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10 April 2019 | Story Xolisa Mnukwa | Photo Charl Devenish
Graduation
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Announcement: April Graduation Guest Ticketing

Law graduates encouraged to practice good ethics and social justice

Prof Thuli Madonsela, Social Justice Chair at Stellenbosch University, and the former Public Protector of South Africa, spoke to Law graduates during the morning session of the University of the Free State Faculty of Law graduation ceremony on 12 April 2019.  Prof Madonsela encouraged Law graduates to be upstanding in their future practices and to follow in the footsteps of Nelson Mandela, Pixley ka Seme, and other lawyers who lived in trying times, but who stood for ethical legal practice despite their circumstances.  She said graduates will face societal pressures and challenges. “The one-size-fits-all approach to law does not work for everyone, you will have to bring in the social justice aspect to your work,” she said. 

Prof Madonsela encouraged graduates to be lawyers who respect the provisions of the Constitution, especially in a society that is “filled with hope, but is also marred by the fear of joblessness, homelessness, landlessness.”    

What is your unique offering?

Former Chancellor’s Medal recipient (2017) and Head of the Department of Agriculture in the Western Cape, Joyene Isaacs, left the group of graduates in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences with a wealth of wisdom from the pointers she provided at both the morning and afternoon ceremonies.

She urged graduates to be curious. “Nosy makes for Nobel Prize winners,” she said. Isaacs continued: “Don’t be afraid to make mistakes – they often lead to innovation. Understand the environment you studied in – political, environmental, economic, social, etc.”

“What is your unique offering? What package deal do you offer to an employer,” she asked.

Graduates were also challenged by her words of wisdom. “Are you prepared to work more than eight hours a day? Don’t stick to a job description. Add value,” Isaacs said.

“You don’t need to be better than someone else as much as you need to be better than you were yesterday. Small incremental improvements will result in major forward movements in your skills and achievements.”

“I salute all of you for your achievements,” she concluded.

Another highlight at the ceremony was that the first seven Postgraduate Diploma graduates in Integrated Water Management, who started in January 2018, received their qualifications.


Two presidents graduate in one ceremony

Student Representative Council President, Sonwabile Dwaba, and his predecessor, Asive Dlanjwa, shared the graduation stage on 10 April 2019. Dance and song marked the iconic Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences afternoon session.

Vian Chinner, guest speaker, enticed graduates in both sessions to leverage the ability of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to advance and augment reality. “Consider how AI is going to impact your career decisions,” said the CEO of Xineoh and Chancellor’s Distinguished Alumnus of the Year for 2017.

Prof Francis Petersen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor, implored the new generation of graduates to maintain their values in a world dominated by the digital economy alluded to. “Critical inquiry, social responsiveness, and integrity are the values I propose,” he said.

Karli Botha, who graduated with a Bachelor of Accounting, was named the Dean’s Medallist. Botha emerged as the best performing student in the faculty for 2018.

Humanities graduates encouraged to take leap of faith

A day of jubilation. It is only fitting to say that the graduates from the Faculty of the Humanities found the inspiration for their journey beyond the UFS.  Thembekile Mrototo, former UFS student, current broadcast journalist at radio station 947, and freelance anchor for television news channel eNCA, was the guest speaker.

 Mrototo told the 729 graduates about his journey from a student in Bloemfontein to becoming a regular face and voice on television and radio. “For a child who comes from the background that I came from, education is very important,” he said, referencing the hardships which he endured during his years of studies at the UFS.  He motivated the graduates by saying that they have the power to change the notion that ‘nothing great comes from Bloemfontein’. “You have the power – the world out there is for us to take,” he concluded.

Johnathan Kehrer was awarded the Dean's Medal for best results in respect of an Honours degree whilst Anneke Niewoudt was awarded the Dean's Medal for best results in respect of a first Bachelor's degree.

Guest speaker warns graduates of challenges facing SA education

At the University of the Free State Graduation Ceremony for the Faculty of Education on 8 April 2019, guest speaker and Chief Executive Officer of the National Education Collaboration Trust, Godwin Khoza, said graduates should be well aware that they will be going into a sector where leaders will offer no solutions to the problems, but lots of criticism.

“They will criticise learners for not learning and they will criticise teachers for being incompetent.”

Graduands exhorted: ‘Lift others as you rise’

Setlogane Manchidi, Head of Corporate Social Investment at Investec, told graduates yesterday morning: “Your success is a privilege and a responsibility. Your qualification is just a piece of paper; it is you who must give it meaning. Lift others as your rise.” In his concluding remarks, Prof Francis Petersen mirrored this sentiment: “Always remember where you studied; keep in contact with us and share with us what you are doing. Give back, keeping social responsiveness in mind.”


