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25 April 2019 | Story Rulanzen Martin | Photo Jolandi Griesel
Dr Whitty Green, Dr Engela van Staden and Prof Francois Strydom
Dr Whitty Green, Dr Engela van Staden and Prof Francois Strydom, Senior Director of CTL.

Data, quality, and capacity building were among the main topics of discussion at the third annual Teaching and Learning Conference hosted by the Centre for Teaching and Learning at the University of the Free State (UFS).

Dr Engela van Staden, Vice-Rector: Academic, welcomed delegates on the first day of the conference. The three themes of the conference were quality, capacity and excellence. “These three constructs have never been more relevant in South African higher education than now,’ said Dr Van Staden. “The quality of education, globally, and specifically in SA, is being questioned. Both public and private sectors are demanding graduates that need to meet the challenges of the 21st Century.” 

The aim of the teaching and learning conference is to foster more collaboration between academics at the UFS. A total of 14 academics from across all seven faculties presented during the two-day conference. Dr Whitty Green from the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) delivered the keynote on the first day and Prof Corlia Janse van Vuuren delivered the second day keynote.

The inclusion of technology in the world of work and the use of data analytics are fundamentally confronting our learning and teaching place. “And I hope some of the issues will be addressed in the presentations,” Dr Van Staden said. 

Bringing down silos of research and teaching

Dr Green spoke about the Enacting the National Framework for Enhancing Academics as University Teachers. “Academics are teachers and researchers and they have to engage with the community. There are multiple roles and these roles intersect,” Dr Green said. In order to build capacity in the system it is important to understand the multiple natures of the roles and try to work with them. This is the reason why the teaching development grant and teaching grant have been pulled together to form the University Capacity Grant. “We are trying to break down the silos of research development and teaching development at universities,” he said.

Prof Janse van Vuuren, Head of the UFS School of Allied Health Professionals, delivered her keynote address on Quality, Capacity and Excellence: Dotting the Is and crossing the Ts in a changing, data-driven Higher Education Environment. She shared her story to establish a faculty-based operational framework for teaching and learning.

“I did not know how to bring all of the issues ranging from research, teaching and learning and student success into one framework,” said Prof Janse van Vuuren. She developed a faculty-based operational framework for teaching and learning for the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences.

The third annual UFS Teaching and Learning Conference took place from 26 to 27 March 2019.



News Archive

UFS to host alumni from across the globe during Reunion Weekend 2015 – 28 to 29 August 2015
2015-07-10

The University of the Free State (UFS) will host alumni from across the globe on the Bloemfontein Campus during its Reunion Weekend 2015 from 28 - 29 August 2015.

Semi-structured social events will bring together classmates from similar eras. On Friday evening (28 August 2015), those who graduated from the university during the 60s and 70s will gather at the Centenary Complex, while those who graduated in the 80s and 90s will convene at the new Economic and Management Sciences foyer.

On Saturday evening, there will be a reception hosted by the senior leadership for alumni who have graduated since 2000 at the Economic and Management Sciences foyer.

Each gathering will have a short programme led by at least one member of those graduating classes, followed by an informal reception. All alumni are invited to attend the weekend’s activities. Click here for the programme of events or visit the alumni website for more information.

Celebrations will include a concert with Freshly Ground and the Muses as guest artists. Tickets will be sold through Computicket.

Proceeds will be donated to the No Student Hungry Bursary programme.

The Chancellor’s Distinguished Alumni Award

In celebrating the achievements of alumni over the years, nominations have been invited for the Chancellor’s Distinguished Alumni Award, which recognises outstanding alumni who have demonstrated excellence through their academic or human achievements in their chosen areas of expertise and influence. Click here for the nomination form.

The Chancellor will present the alumni awards at a ceremony to be held during the Chancellor’s luncheon at the Centenary Complex on 29 August 2015 at 12:00.

Please note that the nomination deadline has been changed to 24 July 2015.

For further information, contact the UFS Alumni Office at +27(0)51 4019343 / email: alumni@ufs.ac.za

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