Faculty of Veterinary Science
Prof GE Swan, Dean
Telephone number: 012 529 8201
Fax number: 012 529 8313
E-mail address: gerry.swan@up.ac.za
Message by the Dean
The year 2008 was the third year of the five-year strategic plan of the Faculty of Veterinary Science.
The faculty’s research endeavours again showed steady growth over the past year. The subsidy units earned from the Department of Education for publications have been steadily increasing since 2004, with only a slight drop in 2007. All the faculty’s publications were again placed in the higher category of journals accredited by the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI). There was also a substantial increase in the number of master’s and PhD students over the same period (from 150 in 2004 to 216 in 2008), accompanied by an increase in the funding available for postgraduate bursaries. Although the number of postgraduate students has also been steadily increasing over this period, the time to qualification of master’s students is of the highest in the University. This is receiving attention. The faculty received several large international research grants during the year.
The number of NRF-rated staff members increased from 15 in 2006 to 17 in 2008. Unfortunately, the faculty lost three of its NRF-rated researchers at the end of the year: one due to retirement and two as a result of emigration. Excellence in research performance was again recognised through the identification of the faculty’s top ten researchers. These awards are presented at the annual Faculty Day, when the Researcher of the Year and Young Researcher of the Year awards are also made. The Researcher of the Year award, which is made on the basis of productivity, as reflected in subsidy units earned, was presented to Prof Johan Nöthling. The Young Researcher of the Year award, which is made using slightly different criteria, was presented to Dr Eran Dvir.
Faculty Day has formed the focal point of the faculty’s academic programme for some 24 years. It provides a forum for staff and postgraduate students to share the excitement of their research findings or experience with both students and colleagues, and has contributed significantly to the faculty’s research effort over these years. The Sir Arnold Theiler Memorial Lecture, which is presented by an esteemed veterinary scholar, scientist or researcher in honour of Theiler’s contribution to veterinary science, remains a highlight of the proceedings. This year, Dr Gideon Brückner, Deputy Director of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), Paris, and also an alumnus of the Faculty of Veterinary Science, was invited to present this lecture in recognition of his outstanding contribution to international animal disease control. His highly relevant and most interesting lecture formed the background to 11 oral and 16 poster presentations by staff and students.
A final highlight of the year was the Onderstepoort Centenary Pan-African Veterinary Conference that was presented at the faculty from 6 to 9 October 2008 as part of the centenary celebrations of the Onderstepoort Veterinary Research Institute. This coincided with the centenary of the University of Pretoria. Some 15 international and 15 local speakers delivered lectures that covered historical aspects and present-day research on animal diseases in Africa, as well as future challenges. Associated social functions included the opening of a National Veterinary Museum, the launch of a book on the history of Onderstepoort and a commemorative stamp, as well as a gala dinner attended by President Motlanthe.
Prof GE Swan
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