03 March 2023
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Story Nonsindiso Qwabe
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Photo Stephen Collett
Prof Francis Petersen outlined the strategic intent of Vision 130 during his official welcoming address.
The trajectory to 2034, when the university turns 130, is not a dream, but an exciting journey that we are working towards achieving. Painting a picture of the university of the future,
UFS Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Francis Petersen, welcomed staff
in his official opening speech on the Bloemfontein Campus on Friday 17 February 2023.
2023 marks the starting point of
Vision 130, a vision with bold ambitions that will lead us to the renewal, re-imagining, and repositioning of the UFS in 2034, Prof
Petersen said. “We are building on our strengths, achievements, and learnings of our past and, in particular, the past five years. The vision is driven by excellence, and we won’t compromise excellence. It is about excellence, but
it is also about visibility as an institution, and it is about impact.”
What does the UFS look like in 2034?
Prof Petersen said ours will be a university of choice for exceptional students, exceptional academics, and exceptional support staff. We will be recognised and acknowledged by peers and society as a top-tier university in South Africa, specifically among
the top five universities in South Africa and the top 600 globally.
“Remember, I said we have built on the past, specifically the past five years, to give us a foundation. Still, we need to use that foundation to be able to deliver those specific goals or activities or deliverables that we want to achieve. We will
have to start now if we want to achieve this in 2034.”
The Rector outlined four goals towards achieving these commitments:
• Improving academic excellence, improving our reputation, and improving our impact.
• Promoting an environment of agility, flexibility, and responsiveness.
• Advancing a transformational institutional culture that demonstrates the values of the University of the Free State – a place where ideas are discussed, contested, improved, and implemented in a culture of civil, robust engagement.
• Promoting stewardship and the prioritisation of institutional resources for strategic intent, which include our people, our staff, and our students.
Understand how your space is connected to Vision 130
“This is about creating a culture of delivery and empowering everyone within the University of the Free State and the UFS community to contribute to the realisation of Vision 130. This is what I am asking of you within your own sphere of operation.
I am asking for a renewed commitment from you to own that space that you operate in. To understand how your space is connected to Vision 130 and to share what I would call an unrelenting ambition to deliver on this vision.”
Watch recording of the 2023 Official Opening below: