-Saharan Africa, including South Africa, is heavily dependent on foreign-owned undersea cables and satellite services. Over 80% of South Africa's internet traffic is still routed internationally. Global content companies and Big Tech are increasingly dominating African digital spaces, often without contributing adequately to local economies. Without intentional ICT policy reform, South Africa risks remaining a digital consumer in a world where ownership equals power. South Africa's ICT history is complex. Under apartheid, ICT infrastructure was an exclusive domain, designed to serve a minority and reinforce state surveillance. Post-1994, South Africa made significant strides: • The Electronic Communications Act, • The Broadband Policy (SA Connect), • The establishment of regulatory bodies like Icasa and ZADNA. These were critical steps towards inclusivity and access. However, ICT policy in South Africa has not evolved at the pace required by technological advancements. Globally, ICT policy cycles average five years or less. In contrast, several key South African ICT laws remain over 15 years old. To illustrate this: South Africa has had more than 11 different ICT ministers since 1994, each introducing policy directions with limited continuity. This leadership churn, coupled with slow regulatory updates, has undermined investor confidence and delayed critical infrastructure investments. Technology is moving at a speed that no static policy can match. Consider developments like: • 6G spectrum planning (IMT-2030), • Artificial Intelligence governance models, • Quantum computing frameworks, • Satellite mega-constellations. These emerging areas require dynamic, agile and future-proof legislation. The longer we delay, the wider the gap becomes between South Africa and global digital leaders. Investor confidence is built on policy certainty. Currently, South Africa's unpredictable policy environment is a deterrent for both local entrepreneurs and global technology investors. For South Africa to attract data centre investment, subsea cable landing stations, and satellite gateways, we need a clear, stable, and forward-looking ICT policy framework. Equally critical is data sovereignty. With most government data currently stored in foreign-owned infrastructure, South Africa must prioritise the development of local, black-owned data centres, especially those hosting sensitive public sector data. This is not just a cybersecurity concern; it's a sovereignty issue. South Africa's ICT policy reform must focus on several strategic areas: • Artificial Intelligence (AI): Ethical use, innovation governance, and positioning South Africa for AI competitiveness. • AI Data Centres: Ownership models that ensure local control over high-density computing infrastructure and government datasets. • Next-Generation Connectivity (6G/IMT-2030): Preparing for spectrum allocation and next-generation mobile broadband services. • Optical and Non-Terrestrial Networks: Expanding fibre infrastructure and integrating satellite systems (LEO, MEO, GEO) for national coverage. • Subsea Infrastructure: Strengthening and diversifying ownership of subsea cable landing stations and promoting local investment. • Data Sovereignty: Developing legislation that mandates local data storage for public and sensitive private sector data. • Cybersecurity: Establishing robust national frameworks to address both global and domestic cyber threats.• Child Protection and Online Safety: Addressing emerging online harms and developing national frameworks for digital child protection. • Digital Diplomacy and Geopolitics: Preparing South Africa's position on space governance, suborbital policies, and international digital negotiations.• Content Platforms and Broadcasting: Addressing the impact of new media platforms on local content industries and ensuring protection of South African content. The South African Internet Governance Forum (ZAIGF), in partnership with the Department of Communications and ZADNA, has already demonstrated the capacity to convene multistakeholder dialogues that reflect the voices of government, business, academia, and civil society. However, South Africa must now institutionalise the IGF outcomes into formal policy processes. Annual ZAIGF recommendations should feed directly into national policy development frameworks, especially given the fast-changing global internet governance landscape. Furthermore, South Africa must closely monitor, implement and align with International Telecommunication Union (ITU) resolutions and World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC) outcomes to remain globally competitive and future-ready. We stand at a pivotal moment. The global digital divide is widening. With bold, inclusive, and visionary policy reform, South Africa can not only catch up but leapfrog into a position of global digital leadership. This is not just a policy exercise; it is a national development imperative.
TimesLIVE
2 days ago
- TimesLIVE
How can government ensure AI is integrated into the education syllabus?
In the fast-paced digital age, artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being integrated into different fields to improve efficiency. The KwaZulu-Natal youth parliament has called for a complete overhaul of the 'outdated' school curriculum to better prepare pupils for future careers. While some schools have started incorporating AI into the syllabus, such as coding, others are left behind. More than 70 delegates representing the MK Party, IFP, ANC, DA, EFF and NFP condemned the syllabus as 'disconnected and obsolete'. They called for the urgent inclusion of AI and digital literacy, entrepreneurship, climate awareness, African history and mental health support, arguing a curriculum stuck in the past cannot prepare pupils for a world that has moved on.
