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24 July 2018 Photo Johan Roux
Student safety at centre of UFS agenda
UFS and Central University of Technology students at last year’sStudent Safety Awareness March.
The safety of students is at the fore of the University of the Free State’s agenda.
A number of on- and off-campus security measures exist which are constantly being developed and supplemented as the need arises. Students are urged to take cognisance and make use of these services and facilities that seek to address safety and security issues.

24/7 Operational Centres
Protection Services consistently works towards ensuring that security is tight on UFS campuses through its 24/7 Operational Centres. Emergencies and crime incidents that affect students may be reported at the centres. The certification of documents and drafting of affidavits are also facilitated at these centres.

Closed Circuit TV (CCTV) Cameras
All campuses are monitored by CCTV cameras on a 24/7 basis.  A process is under way to further enhance cameras to cover hotspots. Recently a total of 107 cameras were upgraded to improve the safety of students. An assessment on the adequacy of lighting was conducted and a process is under way to improve lighting on campuses where a weakness was observed.

Red Pole Alarms (Panic buttons)
Red pole alarms fitted with cameras were installed around the Bloemfontein Campus. These are linked to the Operational Centre. Alarms are tested daily and any problems observed are attended to immediately. A process also under way to install red pole alarms on the South Campus.

Security Patrols 
Security patrols are conducted on a daily basis on foot and by vehicles on all campuses to respond to student complaints and for visibility.

Security at residences
Security Officers are deployed around the female residences at night. Monthly liaison meetings are held between Protection Services with Housing and Residence Affairs to discuss areas of improvement and alternative options to ensure security.

Dedicated Investigating Officers
There is a 24/7 Investigating Officer on standby available to students and staff who has a fully entrenched relationship with the South African Police Service (SAPS) Investigation Unit. All cases are fully investigated, and cases being handled by SAPS investigators are also followed up by Protection Services.
  
Accreditation of off-campus residences
The Housing and Residence Affairs department, in collaboration with Protection Services, has conducted assessments of off-campus student residences to check the adequacy of security measures of the facilities.
 
Student Crime Stop WhatsApp group
A WhatsApp group consisting of students, members of SAPS, the Community Police Forum (CPF), Sector Policing, Protection Services, and armed security companies was set up to share safety and security concerns experienced by students. 

Dedicated security and SAPS vehicles deployed at identified hotspots 
Security patrols are conducted at areas such as Brandwag, Willows and Universitas, where a large number of students live. In addition, joint crime awareness sessions with SAPS are held to address issues that arise from time to time.
 
Distribution of whistles 
The whistle project in collaboration with SAPS, CPF and armed response companies, is currently under way. The UFS has purchased 10 000 whistles which will be distributed to students at all campuses.
 
Community Police Forum (CPF) membership
The UFS is represented on CPF committees. In the near future a CPF will be established on the Bloemfontein Campus to ensure student participation.

News Archive

Prof. Aldo Stroebel serves on SAYAS
2011-09-23

 
Prof. Aldo Stroebel


Prof. Aldo Stroebel, from our university, has been elected as a Founding Member of the South African Young Academy of Science (SAYAS).
 
He is currently Associate Professor in the Centre for Sustainable Agriculture, Rural Development and Extension, as well as the Director of International Academic Programmes in the Office of the Vice-Chancellor at the university.
 
The Young Academy has as its objectives to represent young scientists in advising the government on science and technology policy and human resource development. In addition, they will prepare the SAYAS to join the Global Young Academy (GYA) to engage with high-level international bodies, including the World Economic Forum. Twenty Founding Members have been elected – ten new members will be elected annually to a maximum of 50.
 
Prof. Stroebel obtained his master’s degree at the University of Ghent, in Belgium, and a PhD at the UFS after a year of graduate coursework at Cornell University in the USA. He completed post-doctoral work at Wageningen University and Research Centre in The Netherlands, where he has been appointed as a Visiting Fellow to their recently-established Centre for Food Security and Sustainable Development. He has published widely, including more than 90 journal articles, book chapters and reports, and co-edited a book published by CTA Wageningen. He has supervised ten master's and doctoral students.  
 
He serves in various capacities: he is a member of the Research and Innovation Strategy Group of Higher Education South Africa (HESA), former member of the SANPAD Board, the President of the International Network of Research Management Societies (INORMS) Conference in 2010, and Vice-President of Research and President-elect of the Southern African Research and Innovation Management Association (SARIMA).
 
Prof. Stroebel has participated in a number of national and international conferences. He was a keynote speaker at the Society of Research Administrators (SRA) in Washington DC in the USA and at the Ministerial Conference on Higher Education in Agriculture in Uganda.
 
He has worked as a consultant and/or advisor for a number of international and multinational organisations, including the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), World Bank, Lux Development, and the World Conservation Union (IUCN), Switzerland.
  

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