FABI is proud of all the MANCOM members whose hard work and dedication was honoured at the University of Pretoria’s Academic Achievers’ Awards ceremony on 23 October. The Academic Achievers’ Awards is a celebration of the excellence, dedication, and impact of UP’s academic community whose work exemplifies the highest standards of scholarship and whose contributions have helped shape disciplines, inform policy, and improve lives.

Professors Dave Berger and Emma Steenkamp were awarded the Exceptional Academic Achievers Award. This is awarded annually to senior academics who have already achieved the status of Professor, are regarded highly by their peers, and have consistently excelled in the areas of under- and postgraduate teaching and learning, research, community service and administration over a period of time.

Eight FABI academics who received NRF ratings in the preceding year were also honoured:

A-Rated Researchers: Prof. Mike Wingfield. A-rated researchers are internationally recognised leaders in their fields, celebrated for the exceptional quality, originality, and impact of their recent research outputs. This is Mike’s sixth consecutive A-Rating which is the highest number achieved by any South African academic to date.

B-Rated Researchers: Prof. Dave Berger, Prof. Almuth Hammerbacher, Prof. Cobus Visagie, Prof. Chris Weldon.

C-Rated Researchers: Dr Nicky Creux, Prof. Eshchar Mizrachi.

Y-Rated Researchers: Dr Tanay Bose.