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26 November 2018 | Story Xolisa Mnukwa | Photo Johan Roux
Graduation
End-of-year graduation ceremonies kicks-off today.

Livestream

Graduation is the highlight of the academic calendar, and the University of the Free State (UFS) stands by to awarding  its last batch of degrees for the year with the December Graduations which started yesterday.

Kovsie family and friends will be congratulating 173 masters and doctoral graduates in the upcoming ceremonies, and confer more than a thousand certificates, diplomas, undergraduate and honours degrees during the graduation processes.

Speaking at the upcoming processions will be Dr Anchen Laubscher: Group Medical Director of Netcare Ltd, and chair of the Hospital Association of South Africa (HASA) subcommittee for Clinical Quality.

Graduates can further look forward to the likes of Dan Kriek: President of Agri SA, and Danie Meintjes: former Group Chief Executive Officer at Mediclinic International plc, and Non-Executive Director of the Mediclinic International Board.

Author and Chancellor’s Distinguished Young Alumnus of the year 2018, Ace Moloi will also address the audience and bestow words of praise and encouragement as their food for thought.

Graduates can likewise expect speeches from Dr Millard Arnold who belts careers in law, business, diplomacy, journalism, film, and photography to name a few.

Lesedi Makhurane: former Director of Organisational Development at the University of Cape Town (UCT) and University Executive Development (USB-ED) lecturer at the Stellenbosch University will through his speech, endorse the notion of resilience amongst graduates and propel them to live a purpose-driven life.

Visit the graduation home page, where future graduates can in addition access the graduation career guide.  Additional enquiries can be made by emailing graduations@ufs.ac.za

Graduation ceremonies for various faculties will be taking place on the following dates:

4 December 2018
09:00 Economic and Management Sciences, Education 
EMS and EDU Graduation Programme

14:30 South Campus: Open Distance Learning
South Campus Graduation Programme

5 December 2018
09:00 The Humanities, Theology and Religion
HUM and THEO Graduation Programme

14:30  Law, Natural and Agricultural Sciences
LAW and NAS Graduation Programme

6 December 2018
09:00: Health Sciences (including School of Nursing)
Health Sciences Graduation Programme

14:30: Master's and Doctorates (all faculties)
M and D Graduation Programme

News Archive

RSG Crossword Tournament helps to celebrate language
2016-07-27

Description: RSG Crossword Tournament Tags: RSG Crossword Tournament

Dr Annette de Wet (left), Assistant Director
of the Unit for Language Development in
the Centre for Teaching and Learning at
the UFS, Albe Grobbelaar from XWord,
Prof Angelique van Niekerk, Head of the
Department of Afrikaans and Dutch, German
and French, and Prof Lucius Botes, Dean of the
Faculty of the Humanities, during the launch
of the RSG Crossword Tournament.
Photo: Jóhann Thormählen

Sometimes it is difficult for language departments to be topical and to show their relevance for the people out there. However, with the RSG Crossword Tournament, this became possible and Afrikaans could be celebrated in a positive manner. This is what Prof Angelique van Niekerk, Head of the Department of Afrikaans and Dutch, German and French at the University of the Free State (UFS), had to say about this initiative.

Interest during the Vrystaat Arts Festival exceeded all expectations. Altogether, 46 participants from across the country participated on 15 and 16 July 2016. Ilse van Hemert from Pretoria was crowned as the first South African crossword champion.

New dimension to language milieu

Prof Van Niekerk said people are familiar with crossword puzzles from the media, and it was the first time that a tournament like this was presented to the public in South Africa. “This tournament brings something like linguistics and linguistic sensitivity to the fore,” she said. “It is another dimension of the language milieu.” This is exactly why her department would like to see it grow in future.

Wordplay serves as inspiration

The idea for the tournament is based loosely on the film, Wordplay (2006), which is set in New York, and the annual New York Times Crossword Tournament. The South African Tournament was presented in conjunction with the crossword group, XWord, Prof Van Niekerk’s department, and the radio station RSG as brand sponsor.

Crossword puzzles and blockbusters crosswords completed

“This tournament brings something like
linguistics and linguistic sensitivity to
the fore.”


Albe Grobbelaar from XWord said the winners were determined on a points basis. “Competitors had to complete two crossword puzzles and one blockbuster crossword. The difference between the two is that a blockbuster’s clues are within the blocks or grid, but with the crossword, you have white and black blocks with the clues separate on the outside.”

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