IOL News
2 days ago
- IOL News
Assistive Technology: Africa's Untapped Equaliser of Opportunity
Dr. Ashley Subbiah is the Manager of the Assistive Technology Centre at the South African National Council for the Blind (SANCB), an organisation dedicated to promoting the rights, dignity, and full participation of blind and partially sighted persons in South Africa. Image: University of KwaZulu-Natal For millions of blind and partially sighted persons in South Africa and across Africa, each day is a stark reminder that access to assistive technology is not yet a lived reality. And for many, it remains a distant dream. In South Africa alone, there are an estimated 2.5 million people living with visual impairments. And yet, access to essential assistive devices such as screen readers, magnification software, Braille displays, and accessible mobile applications is largely restricted to those who can afford them or those lucky enough to benefit from under-resourced public systems or donor support. For the vast majority, the journey toward autonomy is blocked — not by a lack of ability, but by the absence of enabling tools. One of the most enduring misconceptions about assistive technology is that it's a special concession — a form of benevolence extended to those who are "less fortunate." This framing not only undermines the agency of persons with disabilities but also perpetuates a development model rooted in dependency. Assistive technology must be mainstreamed as a public good. It should be embedded in national policies alongside education, transport, housing, and healthcare. When a child in rural Limpopo cannot read their textbooks because their school does not provide accessible learning materials, it is not a misfortune — it is a rights violation. When a job-seeker in Lusaka or Nairobi is turned away because the online application platform is incompatible with screen reading software, it is not an inconvenience — it is systemic exclusion. Globally, assistive technology is a booming sector — yet most of the devices are developed in the Global North, priced in foreign currencies, and distributed by multinational companies that have little understanding of the African context. We need to flip this model. South Africa and its neighbours must invest in homegrown innovation. This means fostering partnerships between universities, tech entrepreneurs, disability organisations, and end-users. It means developing screen readers that support isiZulu, Sesotho, and Tshivenda — not just English. It means building orientation and mobility apps that understand local street layouts, transport options, and even electricity load-shedding patterns. And it means ensuring these innovations are co-designed by persons with disabilities, not imposed upon them. Imagine a world where affordable refreshable Braille displays are manufactured in Gauteng; where partially sighted learners in Uganda have access to magnification tools developed by local engineers; where a blind entrepreneur in Ghana uses a low-cost AI tool that reads product labels in Twi or Ewe. This is not utopia — it is within reach if we align our development goals with inclusive innovation strategies. Technology on its own cannot dismantle barriers — it must be part of a larger, inclusive system. Accessibility must be built into every level of public service delivery. Teachers must be trained to support blind learners using digital tools. Public libraries must stock accessible content. Employers must adopt inclusive hiring practices that incorporate the use of assistive devices as part of the workplace infrastructure — not as an afterthought. Health facilities must make provision for accessible patient communication. And perhaps most urgently, digital services — from banking apps to government portals — must be designed with universal access in mind. These systems must be guided by policies that go beyond compliance checklists. We need enforceable legislation that guarantees access to assistive technology across the lifespan: in early childhood, in higher education, in the workplace, and into old age. The issues South Africa grapples with are not unique. Across sub-Saharan Africa, blind and partially sighted persons face similar challenges: limited supply chains, poor device servicing infrastructure, inadequate training support, and prohibitively high costs. A regional strategy is long overdue. The African Union and regional bodies like SADC should spearhead continental platforms for assistive technology development, knowledge exchange, and procurement collaboration. We must move toward pooled resources, harmonised standards, and collective bargaining power to drive down costs and build sustainable distribution networks. At the same time, we must resist the one-size-fits-all approach. Assistive technology solutions must reflect the diverse linguistic, cultural, and geographic contexts of the continent. At its heart, assistive technology is not about the latest device or sleekest app. It is about freedom. The freedom to learn, work, parent, travel, and participate in civic life. It is about dignity — about being seen, heard, and included. When a blind child reads their first storybook in Braille, it is not a miracle of technology. It is a restoration of equality. When a visually impaired adult navigates a city independently with a smart cane or a navigation app, it is not a luxury — it is their right to movement. And when a partially sighted grandmother uses screen magnification to manage her own banking or read WhatsApp messages from her grandchildren, it is not digital wizardry — it is empowerment.
