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13 May 2019 | Story Mamosa Makaya

The autumn graduations at the University of the Free State (UFS) in 2019 highlighted the success of public private partnerships between big business and academic institutions in tackling the lingering challenge of financial support of students in institutions of higher learning. With the advent of #feesmustfall protests in recent years, a call to action for student financial support was made, not only by university students, but by civil society as well. The response was a joining of efforts between UFS and Absa. The bank came on board as a sponsor and has provided more than R28 million in scholarships at UFS between 2016 and 2018.

Institutional advancement key facilitator

The office of Institutional Advancement (IA) at UFS was a key roleplayer in securing this funding from Absa, by facilitating the process of acquiring the funding, managing the relationship with Absa and the UFS Student Aid office. IA facilitated the process of identifying and allocating student funding, signing of bursary contracts, and stakeholder liaison.

Student success and economic growth

The Absa Scholarship Programme was conceptualised as a demonstration of the company’s commitment to tackling social change and driving economic growth. Absa partnered with various other universities in the country to ensure academically excellent and financially constrained students have a chance to complete their undergraduate degrees. Since 2016, sponsored UFS students were covered for tuition fees, accommodation, text books and meals, enabling them to focus on their studies, and to acquire their qualifications in record time, ready to enter the world of work. 

The scholarship is reviewed annually with the following criteria; studying towards a degree in commerce, the humanities, engineering, science and technology, while maintaining an academic average of 55% or higher, and with a combined household income of less than R1million per annum.

Achievements of the programme

Since 2016, 723 UFS students were financially supported, with 2018 being the last year of the new intake. The current cohort is expected to complete their undergraduate studies by 2020 when the programme ends. To date more than 101 UFS students have obtained their qualifications and more will graduate later this year. Partnerships between academia, big business and other private sponsors are one of the great building blocks of our society, and continue to play a significant role its development.

News Archive

Interpreting implemented at UFS residences
2007-10-12

The University of the Free State (UFS) has begun to implement interpreting services at student residence meetings on the Main Campus in Bloemfontein, as part of the management of diversity and the racial integration of its residences.

As a pilot project, the interpreting services are being offered since the third term at Emily Hobhouse and Roosmaryn ladies residences, where a significant racial diversity already is present. From next year this service will be extended to all the student residences on the Main Campus.

The interpreting project is being managed by the Department of Afro-asiatic Studies, Sign Language and Language Practice at the UFS.

“Students in training at the Department of Afro-asiatic Studies, Sign Language and Language Practice and senior interpreters from the UFS are currently interpreting during residence meetings,” said Prof. Jackie Naudé, Departmental Chairperson of the UFS’s Department of Afro-asiatic Studies, Sign Language and Language Practice.

“Students in these residences are given the opportunity to be trained to interpret during their residence meetings. Four students from each hostel are being trained as interpreters,” said Prof. Naudé.

According to Prof. Naudé both residences have meetings that take place on a Monday evening at 22:00. Interpreting is also provided at the first-year students’ meetings at Emily Hobhouse on Tuesday evenings.

The interpreters experience the interpreting at the residences as positively and they experience that students often do utilise this service. At Roosmaryn 16-18 students are utilising the interpreting service, while at Emily Hobhouse approximately 18 students are utilising the service.

“The interpreting service definitely contributes to the enhancement of communication during residence meetings. Students can exactly follow what is happening during the meetings. In the past a residences like Emily Hobhouse tried to repeat everything in English, which extended the meetings,” Prof. Naudé said.

With the envisaged extension of interpreting services in hostel meetings to all the hostels on the Main Campus in Bloemfontein, there is a need for interpreters as these meetings will take place simultaneously. Through this initiative, exiting new opportunities are created for aspiring interpreters. The training takes place under leadership of Prof. Annelie Lotriet who holds the ATKV Chair in Interpreting in the department.

Aspiring candidates can contact Mr Cobus Snyman, Manager of the UFS’s interpreting projects at 051 401 9005 in connection with the selection criteria for interpreters.

Media Release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@ufs.ac.za
14 October 2007
 

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