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27 August 2019 | Story Xolisa Mnukwa | Photo Xolisa Mnukwa
Student Toolkit
The First Edition of the UFS Student Toolkit is now available on Blackboard.

Download the toolkit here

A common question first-time entering first-year students often ask themselves when they come to university, is: ‘How will I deal with the pressure?’

The University of the Free State (UFS) Department of Student Counselling and Development (SCD) – with the vision to promote, enable, and optimise students’ self-direction – has launched the first edition of the Student Toolkit on Friday, 23 August 2019.

The toolkit, which is now available on Blackboard, is intended to assist students in dealing and coping with challenges they face in their personal lives during their period of study at the UFS.

Students will be exposed to a variety of topics, pressing issues, and phenomena that they will encounter on a daily basis in their lives, such as academic and personal challenges, time management, procrastination, goal setting, anxiety, effective studying, stress management, mindful meditation, self-love, loneliness, relationships, sexual orientation, family frustrations, overthinking, death, and suicide. 

Present at the launch was the UFS Vice-Rector: Institutional Change, Student Affairs, and Community Engagement, Prof Puleng LenkaBula; the UFS Dean of Student Affairs, Mr Pura Mgolombane; the UFS Director for Student Counselling and Development, Melissa Barnaschone; Counselling Psychologist and compiler of the UFS Student Toolkit: Lize van den Bergh.

In addition, BCom Marketing honours student and poet, Thuthukani Ndlovu, Chief Executive Officer and founder of Next Chapter, Tshepang Mahlatsi, three students who have benefitted from SDC services, delegates from the department, and other affiliated students were all in attendance. 

For more information about the Student Toolkit, contact the Department of Student Counselling and Development at scd@ufs.ac.za or call +27 51 401 2853.


News Archive

Great is what the UFS is and should be
2013-02-15

Photo: Johan Roux
09 February 2013

 

   YouTube Video - UFS Official Opening
   YouTube Video - Staff share their hopes and expectations for 2013

This passage from the book Good to Great by Jim Collis was the core message of Prof. Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the University of the Free State (UFS) at the official opening on Friday 8 February 2013.

Prof. Jansen warned the audience in a packed hall of the reasons why the UFS should not be good, but great.

“Good makes one become complacent. Good means you show up for class, but great means you are at the top of you class. Good means you simply do your work, but great means you’re the best amongst your peers. Good is ok, but great is what the UFS is and should be about,” Prof. Jansen said.

At the opening Prof. Jansen also highlighted a seven-point priority plan for the university in 2013.

These points are:

  • The growth in numbers and quality of postgraduate students
  • The planned westward expansion of the main campus (New Master Plan)
  • The drive for quality and productivity in research
  • The development of an advancement culture throughout the university
  • The acceleration of diversity and equity in all aspects of campus life, but especially in academic appointments
  • The building of a positive and supporting staff culture at the university
  • The continued investment in undergraduate student leadership

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