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19 April 2018

The University of the Free State invites all Grade 12 learners and their parents to the UFS Open Days. On the Bloemfontein Campus, the Open Day will be held on 12 May 2018, and on the Qwaqwa Campus, Phuthaditjhaba on 26 May 2018.
 
The programme for both Open Days has been streamlined to allow for more time in the faculties in order to gather the necessary academic information. Therefore, there will not be a collective welcoming programme on either campus; however, the academic programme for the respective faculties can be visited DIRECTLY from 09:00. All exhibitions are open from 09:00 till 15:00.

BLOEMFONTEIN CAMPUS OPEN DAY – 12 MAY 2018:


Programme

1. Academic programme in the respective faculties: There will be two welcoming and information sessions by the Dean of each faculty. 

a. Session 1: 09:00–10:00
b. Session 2: 11:00–12:00
c. The venue for each faculty is:
i. Economic and Management Sciences: EMS Auditorium
ii. Education: New Education Auditorium
iii. Health Sciences: Francois Retief Building
iv. Natural and Agricultural Sciences: Callie Human Centre
v. Law: Equitas Building
vi. The Humanities: Odeion
vii. Theology and Religion: Theology Building, Room 21

2. Administrative services in the H van der Merwe Scholtz Hall: Bring your Grade 11 results and a copy of your ID should you wish to apply for 2019 undergraduate studies during the Open Day.
a. Online and hard-copy applications
b. Admissions 
c. General Enquiries
d. UFS Marketing
e. Centre for Teaching and Learning
f. Financial Aid
g. Tuition Fees
h. Housing and Residence Affairs
i. National Benchmark Tests
j. University Access Programmes
k. KovsieGear merchandise 
l. Library and Information Services

3. Student Life programme in front of the Main Building
a. Kovsie2B Social Media
b. Student Life Colleges and Residence Communities exhibitions
c. Arts and Culture
d. Centre for Universal Access and Disability Support (CUADS)
e. Counselling and Development
f. Gender and Sexual Equity Office
g. KovsieSport
h. Student Media
i. Student Wellness and Social Support

4. Student Associations exhibitions at the Thakaneng Bridge
a. Academic associations
b. Charity-based student associations
c. Cultural-based student associations
d. Political associations
e. Religious associations

MEET AND GREET WITH THE RECTOR AND VICE-CHANCELLOR: 

Professor Francis Petersen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor, invites teachers, principals, and parents to engage with him from 12:00 till 14:00, Bloemfontein Campus. If you would like to make use of this opportunity, RSVP by 9 May 2018 to greylinl@ufs.ac.za or bakkese@ufs.ac.za

 

QWAQWA CAMPUS OPEN DAY – 26 MAY 2018:

1. Academic programme in the respective faculties: There will be two welcoming and information sessions by the Assistant Dean of each faculty. 
a. Session 1: 09:00–10:00
b. Session 2: 11:00–12:00
2. Administrative services in the Rolihlahla Mandela Hall: Bring your Grade 11 results and a copy of your ID should you wish to apply for 2019 undergraduate studies during the Open Day.
3. Student Life programme and Student Associations exhibitions. 

MEET AND GREET WITH THE RECTOR AND VICE-CHANCELLOR: 
Professor Francis Petersen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor, invites teachers, principals, and parents to engage with him from 12:00 till 14:00, Qwaqwa Campus. If you would like to make use of this opportunity, RSVP by 23 May 2018 to greylinl@ufs.ac.za or bakkese@ufs.ac.za

GENERAL
Unfortunately no food parcels will be provided to learners. Open Day programmes will be distributed at all entrances on both campuses.
If you require any further information about the Open Days you can contact 051 401 3384/9028. 

2019 APPLICATIONS ARE NOW OPEN
Keep in mind that there are limited spaces in each programme and to avoid disappointment, you are advised to apply as soon as possible. Application to study at the University of the Free State is free. If you want to apply now, click here

News Archive

Boyden Observatory turns 120
2009-05-13

 

At the celebration of the 120th year of existence of the UFS's Boyden Observatory are, from the left: Prof. Herman van Schalkwyk, Dean: Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at the UFS, Prof. Driekie Hay, Vice-Rector: Academic Planning at the UFS, Mr Ian Heyns from AngloGold Ashanti and his wife, Cheryl, and Prof. François Retief, former rector of the UFS and patron of the Friends of Boyden.
Photo: Hannes Pieterse

The Boyden Observatory, one of the oldest observatories in the Southern Hemisphere and a prominent beacon in Bloemfontein, recently celebrated its 120th year of existence.

This milestone was celebrated by staff, students, other dignitaries of the University of the Free State (UFS) and special guests at the observatory last week.

“The observatory provides the Free State with a unique scientific, educational and tourist facility. No other city in South Africa, and few in the world, has a public observatory with telescopes the size and quality of those at Boyden,” said Prof. Herman van Schalkwyk, Dean of the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at the UFS.

The observatory, boasting the third-largest optical telescope in South Africa, has a long and illustrious history. It was established on a temporary site on Mount Harvard near the small town of Chosica, Peru in 1889. Later it was moved to Arequipa in Peru where important astronomical observations were made from 1891 to 1926. “However, due to unstable weather patterns and observing conditions, it was decided to move the Boyden Station to another site somewhere else in the Southern Hemisphere, maybe South Africa,” said Prof. Van Schalkwyk.

South Africa's excellent climatic conditions were fairly well known and in 1927 the instruments were shipped and the Boyden Station was set up next to Maselspoort near Bloemfontein. Observations began in September 1927 and in 1933 the new site was officially completed, including the 60 inch (1.5 m) telescope, which was then the largest optical telescope in the Southern Hemisphere. This telescope was recently refurbished to a modern research instrument.

The observatory has various other telescopes and one of them, the 13" refractor telescope, which was sent to Arequipa in 1891 and later to Bloemfontein, is still in an excellent condition. Another important telescope is the Watcher Robotic Telescope of the University College Dublin, which conducts many successful observations of gamma ray bursts.

“In the first few decades of the twentieth century, the Boyden Observatory contributed considerably to our understanding of the secrets of the universe at large. The period luminosity relationship of the Cepheid variable stars was, for example, discovered from observations obtained at Boyden. This relationship is one of the cornerstones of modern astrophysics. It is currently used to make estimates of the size and age of the universe from observations of the Hubble Space Telescope,” said Prof. Van Schalkwyk.

“The Boyden Observatory contributed to the university’s astrophysics research group being able to produce the first M.Sc. degrees associated with the National Space Science Programme (NASSAP) in the country and the Boyden Science Centre plays an important role in science and technology awareness of learners, teachers and the general public,” said Prof. Van Schalkwyk.

The Boyden Science Centre has also formed strong relationships with various institutions, including the South African Agency for the Advancement of Science and Technology (SAASTA) and the Department of Science and Technology. The centre has already conducted many different projects for the Department of Science and Technology, including National Science Week projects, as well as National Astronomy Month projects. It also serves as one of the hosts of SAASTA’s annual Astronomy Quiz.

Media Release:
Lacea Loader
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@ufs.ac.za
13 May 2009
 

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