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The University of the Free State (UFS) has an enrolment plan for 2007–2019 that was approved by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET). The university is compelled to adhere to these enrolment targets, as over-enrolment poses a risk to the academic integrity, financial sustainability, and student success of the university.
The UFS received 47 000 applications for admission in 2018, of which 17 000 applicants received final admission. All admission letters clearly stipulate that admission is subject to availability of space during registration. The enrolment target for new first-time entering students for 2018 is 8 000, therefore only 8 000 students can be registered across the university’s three campuses during this intake period.
The Executive Management of the UFS welcomes the fact that President Jacob Zuma’s announcement on 16 December 2017 about free education for the poor and working class has allowed many more students the opportunity to register. Several meetings between the Executive Management and the Student Representative Council (SRC) have taken place since the beginning of 2018 to discuss the implications of the President’s announcement. Engagement with the SRC regarding the registration process is also continuously taking place.
Online registration for all students opened on 8 January 2018. The UFS has put several measures in place to assist new first-time entering undergraduate students. Furthermore, students who have moved into residences and participated in the university’s Gateway Programme, as well as students who arrived on campus, were assisted to register for programmes with available space. In cases where the first option of study was full, students were redirected to other programmes with available space within the specific faculty or other faculties, provided that they comply with the relevant admission criteria. Only mainstream programmes in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences now have space left. The rest of the undergraduate programmes in all faculties on all the campuses are full.
Students who could not be accommodated in any of the programmes due to limited space are being directed to the Central Application Clearing House (CACH).
Cornell academic focuses on international trade in inaugural lecture at the UFS
2013-11-12
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Prof Muna Ndulo
Photo: Stephen Collett
12 November 2013 |
Prof Muna Ndulo, Professor at the Cornell Law School, delivered his inaugural lecture as Extraordinary Professor in the Department of Mercantile Law at the University of the Free State (UFS). The topic of his lecture was: Facilitating regional and world trade through international trade.
With this topic, Prof Ndulo said that trade is a recognised contributor to the Growth Domestic Product of countries and its role can be used to reduce global poverty and inequality. “Although Africa’s GDP is 5-6% on average, with a positive increase in direct foreign investments, its meaningful participation in world trade has been decimal,” he said.
Trade between African countries is 12%, which is the lowest in the world. This is in comparison to intercontinental trade in European states (72%), North America (48%), Asia (52%) and 26% in Latin America. The EU and USA are Africa’s key export markets. High transport costs, import substitution, intra-regional transactions, conflict of rules and bills of exchange remain as challenges. There are also no common standards with regards to the development of manpower as an important factor in production.
Prof Ndulo suggested solutions which Africa can use to achieve harmonisation. This includes the introduction of normative rules designed in a framework of a treaty. A modern law approach could be used to develop legislation and ensure uniformity; and lastly, the formulation of commercial customs and practice. “Harmonisation demands a high level of expertise and quality research,” said Prof Ndulo.
He added: “When legislation is developed, it must resemble the needs of our trade laws in order to maximise benefits.”
He concluded that, for harmonisation to be achieved, the political environment must play a major role in regional and world trade.
Prof Elizabeth Snyman-Van Deventer, Head of the Department of Mercantile Law, made sincere closing remarks on how much we as a continent have become an enemy of our own self by not having trade relationships among ourselves as Africans. Prof Snyman urged those in the legal fraternity to be part of the harmonisation of trade laws and eliminate the barriers by improving legislation.