The parents, friends, family, and peers of 2019 UFS graduates can look forward to a flight of inspiring April graduation ceremonies that are guaranteed to soar graduates off into the finest direction of their career and overall lives.

521 UFS South Campus Open Distance Learning graduates will have the opportunity to be addressed by Head of Corporate Social Investment at Investec Bank, Mr Setlogane Manchidi. Likewise, the Faculties of Education (1 036), the Humanities (726), Economic and Management Sciences (934), Natural and Agricultural Sciences (1 188), Law (676), Health Sciences (244), and Theology and Religion (71) will have the opportunity to be addressed by expert guest speakers in the relevant career fields of the class of 2019 graduation ceremonies.

CEO of the National Education Collaborative Trust, Godwin Khoza; broadcaster on 947 and eNCA, Thembekile Mrototo; and CEO of Xineoh and Chancellor’s Distinguished Alumni Award winner, Vian Chinner, will address graduates during the April graduation ceremonies. Head of Department in the Western Cape Department of Agriculture and recipient of the UFS Chancellor’s Medal (2017), Joyene Isaacs, and Chair of Social Justice at Stellenbosch University and former Public Protector of South Africa, Prof Thuli Madonsela, are also scheduled to impart words of knowledge and wisdom upon UFS graduates throughout the April graduation ceremonies, which will be taking place in the Callie Human Centre on the UFS Bloemfontein Campus from 8 to 12 April 2019. 

Kovsie graduates have described the annual UFS graduation season as a time and place that diffuses feelings of anticipation, exhilaration, and optimism on campus, where graduates can be assured of a purposeful and enriching send-off experience.

For more information about the 2019 April graduation ceremonies, visit the UFS graduations page, where students can access information about the Graduation Career Guide and Graduation Frequently-asked questions. Any other graduation enquiries may be directed to graduations@ufs.ac.za

Bloemfontein Campus: 

8 April 2019
WATCH: 8 April 2019 ( Morning Session)

Day 1 South Campus new
09:00: South Campus: Open Distance Learning
Higher certificates
Graduation Programme 

“Your success is a privilege and a responsibility. Your qualification is just a piece of paper; it is you who must give it meaning. Lift others as your rise.” Setlogane Manchidi

WATCH: 8 April 2019 (Afternoon Session)

8 April Afternoon Graduation Ceremony

14:30: Faculty of Education
Undergraduate qualifications up to Honours degrees
Graduation Programme 

"Innovation and critical thinking should take a central place in our education system and this should apply to all subjects," - Godwin Khoza.

WATCH: 9 April 2019 ( Morning Session)

Morning Session
09:00:  Faculty of the Humanities
Certificates, diplomas, and Honours degrees
Graduation Programme

"You have the power to change the notion that nothing great comes from Bloem. The future is ours. The world out there is for us to take," -Thembekile Mrototo

Watch: 9 April 2019 ( Afternoon Session)

Afternoon session Humanities
14:30: Faculty of the Humanities
Undergraduate Bachelor’s degrees
Graduation Programme

"There's no greater feeling than the feeling of being supported by your parents. Even in hardships." - Thembekile Mrototo


WATCH: 10 April 2019 ( Morning Session)

Day 3 Faculty of Economic and Management Science
09:00: Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences (excluding BCom)
Certificates, diplomas, degrees and Honours degrees
Graduation Programme

“Consider how AI is going to impact your career decisions,” - Vian Chinner

WATCH: 10 April 2019 (Afternoon Session)

EMS

14:30: Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences
BCom degrees and Honours degrees
Graduation Programme

WATCH: 11 April 2019 (Morning Session)
NAS morning session
09:00: Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences
Diplomas and Honours degrees
Graduation Programme

"Don’t rush to the top – take time to smell the flowers," - Joyene Isaacs



WATCH:11 April 2019 ( Afternoon Session)

NAS afternoon

14:30: Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences
Bachelor’s degrees
Graduation Programme

"Move away from your safety net and look for a trampoline," - Joyene Isaacs

WATCH: 12 April 2019 (Morning Session)

Faculty of Law Morning session
09:00: Faculty of Law (including School of Financial Planning Law)
Diplomas and Bachelor’s degrees 
Graduation Programme

“The one-size-fits-all approach to law does not work for everyone, you will have to bring in the social justice aspect to your work,” - Prof Thuli Madonsela

