Welcome to the web page of the UFS South Campus!

About us

The role of universities is to address students’ aspirations by producing highly skilled individuals who are going to participate meaningfully in the economic development of the country. Over the years, universities have always responded to external pressures such as the student movements that are forcing universities to transform. At the South Campus of the University of the Free State, we are dedicated to the delivery of distance and access programmes to students nationally in order to improve the prospects of access to university training to the majority of learners, especially learners from inaccessible areas. Pursuant to this goal, programmes are offered online or through a blended mode of contact and distance methodologies.

The distance delivery at the Campus is qualified by its open character, where open learning is an approach to education that enables as many students as possible to take advantage of affordable and meaningful educational opportunities through:

• Sharing expertise, knowledge and resources
• Reducing barriers and increasing access
• Acknowledging diversity of context
• Placing students at the centre of teaching and learning

Objectives of open learning include:

• Providing learners with opportunities and capacity for lifelong learning.
• Ensuring that learning processes centre on the students and the contexts of learning, build on their experience, and encourage active engagement, leading to independent and critical thinking.
• Providing a flexible learning environment that allows students to determine increasingly where, when, what, and how they learn, as well as the pace at which they will learn.
• Recognising prior learning and experience wherever possible, ensuring that credit transfer and articulation between qualifications facilitates further learning.
• Creating conditions for a fair chance of student success to happen by means of student support, contextually appropriate resources, and sound pedagogical practices.

Our offerings

In line with the University of the Free State 2018–2022 strategic goals and the South Campus strategic plan, we offer the following:

• Design and deliver university access programmes in a variety of field to those who do not qualify for a mainstream programme
• Evaluate and improve existing programmes through quality assurance processes
• Improve academic and non-academic practices based on research
• Inform institutional practices and policies
• Contribute to the financial sustainability of the campus
• Develop and deliver globally competitive distance education programmes
• Develop a quality, student-centred approach to ODL material for blended and online mode of delivery
• Evaluate and improve existing programmes through quality assurance processes
• Improve academic and non-academic practices in the ODL programmes based on research
• Offer a range of fit-for-purpose short learning programmes
• Plan and offer a range of social empowerment projects

Our offerings include Higher Certificates and Advanced Certificates in Teaching. In addition, a variety of short learning programmes are also offered at a distance.

Student support and institutional culture

• Leaner management system – The Online student portal is the university’s most important study tool. This is how students communicate with the University.
• Provide students with an email account – Registered UFS students get a free email account. Important information, notices, and updates are sent exclusively to this account.
• Social media – Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube are great channels through which to share ideas, find other students, ask questions and generally stay informed. These are available to students.
• UFS Radio – UFS Radio is a vibrant and informative platform of information and topics focused on our UFS students.
• Counselling services – These include career guidance, along with academic and personal support to students.

Positioning the curricula for ODL

Plans are afoot to position the Campus’ curricula for ODL through:

• Developing curricula that are locally relevant and globally competitive, fostering employability and entrepreneurship
• Digitization of curriculum for students and academics to promote access
• Setting students' minds at ease about the effectiveness of student support systems, and make sure the study materials are learner friendly
• Harnessing the benefits of the fourth industrial revolution by using an ODL system suited to the person by addressing all students' concerns with regard to traditional learning
• Introducing interactive sessions such as students sharing online notes and providing feedback to one another to foster deeper learning.

Campus activities

A transformed university in South Africa is one that strives for social justice in everything it does. It will be an institution where its diverse people feel a sense of common purpose and where the symbols and spaces, systems and daily practices all reflect commitment, openness, and engagement. The activities of the South Campus also include:

• The Internet Broadcast Project (IBP)
• Social Responsibility Projects, and
• Community projects

Welcome on board the new era of learning offered by our campus.

Contact details

Dr Maria Madiope
Principal: South Campus

T: +27 51 505 1350
E: MadiopeM@ufs.ac.za