Initiative to Develop Critical Institutional History of UFS Commences Project
The University of the Free State (UFS) recently launched an exciting research project to produce a critical institutional history of the UFS. Led by Prof Saleem Badat, Research Professor in the Department of History, this initiative is part of a wider national project – the Research Project on the Histories of Universities (RPHUSA) in South Africa.
Prof Badat said the intended outcome is a peer-reviewed volume that critically examines the institutional history of the UFS. “It will not be a coffee table hagiography. We will look at the good, the bad, and the ugly.”
‘If we don’t know our history, we can’t tell our story’
Through this project, he says they aim to advance, test, reinvigorate, and share knowledge about an important institution. Moreover, he notes that a project like this can also expand the archive. Lwazi Mestile, Head of Archives and Special Collections in the Department of Library and Information Services at the UFS, welcomed the project, stating, “It will greatly assist the university. If we do not know our history, we can’t tell our story.”
“This project can also help to better understand the university and possibly inform its future development,” remarked Prof Badat. He believes that if executed well, much can be learned about the institution. “In terms of affecting positive change, it can shed light on both the possibilities and limits of change.”
Prof Badat hopes that the project will simulate broad participation. According to him, virtually everyone can make contributions. He invited current and former scholars, students, support staff, and alumni to contribute to research, writing, publishing, and related activities. He also encouraged departments to participate in this project as teams. “This lends itself to a departmental project. Working together as a department on a project like this can have many benefits.”
Showing their interest in the initiative, staff from various academic departments attended the first meeting, as well as representatives from the Unit for Institutional Change and Social Justice, and the Department of Library and Information Services.
Prof Badat envisions a collaborative endeavour, based on epistemological diversity and rigorous peer-reviewed scholarship, as well as the use of innovative methodologies and methods.
‘Knowing about the university is part of your academic citizenship’
He says that the book on the UFS could also be used during staff and new scholars’ inductions, clarifying the meaning and purposes of a university. “There is value in this. Knowing about the university is part of your academic citizenships,” he commented.
The project, which started in 2023, has thus far focused on tasks such as project planning, proposal writing, drafting of a preliminary bibliography and a timeline, collecting materials, and mobilising resources. It is envisaged as a four- to five-year project. “In the coming years, the focus will be on research, writing, publishing, creative outputs, and archiving,” said Prof Badat.