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08 March 2018 Photo Zenzele Mdletshe
Pilot Wingman programme launched
Social and cultural integration are at the heart of the newly launched internationalisation programme.

The University of the Free State (UFS) launched its pilot Wingman programme on 16 February 2018 at the Bloemfontein Campus. The programme, which is jointly coordinated by the Office for International Affairs and the Student Representative Council (SRC): International Student Council, aims to advance the social integration of local and international students. 

Bulelwa Moikwatlhai, coordinator and UFS international student adviser, explained that the programme assisted international students with their transition into student life and culture. “Students need to remember the three key pillars of the programme   meaningful and lifelong friendships, academic excellence, and social and cultural integration.” 

The Vice-Rector: Research, Prof Corli Witthuhn, assured the students the university was committed to their emotional and physical wellbeing. She further expressed her enthusiasm at seeing the programme expanded to include all first-year international students. 

Cornelius Hagenmeier, the UFS Director: Internationalisation said: “The University is committed to internationalisation at home. This is the purposeful integration of international and intercultural dimensions into the formal and informal curriculum for all students within domestic learning environments.” 

The International Affairs SRC representative, Andrei-Tendai Kwenda, emphasised the value the programme added to international student life and complimented the students for pioneering the programme.

News Archive

World mourns giant of African literature
2013-03-25

 

UFS joins the world in commiserating the passing of the novelist, poet and literary critic, Chinua Achebe.
Photo credit: Mike Cohea/Brown University
25 March 2013

The staff and students of the University of the Free State (UFS) are saddened by the passing of Chinua Achebe on 21 March 2013 at the age of 82 in Boston in the United States.

Prof Achebe is widely regarded as one of Africa's greatest authors, gaining world-wide acclaim especially for his 1954 novel, Things Fall Apart. Prof Achebe’s other major works include Arrow of God, A Man of the People, Anthills of the Savannah, as well as his famous critique of Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, namely An image of Africa: racism in Conrad's "Heart of darkness."

Prof Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the UFS, said he was privileged to attend three lectures by Achebe. "A giant in African literature has fallen. Go softly, Chinua Achebe. As a young student, I still remember sitting in awe of your wisdom and insight," he said.

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