Prof Lategan is the Founding Director of STIAS (the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study), a high-level, interdisciplinary think tank and the only institution of its kind in Africa. The objective is to provide "a creative space for the mind" where Africa's leading researchers can work in close co-operation with their counterparts from all over the globe on issues that are of special relevance for the continent. Lategan' basic training in classical languages led to an interest in interpretation and the conditions for human communication and understanding. He applied basic hermeneutical principles from linguistics, philosophy and theology to other fields like the interpretation of law, the writing of history, value studies and the facilitation of social change. This led inter alia to the design of an inclusive process for the development of common values in situations of diversity and conflict and the establishment of effective workplace forums. The process was subsequently implemented successfully in a variety of companies and organizations. He was an executive member of the World Values Survey and participated in international comparative value studies and processes of democratization with colleagues from Africa, Europe, the Americas and Asia." Recognitions: membership in national and other academies, prizes, awards, etc Member of the South African Academy of Sciences Member of the Board, South African Academy of Religion Member, International Advisory Committee on Human Scale Development Member of the Council of the Africa Institute Member of the Society of Biblical Literature Chair, FRD Committee for Religion, Classical Languages and related fields Assistant Secretary for International Initiatives, SNTS, 2009 -2013 Visiting Professor/Research Fellow at various universities in South African, Europe and North America. General Secretary of the New Testament Society of South Africa Editor and publisher of Scriptura, Tydskrif vir Bybelkunde/Journal of Biblical Studies Member of the Editorial Board, Biblical Interpretation (Brill, Leiden) Member of the Editorial Board, Neotestamentica.
