Latest News Archive
Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
![]()
The composition of the Council of the University of the Free State is stipulated in the UFS Statute, as promulgated in the Government Gazette of 26 January 2018. The terms of office of the President of Convocation, Prof Johan Grobbelaar, Christo Dippenaar, Henry Madlala (Qwaqwa Campus) expire on 31 October 2018. Convocation has to appoint three representatives in their place, one of which has to be the President of Convocation and another should be from the Qwaqwa Campus. In terms of the Statute, both Dippenaar and Madlala are eligible for re-election.
Written nominations for the election of three representatives of the Convocation for a period of four years, are hereby requested.
The Convocation comprises of all permanent academic staff from lecturer to professor, all permanent staff other than academic staff from Deputy Director to Rector and Vice-Chancellor by virtue of their respective offices and all students (current and former) who obtained a qualification at the university.
Each nomination shall be signed by five members of Convocation and shall contain the written acceptance of the nomination by the nominee under his or her signature, as well as an abridged CV (±2pages). These must reach Dawid Kriel by 12:00 on Monday 12 November 2018. If more than one person per each of the three categories is nominated, elections will be held on or before Friday 16 November 2018. You will be notified of the final date for elections in due course. Please submit your nomination via:
• E-mail: dawid@ufs.ac.za
• Fax: 086 643 1665
• Post: Dawid Kriel University of the Free State: Institutional Advancement PO Box 339 Bloemfontein 9300
• Hand delivered at: Dawid Kriel, Room 26, 1st Floor, Wekkie Saayman Building, Bloemfontein Campus
For enquiries, please contact Claudine Taylor at TaylorCL@ufs.ac.za or +27 51 401 2097.
Click here for the nominations form.
UFS receives R10 million in student funding from Absa
2017-06-19
From the left: Asive Dlanjwa (UFS SRC) Prof Francis Petersen, Fikemini Dlamini,
Bertie Smith and Lesley Afrika (student beneficiary 2016-2017)
In support of building a more equitable and prosperous Africa, and in response to the plight of students who lack financial aid at universities across the country, Absa Bank handed over a cheque of R10 million to the University of the Free State (UFS) at a ceremony held on the Bloemfontein Campus on 13 June 2017 by the office of Institutional Advancement. The allocation of these funds will assist students who meet the bursary programme criteria (proven financial need, students who are from households with a combined income of less than R1 million per annum, with an academic average of 55% or higher).
Corporate and higher education collaborate
Speaking at the event, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS Prof Francis Petersen highlighted the important role corporates play in collaborating with educational institutions to help support future professionals who are the future builders of the economy and will later lead industry. “Absa and the UFS enjoy a good relationship and it is our hope that this bursary programme will grow from strength to strength,” he said.
In 2016 alone, Absa Bank disbursed R12 million towards settling outstanding fees for 439 students in four faculties of the UFS. In 2017 the funds will be allocated similarly to cover financial needs of qualifying students. Mr Bertie Smith, Absa Management Executive: Central Region said: “The university plays an important role in building future leaders and Absa’s strategy of shared growth supports the focus on education.”
Responding to a greater socioeconomic need
The event was attended by staff of the UFS and delegates from the Absa group, as well as students who were beneficiaries of the Absa Bursary Fund in 2016. Mr Fikemini Dlamini, Absa Head: Public Sector Business Banking, said the bursary programme was born out of the growing need to fund and develop the education of young people, and is a response to the outcry from students across the country in the “Fees Must Fall” movement. He said: “Educating one young person has a knock-on effect that has the potential to alleviate poverty in many families and communities around us.”