WATCH: 12 April 2019 (Afternoon session)

Health Sciences afternoon

14:30: Faculties of Health Sciences and Theology and Religion
Undergraduate qualifications up to Honours degrees
Graduation Programme


News Archive

MBA Programme - Question And Answer Sheet - 27 May 2004
2004-05-27

1. WHAT MUST THE UNIVERSITY OF THE FREE STATE (UFS) DO TO GET FULL ACCREDITATION FOR THE MBA PROGRAMMES?

According to the Council on Higher Education’s (CHE) evaluation, the three MBA programmes of the UFS clearly and significantly contribute to students’ knowledge and skills, are relevant for the workplace, are appropriately resourced and have an appropriate internal and external programme environment. These programmes are the MBA General, the MBA in Health Care Management and the MBA in Entrepreneurship.

What the Council on Higher Education did find, was a few technical and administrative issues that need to be addressed.

This is why the three MBA programmes of the UFS received conditional accreditation – which in itself is a major achievement for the UFS’s School of Management, which was only four years old at the time of the evaluation.

The following breakdown gives one a sense of the mostly administrative nature of the conditions that have to be met before full accreditation is granted by the CHE:

a. A formal forum of stakeholders: The UFS is required to establish a more structured, inclusive process of review of its MBA programmes. This is an administrative formality already in process.

b. A work allocation model: According to the CHE this is required to regulate the workload of the teaching staff, particularly as student numbers grow, rather than via standard management processes as currently done.

c. Contractual agreements with part-time staff: The UFS is required to enter into formal agreements with part-time and contractual staff as all agreements are currently done on an informal and claim-basis. This is an administrative formality already in process.

d. A formal curriculum committee: According to the CHE, the School of Management had realised the need for a structure – other than the current Faculty Board - where all MBA lecturers can deliberate on the MBA programmes, and serve as a channel for faculty input, consultation and decision-making.

e. A system of external moderators: This need was already identified by the UFS and the system is to be implemented as early as July 2004.

f. A compulsory research component: The UFS is required to introduce a research component which will include the development of research skills for the business environment. The UFS management identified this need and has approved such a component - it is to take effect from January 2005. This is an insufficient element lacking in virtually all MBA programmes in South Africa.

g. Support programmes for learners having problems with numeracy: The UFS identified this as a need for academic support among some learners and has already developed such a programme which will be implemented from January 2005.

The majority of these conditions have been satisfied already and few remaining steps will take effect soon. It is for this reason that the UFS is confident that its three MBA programmes will soon receive full accreditation.

2. WHAT ACCREDITATION DOES THE UFS HAVE FOR ITS MBA PROGRAMME?

The UFS’s School of Management received conditional accreditation for its three MBA programmes.

Two levels of accreditation are awarded to tertiary institutions for their MBA programmes, namely full accreditation and conditional accreditation. When a programme does not comply with the minimum requirements regarding a small number of criteria, conditional accreditation is given. This can be rectified during the short or medium term.

3. IS THERE ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE ACADEMIC CORE OF THE UFS’s MBA PROGRAMMES?

No. The UFS is proud of its three MBA programmes’ reputation in the market and the positive feedback it receives from graduandi and their employers.

The MBA programmes of the UFS meet most of the minimum requirements of the evaluation process.

In particular, the key element of ‘teaching and learning’, which relates to the curriculum and content of the MBA programmes, is beyond question. In other words, the core of what is being taught in our MBA programmes is sound.

4. IS THE UFS’s MBA A WORTHWHILE QUALIFICATION?

Yes. Earlier this year, the School of Management – young as it is - was rated by employers as the best smaller business school in South Africa. This was based on a survey conducted by the Professional Management Review and reported in the Sunday Times Business Times, of 25 January 2004.

The UFS is committed to maintaining these high standards of quality, not only through compliance with the requirements of the CHE, but also through implementing its own quality assurance measures.

Another way in which we benchmark the quality of our MBA programmes is through the partnerships we have formed with institutions such as the DePaul University in Chicago and Kansas State University, both in the US, as well as the Robert Schuman University in France.

For this reason the UFS appreciates and supports the work of the CHE and welcomes its specific findings regarding the three MBA programmes.

It is understandable that the MBA review has caused some nervousness – not least among current MBA students throughout the country.

However, one principle that the UFS management is committed to is this: preparing all our students for a world of challenge and change. Without any doubt the MBA programme of the UFS is a solid preparation.

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