The Centre for Development Support

08/09/2026

07/09/2026

The Jagersfontein tailings dam disaster showed that warning signs mean little without action. Our policy brief highlights fragmented monitoring, weak coordination and poor communication. It calls for clear warning thresholds, stronger oversight of responses, community participation, and tested emergency plans. A concerted effort is needed to learn from disasters like this.

link:

14/05/2026

Fully funded postgraduate opportunities available for 2027!

The DSI-NRF Research Chair in City and Regional Economies at the University of the Free State is inviting applications for:

• Full-time PhD bursaries x2
• Full-time Masters bursary x1

The scholarships cover tuition, living expenses and related study costs.
This is an excellent opportunity for graduates interested in:

• Urbanisation and economic development
• Urban housing, land and spatial inequalities
• Strategic industries and business dynamics
• The formal and informal economies of cities, including spatial patterns and
trends
• Dynamic places – central cities, business nodes and township economies
• Urban labour markets, unemployment and poverty
• Urban governance, policy and practice, including public-private partnerships and civil society engagement
• The delivery and financing of urban infrastructure and essential services, including transport, energy, water, sanitation and waste services

Successful candidates will join a dynamic research community led by Professor Ivan Turok.

Application deadline: 31 May 2026

To apply, submit the following as a single PDF:
• CV
• Academic transcripts
• ID/passport
• Short research proposal (500–1500 words)

Submit applications to: Ms Nomvula Makhubu [email protected]

For more information:
Prof Ivan Turok [email protected]
Prof Abrahama Matamanda [email protected]

28/04/2026

Want to turn your passion for change into real impact?
The 𝗨𝗙𝗦 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗲𝘀 helps you do exactly that.

This programme's blend of research, theory and hands-on learning equips students to actively turn ideas into real solutions.

🖋️ Flexible part-time study with online learning and in-person sessions - 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘱𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳!

Click on "Apply now" or contact the Centre for Development Support Office:
[email protected] | +27 51 401 3812
𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟳 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝟯𝟭 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲

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The University of the Free State (UFS) is an institution of higher learning established in terms of the Higher Education Act 101 of 1997, published in Government Notice 33490 dated 27 August 2010.

24/04/2026

When the passion for change is there, you can achieve anything. That is why the 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗱𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗗𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗺𝗮 𝗶𝗻 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗲𝘀, offered by the Centre for Development Support at the University of the Free State is your gateway to real-world change.

Interdisciplinary | Fully online | 1 year | Ideal for scholars from across Africa

🌍 Learn from anywhere. Make a difference everywhere.
𝘈𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 30 𝘚𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 2026 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯!

Need more info?
E: [email protected]
T: +27 51-401-3812

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The University of the Free State (UFS) is an institution of higher learning established in terms of the Higher Education Act 101 of 1997, published in Government Notice 33490 dated 27 August 2010.

20/04/2026

INVITATION TO BOOK LAUNCH - THE ENDURANCE OF
INEQUALITY: RACE, PROPERTY AND SPATIALITY IN
BLOEMFONTEIN AND SURROUNDS

27/03/2026

🚨 Exciting Opportunity!

The University of the Free State is inviting applications for a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Mining, Migration and Regional Development, under the supervision of Prof. Lochner Marais.

⛏️ This 2–3 year fellowship forms part of a broader research programme exploring the social, demographic, and developmental impacts of extractive industries in Southern Africa.

📊 The successful candidate will contribute to research on migration dynamics, labour mobility, settlement patterns, and socio-economic outcomes in mining regions.

🎓 If you have recently completed a PhD and have a strong interest in migration, inequality, or regional development, this opportunity may be for you.

📅 Application deadline: 10 April 2026
📧 Submit applications to: [email protected]

📎 Please refer to the attached document for full details on requirements and how to apply.