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10 July 2018 Photo Johan Roux
Global Leadership Summit starts off on a high note
Students have robust discussions on global issues of social justice and politics

 Global Leadership Summit 2018

The 2018 Global Leadership Summit opened on 8 July 2018 on the Bloemfontein Campus of the University of the Free State (UFS) with an exciting Africa-themed event where local and international students and faculty members from more than 14 universities were in attendance. Prof Puleng LenkaBula, Vice Rector: Institutional Change, Student Affairs, welcomed delegates to the UFS, encouraging them to explore the opportunities which the summit presents to them, to learn, engage and take back valuable lessons to their home institutions, and to impart valuable knowledge that they bring to their peers.

Students play a key role in social justice
Prof Francis Petersen, UFS Rector and Vice-Chancellor, welcomed delegates at the summit’s grand opening session on 9 July, at which he highlighted the importance of the participation of young people in social justice and leadership. He emphasised the drive which the university has towards engaged scholarship and the role it has in effecting positive change to communities around it, the country and the world at large. Prof Petersen engaged with Mr Jay Naidoo, founding General Secretary of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) and cabinet minister. Mr Naidoo was the keynote speaker and addressed the issues surrounding indigenous knowledge, the values that can be found in it, and the role students can have in protecting and highlighting the value of such knowledge systems to bring future change in the world. “Where do we start in decolonising history? The next generation is rising up to that as more young people want to know about the beginning of the beginning,” Mr Naidoo said.

Human value is central to role of universities
A panel discussion was presented on the topic of the challenges of human value and what universities are doing about it, with Dr Vivienne Felix from New York University in the US, Prof Allen Kim, International Christian University in Japan, Dr Caroline Suranksy, University of Humanistic Studies in the Netherlands, and Dr WP Wahl from the UFS, facilitated by Adjunct Associate Professor Ashraf Mahomed from the University of Cape Town. Dr Suransky said: “If we were to identify ourselves as earthlings rather than with our nationalities, what do you reckon we would learn at universities? How do we inter-connect with the earth rather than try to change it?” she asked.

More than just a summit
The summit, which is a joint programme between the International Office, Student Affairs and the Institute of Reconciliation and Social Justice, will continue with more panel discussions, robust engagements and more activities. It will increase focus on critical thinking, on modalities capable of developing students to function effectively in an increasingly interdependent and complex world. It will also focus on building capacity in intercultural competencies, and grow an appreciation of cultural, historical, religious, linguistic, and political angles. The summit will include an excursion to Kimberley and to Galeshewe township in Northern Cape. Delegates will have the opportunity to attend South African cultural events such as the annual Vrystaat Kunstefees/Free State Arts Festival which will be held on the Bloemfontein Campus from 10-14 July, as well as other African theatre productions. 

News Archive

New SRC: Records of support and a victory for women
2014-09-04


Ms Mosa Leteane and Ms Louzanne Coetzee
Photo: Johan Roux

While campuses across South Africa regularly report falling voter turnout in campus elections of student representatives, the University of the Free State, in its recently completed SRC elections, registered record levels of support across our campuses with a total voter turnout of 44%. At the Bloemfontein Campus 34,4% of students voted (5052 votes) and 53,3% (1583 votes) at the Qwaqwa Campus.

Also, for the first time under the new SRC constitution, students elected a woman to lead the student body – Ms Mosa Leteane was elected as President. Another first was the election of a blind woman to the SRC – Ms Louzanne Coetzee. She will be responsible for student accessibility of our Bloemfontein SRC. This marks a victory for women in student governance.

Mr Tulasizwe Sithole was elected as the President of the SRC at our Qwaqwa Campus.

The election of Ms Leteane as President underscores the progress achieved for gender equality with near half of her SRC consisting of women (48%).

These successes are all the more significant, since this is the 4th year of elections under newly adopted SRC constitutions that allow for broader participation of diverse student constituencies in student governance.

This means that the crucial 3-year mark to test a new approach and method in governance and elections was not only successfully reached, but also in its 4th year shows the constitution as one that sustains its impact to deepen democracy and citizenship among our 30,000-strong student body.

“The results of the SRC elections across campuses show that our students are not only ready to lead our campus communities on issues relating to justice, freedom and democracy beyond our societal legacies of race and gender, but do so also for the student movement nationally. We’re immensely proud of our students, who show courage and resilience to choose leaders not for expediency, but for significance, and to lead not for some, but for all”, the Dean of Student Affairs, Rudi Buys, said.

The Qwaqwa SRC was installed on 2 September 2014, while the Bloemfontein SRC will be installed on 5 September. The Central SRC will be established on 14 September by joint sitting of the two SRCs.

The SRC members 2014/15 at the Bloemfontein and Qwaqwa Campuses are as follows:

Bloemfontein Elective portfolios:
President: Ms Mosa Leteane
Vice Pres: Mr Waldo Staude
Secretary: Ms Dineo Motaung
Treasurer: Ms Maphenye Maditsi
Arts & Culture: Mr Stefan van der Westhuizen
Accessibility & Student Support: Ms Louzanne Coetzee
First Generation Students: Ms Mpho Khati
Media, Marketing & Liaison: Ms Lethabo Maebana
Legal & Constitutional Affairs: Mr Lindokuhle Ntuli
Sport: Ms Dominique de Gouveia
Student development & Environmental Affairs: Mr Victor Ngubeni
Transformation: Mr Tumelo Rapitsi

Bloemfontein Ex officio Portfolios
Dialogue & Ex officio: Associations Student Council: Mr Piet Thibane
Academic Affairs & Ex officio: Academic Affairs Student Council: Mr Jonathan Ruwanika
Residence Affairs & Ex officio: Campus Residences Student Council: Ms Melissa Taljaard
City student Affairs & Ex officio: Commuter Student Council: Ms Kerry-Beth Berry
Post graduate Affairs & Ex officio: Post Graduate Student Council: Ms Masabata Mokgesi
International Affairs & Ex officio: International Student Council: Mr Makate Maieane
Student Media Affairs & Ex officio: Student Media Council: Mr Samuel Phuti
RAG Community Service & Ex officio: RAG Fundraising Council: Mr Johan du Plessis
RAG Community Service & Ex officio: RAG Community Service Council: Mr Manfred Titus

Qwaqwa Elective portfolios:
President General: Mr Thulasizwe Sithole
Deputy President: Ms Zethu Mhlongo
Secretary General: Mr Vukani Ntuli
Treasurer General: Mr Langelihle Mbense
Media & Publicity: Ms Nongcebo Qwabe
Politics & Transformation: Ms Nkosiphile Zwane

Qwaqwa Ex officio Portfolios
Student Development & Environmental Affairs: Mr Ndumiso Memela
Academic Affairs: Mr Simon Mofekeng
Arts & Cultural Affairs: Ms Samkelo Mtshali
Off-Campus Students: Mr Khanyisani Mbatha
RAG, Community Service & Dialogue: Mr Njabulo Mabaso
Religious Affairs: Mr Mfundo Nxumalo
Residence & Catering Affairs: Ms Ntombifuthi Radebe
Sports Council: Mr Luvuno

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