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10 July 2019 | Story Zamuxolo Feni | Photo Johan Roux
Photo-MedicalStudents
Head of the University of the Free State School of Clinical Medicine Prof Nathaniel Mofolo (left) standing with the medical students who were about to board one of the newly-introduced vehicles that will ferry students to and from their work stations for their practical training.
In an effort to ensure the safety and convenience of undergraduate students doing their practical training at clinical platforms in Bloemfontein, the University of the Free State (UFS) – in collaboration with the Free State Department of Health (DoH) – has initiated a programme to transport undergraduate students to and from the respective clinical platforms.

UFS and Free State Department of Health joining forces for student safety

The Department of Health is providing a fleet of six minibuses and Kombis, as well as drivers for the vehicles. The transport is available to the students at no cost, from 06:00 to 23:00 every day as well as on weekends and public holidays.

Prof Nathaniel Mofolo, Head of the School of Clinical Medicine at the UFS, said, “This is the first initiative of its kind that the university has had with the provincial Department of Health. We are thankful for this initiative, as it will greatly assist in securing the safety of our students.”

More students from Health Sciences set to benefit

The initiative started on the morning of 8 July 2019, when groups of medical students boarded mini-buses and Kombis to the Pelonomi Hospital, National Hospital, Free State Psychiatric Complex, and the Mangaung University Community Partnership Programme (MUCPP).

Prof Mofolo said there was a firm intention from both parties to extend the programme to undergraduate students in the School of Nursing, as well as to students in the School of Allied Health Professions during August 2019.

According to Prof Mofolo, the decision to implement the transport programme was taken after student safety and wellness concerns were taken into consideration. “Although students can make use of the service on a voluntary basis, we have already received feedback that the service is being put to good use,” said Prof Mofolo.

The safety of undergraduate students doing their practical training at Pelonomi Hospital has been in the spotlight last month after the attempted rape of a medical intern, as well as the robbery of a medical officer in the parking area of the hospital. “We are hopeful that the transport programme will prevent the occurrence of similar incidents,” said Prof Mofolo.

Over the past month, the UFS, the DoH, and the executive management of Pelonomi Hospital have been working tirelessly to ensure the implementation of an agreed Safety and Security Plan, hence placing the safety of students, staff, and patients first.

 

News Archive

Applications for the Vice-Chancellor's Prestige Programme for 2013/2014 now open
2012-12-06

This highly prestigious programme, led by the Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Free State, seeks to identify, develop and promote the next cohort of the most promising and talented UFS academic members of staff who obtained a doctoral degree within the last five years. These are young scholars who have chosen academic careers and who are focused and determined to become senior academics in their respective disciplines.

Once identified, these scholars will be put through an intensive programme of academic and scholarship support that includes an advanced residential programme, exposure to leading scholars, intensive reading and writing programmes, high-level seminar participation and presentation, nuanced publication schedules and personal mentoring and advice.

The selection process is highly competitive, and aimed at those young scholars with the potential to obtain upper-level ratings (Y1 and P).  The selection criteria include the following:(1)

1. Recently obtained a PhD degree.
2. Evidence of an active publication record.
3. Early recognition of scholarly work, e.g. successful funding/grant applications and academic awards.
4. The early development of a post-doctoral intellectual project that shows evidence of scholarly “potential” (defined by the NRF Y-category).
5. Indication of the young scholar’s understanding of what their envisaged postdoctoral endeavours will contribute to the body of knowledge.
 
This period of support will run over a cycle of two years after which a new intake of next generation professors will be selected.
 
While this cohort will be selected for an intensive programme, ongoing development and support of all young scholars will continue. The selected scholars will reflect a balance of young academics from the humanities (broadly defined, including education, law, theology and the social sciences) and the natural sciences (broadly defined, including the agricultural and health sciences).
 
Call for Applications
This is a call for applications for the Vice-Chancellor’s Prestige Programme for 2013/2014. Candidates are invited to submit applications. No nomination is required, but deans and heads of department will also be asked to invite young scholars to apply.  Complete applications are due by Monday 21 January 2013. A full application will include the following documentation:

1. A complete curriculum vitae of the candidate.
2. A complete exercise of intent comprising the following:
2.1   Select two journal articles (copies of which to accompany the application) in the area you have identified for your intellectual focus post PhD. These articles have to be selected from journals of international standing in your field.
2.2   The articles need to be summarised (250 words each), and
2.3   Two questions have to be identified that you would want to pursue in relation to your intended project. 
2.4   This is followed by a brief, critical summary of a hundred lines maximum to indicate how these articles inform, integrate or provoke your planned future research.

Submission and contact address
A paper copy of the application must be submitted to the Vice-Chancellor’s secretary, Ms Melissa Coetzee, in the Main Building by 16:00 on Monday 21 January 2013 and an electronic copy of your entire application to the administrative assistant, Mr Albert Nell:nella@ufs.ac.za. You will be contacted to acknowledge receipt. Candidates will be informed of the outcome in February. Further information on the Vice-Chancellor’s Prestige Scholar Programme can be directed at any of the following co-directors (in alphabetical order):

Prof Jackie du Toit, Prof Neil Roos, Prof Aldo Stroebel or Prof Corli Witthuhn.
 
[1] The VC reserves the right to nominate young scholars to the programme and also to invite scholars to a panel interview to evaluate personal qualities, professional commitment and academic ambition.

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