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25 April 2018 Photo Supplied
UFS Debate Society to compete in upcoming World Championships
The UFS Debate Society is a diverse, cross-boundary team of UFS students who are not strangers to success, and who are exceptionally brilliant at what they do. Before winning the largest open debating competition in Africa in 2018, the team had qualified and competed in the finals for three consecutive years since 2015. The society has now been selected to compete in the Cape Town Open Debating Competition this coming weekend from 27 to 29 April, in a build-up to the World Championships taking place in December 2018.

According to the UFS Debate Society Chairperson, Tshiamo Malatji: “Thinking artistically about debating requires one to make use of creative reasoning, and essentially, lateral thinking is of importance, even in your everyday life conversations, because you will never fundamentally agree with someone who has opinions which are opposed to yours, but you will be able to appreciate where they are coming from.”

The team is also involved in organising dialogues on our Bloemfontein Campus, such as the Student Rights Dialogue, which brings together various stakeholders of the university for a discussion about human rights. They also conduct debating workshops and, together with the Department of Basic Education, function as judges for debates in the broader Bloemfontein community for less advantaged schools in Botshabelo, Thaba Nchu, Tweespruit, and Dewetsdorp.

The Debate Society is set to host a Global Politics Seminar that will analyse and explain the forces that influence international politics, and South Africa's standpoint in the global perspective. This seminar, taking place in October, will focus on the activities of chief global actors, and some of the core crises that can shape students’ understanding of current foreign affairs. The seminar will comprise presentations from knowledgeable local students and Debate Society alumni, which will conclude with a fiery debate by the society on the dynamic and controversial topic of South Africa's future in the international political arena. 

Access to the seminar is reserved for donors who will pledge their support to the society’s journey to the upcoming World Championships. For more information on how to pledge, visit the World Championships Pledge.

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News Archive

Health Sciences expand their training platform to Trompsburg
2014-04-03

We will soon be able to accommodate more students who wish to obtain a qualification in the medical profession, after an agreement was reached between the UFS’s Faculty of Health Sciences, the Department of Higher Education and Training and the Free State Department of Health.

Some R28 million were allocated to the UFS for setting up two new Health Sciences facilities.

It is through this agreement that the Faculty of Health Sciences recently bought the Midway Hotel in Trompsburg, in order to expand their training opportunities platform for students in the faculty. Two other facilities are currently being negotiated for Kimberley and the Eastern Free State.

Prof Gert van Zyl, Dean of the faculty, says their training platform at the Universitas Academic Hospital (including Universitas Hospital, the National District Hospital, Pelonomi Hospital, the Free State Psychiatric and 3 Military Hospital) is saturated.

“We couldn’t accommodate additional students without compromising the quality of practical training. We are forced to expand the training platform to other good primary health facilities which will be accredited by that the Health Professions Council – in this case the new Trompsburg.”

Prof Van Zyl says the necessary infrastructure must be put in place before student numbers can be increased. Some of the plans include:

  • Furnished accommodation in Trompsburg for about 50 students from the School of Medicine, School of Allied Health Professions and the School of Nursing.
  • Administrative and academic support points, including office space for administrative and other essential learning areas.
  • Equipment and facilities for e-learning.

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