At the recent Vice-Chancellor’s Excellence Awards in Teaching and Learning, the University of Fort Hare (UFH) recognised nine scholars who were newly conferred as Fellows of the prestigious Advance Higher Education (Advance HE) Fellowship
This international fellowship honours outstanding contributions to teaching and learning in higher education. It highlights the recipients’ professional expertise, leadership, and commitment to academic excellence.
The formal awards were conferred in the presence of Mr Kristian Rumble, Head of Partnerships at Advance HE’s office in York, UK.
With this recognition, the UFH academics joined over 200,000 Fellows from around 99 countries who have rightfully earned the designation: “(Senior) Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)” after their names.
They are:
- Prof Maya van Gent: Senior Fellow (SFHEA) – Health Science
- Dr Dumisani Hompashe: Senior Fellow (SFHEA) – Management and Commerce
- Dr Anele Mayekiso: Fellow (FHEA) – Science and Agriculture
- Dr Lindokuhle Gwala: Fellow (FHEA) – Science and Agriculture
- Dr Zimasa Dubeni: Fellow (FHEA) – Science and Agriculture
- Mr Daniel Humpel: Fellow (FHEA) – Law
- Dr Mari Ford: Senior Fellow (SFHEA) – Management and Commerce
- Dr Unati Stemela: Fellow (FHEA) – Health Science
- Ms Natasha Bezuidenhout: Fellow (FHEA) – Social Science and Humanities
A Significant Achievement
Commenting on this significant attainment, Dr Mari Ford said being awarded this Fellowship is a significant milestone in her academic career and also her personal quest to make an impact.
“Going through the Senior Fellowship process was such a rewarding journey. It gave me the chance to reflect on and appreciate the impact of my work with students and colleagues – from the development of the first-year academic writing programme to the mentoring of tutors and junior colleagues. I realised how my seemingly small actions added up to big shifts, and how this, in turn, can lead to a more supportive and engaging learning community,” said Dr Ford.
Having always had a keen interest in the teaching aspects of academia, Prof van Gent said the fellowship provided the theoretical framework to better understand how her teaching philosophy influences all aspects of her practice. “It offered a valuable opportunity to reflect on my philosophy. I examined my pedagogy through the Professional Standards Framework (PSF) and benchmarked my work against national and international best practices.”
Dr Dubeni described the recognition as the cornerstone of her continuing professional development. “It empowers me with confidence and a formal framework to excel in my teaching, supervisory, and science communication duties.”
Dr Hompashe said the fellowship not only recognises his achievements but also positions him to lead by example in promoting excellence in higher education, while simultaneously contributing to the broader academic community through collaboration and knowledge sharing.
Morethan a Title
Addressing the guests, Rumble emphasized the role of global fellowships in advancing institutional continuous professional development and learning and teaching excellence.
“Fellowship is more than a title. It represents a commitment and a passion for learning and teaching, extending from librarians and lab technicians through to vice-chancellors. It highlights the importance of challenging ourselves, reflecting on what works and what doesn’t, and continuously adapting so that we create the educational experiences students remember.”
Rumble commended UFH’s commitment to teaching excellence. He described the University’s partnership with Advance HE as “a relationship that has blossomed over nearly a decade.” He presented a certificate of appreciation on behalf of Advance HE’s Chief Executive, Mr Alistair Jarvis, to the Vice-Chancellor Prof Sakhela Buhlungu, the Acting DVC: Prof Patrick Osode, and the Interim Director for the Teaching and Learning Centre, Prof Ulene Schiller.