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11 October 2018 | Story UFS | Photo Zama Feni
UFS launch student business incubator project
Rector and Vice-Chancellor Francis Peterson cutting the ribbon as the office of Student Business Incubator Project was officially opened last Friday.
The University of Free State has recently launched a Student Business Incubator Project that will provide impetus to students with business ideas.

The initiative, which is under the management of the Directorate for Research and Development (DRD) was conceived a few years ago with objective of untapping the entrepreneurial potential of students. 

And it was on Friday last week that all the energy and efforts that were directed towards the planning of this project culminated into the official launch and opening of the offices where the students will conduct their business operations.

Generate new business ideas

Delivering a brief address at the launch, Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Francis Petersen encouraged students to generate new business ideas that would make them job creators at the end of the day. 

“As a university, we should disseminate our output to society through research, education and technology transfer. The Incubator Project is a good initiative and I would like to see it growing so that more students can benefit from a facility such as this,” he said. 
Professor Petersen encouraged the student innovators to engage society so that they can make quality of life better through new knowledge.

“You must continue to incubate ideas and develop them,” he said adding that one of the great things that a university is measured about is the employability of its graduates.

Business ideas awarded 
On the previous day, DRD hosted a pitching competition for the business ideas that students were invited to submit.

Assistant Research Officer and Project Manager, Ayanda Makhanya said they were excited about the outcome of their call to students as they received an overall total of 60 ideas.

“We screened all the inputs and came up with 14 ideas. We will now be working with these students to provide the necessary support,” she said.

The winner in the pitching competition was an LLB student Mannini Setai whose idea was the production of eco-friendly bricks.

The office are located near the UFS Sasol Library and has computers and a big flat screen.

News Archive

SRC and Kovsies stand against abuse
2014-04-16

The SRC took the lead on Monday by orchestrating a campaign to create awareness and instill consciousness on campuses to act against the abuse of women and children.

During a march from the Thakaneng Bridge to the Main Building on the Bloemfontein Campus, the SRC led students in a Pledge Against Women and Children Abuse to ensure that the UFS community become accountable. The message proclaimed, was one of zero tolerance for the abuse of women and children.

The Dean of Student Affairs, Rudi Buys, addressed students, saying: “No more. This cannot be just another march, but something to speak directly to injustice.”

This campaign was aimed at ensuring that relevant information and services are provided to help women and children. Representatives of Health and Wellness, psychologists and social workers, as well as representatives from the Centre of Trauma Forgiveness and Reconciliation, the Centre for Safety and Security and the Institute of Race and Reconciliation were present during this campaign.
The Vice-Rector: External Relations, Dr Choice Makheta, stressed the point of women and children’s wellbeing, by saying: “As a university we must make sure women are treated well… that children are treated very well.”

Violence against women and children in South Africa happens regardless of age, class or colour. Studies shows 50% of women have been reported experiencing violence at the hands of their intimate partners. Local studies also show that 28% of men have admitted to being rapists. Every hour a child is abused in South Africa.

But Kovsies say “No more! No more!”

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