Community Engagement | Gemeenskapsbetrokkenheid
Ditshebeletso tsa Setjhaba

Learning to serve, serving to learn 

I'm engaged, are YOU?
Ek's betrokke, is JY?
Ke a thusa, WENA? 

What is community engagement?

Community Engagement (CE) is an integral and core part of higher education in South Africa. Our role as set out in the White Paper is that "we are called on to demonstrate social responsibility and make available expertise and infrastructure for community service programmes in the commitment towards common good". One of the stated goals of the White Paper is to promote and develop social responsibility and awareness among students, and to enhance the role of higher education in social and economic development through community service programmes.

Community engagement rests upon the following four pillars:

1. Community service learning/service learning (credit-bearing).
2. Community engaged research.
3. External partnerships.
4. Community service/volunteerism.

What do we do?

The Community Engagement Directorate is committed to engaging our students in various projects and programmes that will prepare them for their future roles in society. Our approach is aimed at empowering our students and exposing them to the realities of the social and human dynamics in our communities.

Why do we do what we do?

The UFS Strategic Plan 2012-2016 states that it is important to the University that students learn the value of public service through both their formal education and their voluntary work in surrounding communities. This is the driving force behind the projects undertaken by the Community Engagement Directorate.