Statement by Prof Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the UFS
16 May 2016
On 31 August 2016, I will be stepping down as Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the University of the Free State (UFS).
Since my initial appointment in middle 2009, I informed my senior colleagues that I would not be staying on for longer than seven years, in my estimation the optimal duration of time for making a measurable impact on the academic transformation of a university.
With the renewal of my five year contract in 2014, I again informed the leadership of the university council that I would not stay beyond an additional two years (that is, seven years) as academic leader of this great institution of higher learning.
At the end of 2015, I also informed the deans of my intention to start planning the end of my tenure by 2016. That time has come, and the end of August 2016 would mean that I have held the position of Vice-Chancellor and Rector for just more than seven years.