The Bureau for Economic Research (BER) at Stellenbosch University is pleased to announce that Professor Johann Kirsten has been appointed as the new Director of the BER. Prof Kirsten will assume his duties on 1 August 2016. He succeeds Prof Ben Smit who retired as Director at the end of December 2015.
Prof Stan Du Plessis, dean of the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, said: "Stellenbosch University and the faculty are delighted with the appointment of Professor Johann Kirsten as the sixth Director of the BER. He is a scholar of international stature, an experienced academic leader and a participant in national policy at the highest level. At the BER, his knowledge of the corporate world as well as his academic leadership over many years will be invaluable as the BER builds on an excellent track record of relevant and top-quality research".
Stellenbosch University appointed Prof Kirsten after advertising the vacancy widely in various local and international media during 2015, as well as employing a recruitment agency, and conducting three rounds of interviews.
In response to his appointment, Prof Kirsten said, "I am very excited about my new appointment and new responsibilities at the BER. After almost 25 years at the University of Pretoria (UP) and working on the tricky and emotional issues of agricultural policy and land reform, it is going to be an interesting challenge to move to a different, but still related, field of study and expertise. However, it is also true that a change is as good as a holiday and a new challenge is something I look forward to. I hope to make an important contribution to sustain the image and reputation of the BER in producing valuable insights into the performance of the South African economy. As the South African economy struggles to achieve sustained positive real growth and to create jobs and remove poverty and inequality, it is perhaps also time for the BER to venture into more policy-related research. I am sure that the BER's expertise and respected data and information could help South Africa in dealing with these critical questions.
As I move to a new work environment and a different focus in my career, it is important to let all my friends, colleagues and contacts in the agricultural and food industry know that I will not be lost to agriculture. A good and stable macro-economic environment is also critical for the agricultural sector and therefore I trust that my engagement with, and leadership of the BER team, will also benefit all the companies, commodity organisations and farmers with whom I worked so closely over the years. More specific, I will remain active in my role of supporting the Karoo farmers to protect and promote 'Karoo Lamb' as the icon food product of South Africa.
I am also sad to leave the Department of Agricultural Economics at UP that I have built up over a period of 19 years, but I am confident that the department now has a solid foundation and has a great future with wonderful faculty members who will continue to make a solid contribution to agricultural and economic questions on the African continent. I will also continue to work with my current PhD and M students for the foreseeable future".
