Stellenbosch University
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Departmental chairpersons promoted to associate professors
Author: Pia Nänny
Published: 25/10/2017

​​​​​​​Two departmental chairpersons in the Faculty of Education – Dr Nuraan Davids, chairperson of the Department of Education Policy Studies, and Dr Michael le Cordeur, chairperson of the Department of Curriculum Studies – were promoted to Associate Professors earlier this year.

Dr Davids completed her PhD in 2012 and was appointed as a lecturer in the Department of Education Policy Studies in 2013. Her primary and foundational research area is Philosophy of Education and her research interests include democratic citizenship education, Islamic education and ethics in education.

She is passionate about both teaching and research and doesn't see them as two separate endeavours but rather as two important pursuits that are intertwined and mutually contingent.

“I am honoured and humbled by this promotion. The invitation from my Faculty to apply came as a wonderful surprise. It feels good to know that my passion and commitment as an academic are being recognised by the university. My goals are to make worthwhile contributions to my research area, to get students to think anew about themselves, those they encounter, and to recognise the profound privilege of teaching."

Dr Le Cordeur completed his PhD in 2004 and was appointed as a lecturer at SU in 2009. 

His main research interests include language in education, enhancing reading ability, mother tongue education and language and identity.

He is passionate about providing access to higher education for those students from previously disadvantaged students.

“That is why I am involved in projects such as Rachel's Angels and the Brugbou-project through the SBA (Stigting vir Bemagtiging deur Afrikaans). Learners cannot excel at school if they do not understand the language of teaching and learning and this leads to all sorts of problems, for example reading challenges.

“This promotion is an endorsement that I am on the right track as far as my research and my teaching is concerned. It provides the necessary funding to continue and even expand my research on the above-mentioned foci."

Prof Ronelle Carolissen, Vice-Dean: Learning and teaching in the Faculty of Education, was promoted to Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology.