Dr René Oosthuizen is a new lecturer at the Rhodes University Community Engagement (RUCE) Division. She joins the team as an Engaged Research academic and coordinator of the Engaged Citizen Programme.
Before joining Rhodes University, Dr Oosthuizen was Stenden South Africa’s Academic Dean. She also lectured at Tshwane University of Technology and Nelson Mandela University before teaching at Stenden in 2010.
Dr Oosthuizen has very diverse academic experience in Community Development and Disaster Risk Management coupled with extensive experience in Social Sciences research. She believes this experience will allow her to have a meaningful impact on the learning experiences of students involved in community engagement at Rhodes.
Dr Oosthuizen is looking forward to working with the students and forming bonds with RUCE’s community partners. “I am super excited to be able to contribute, no matter how small, towards making a difference in the lives of not just the students but also community partners”, she said.