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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

Growth in scholarly books ‘is remarkable’
2016-09-16

Description: Scholarly Books 2016 Tags: Scholarly Books 2016

The UFS is proud of the variety of books and
scholarly articles published by scholars
in various fields.
Photo: Charl Devenish

The UFS has shown steady growth in its output of scholarly articles. Dr Glen Taylor, Senior Director of Research Development, says “the UFS has shown remarkable growth in the output of scholarly book publications over the recent years." The 13,83 subsidy units from scholarly books in 2010 has grown to 98,52 in 2014, elevating the university to fourth position nationwide. 

“It is encouraging for the research office to see that the number of books has increased over the years, together with the units we receive for subsidy, but also the steady increase in the quality of our scholarly books in general,” he said.

Contributors to the growth in scholarly publications include Dr Christian Williams of the Department of Anthropology, celebrated journalist Zubeida Jaffer, as well as JC van der Merwe, the Deputy Director of the Institute for Reconciliation and Social Justice (IRSJ), and Dionne van Reenen, researcher and PhD candidate at the IRSJ. Dr Williams received the 2016 Distinguished Scholar Book Prize at the official opening of the UFS earlier this year. The book, National Liberation in Postcolonial Southern Africa: A Historical Ethnography of SWAPO’s exile camps, is the first full-length scholarly monograph on SWAPO and Namibians in exile. 
 
The 13,83 subsidy units from scholarly books in 2010 was approximately a 10% increase in outputs from 2005 to 2010. In 2010, the higher education institution sector as a whole produced 401,68 units from scholarly books. The UFS contribution of approximately 3,44% put the university in tenth position. 

“The increase in subsidy for scholarly books should stimulate the sector further, and an increase in scholarly books is expected, which complements the university research output strategy to become a leading research-intensive institution,” Dr Taylor said.

 

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