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Accreditation of off-campus accommodation

19 November 2019 | Story Portia Arodi | Photo Charl Devenish

The University of the Free State (UFS) invites off-campus accommodation service providers in Bloemfontein who offer accommodation to its students, to apply for accreditation.

“The decision to accredit off-campus accommodation service providers stems from concerns by the university management about the safety of students and the conditions under which some of our students live in off-campus accommodation.

Student accommodation is a significant aspect of the success of the UFS, and consequently good quality accommodation is important for each individual student to be successful in his/her studies,” says Mr Quintin Koetaan, Senior Director: Housing and Residence Affairs at the UFS.

The accreditation process entails a list of primary requirements, drafted with the cognisance of the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality in terms of off-campus accommodation, which private providers must adhere to in order to be accredited by the university. The requirements are in line with the Policy on the Minimum Norms and Standards for Student Housing at Public Universities (Government Gazette 39238, dated 29 September 2015).

According to Koetaan, the norms and standards as set out in the policy establish the foundation and assessment criteria for such accreditation of service providers by the UFS. “It has become necessary for the UFS to have a policy on off-campus accommodation in order to protect the rights and interests of our students and that of the university,” says Koetaan.

Landlords and agents are also advised to become more involved in their student homes and to ensure that their properties are in good condition and secure enough for students to live in,” says Koetaan.

Private off-campus accommodation service providers have until 6 December 2019 to apply for accreditation. Please contact Ms Portia Arodi at tyhalitip@ufs.ac.za or on +27 51 401 2118 for more information

Private off-campus accommodation service providers have until 6 December 2019 to apply for accreditation.

More information and application documentation for accreditation can be obtained by sending an email to tyhalitip@ufs.ac.za or by visiting President Steyn Annex, Office 128.

News Archive

New developments in the Faculty of Theology and Religion

2017-08-30

Bishop JM Khumalo, Apostolic Church of
Christ; Prof Fanie Snyman, Dean of the
Faculty of Theology and Religion; and
Rev Simon Galada, Wesleyan Church,
at the faculty’s official opening in
February 2017.
Photo: Eugene Seegers

At a meeting of the UFS Council last year, a name change was accepted for the Faculty of Theology, renaming it to the Faculty of Theology and Religion. This change signals openness in approach to other religions, in addition to those of Christian denominations. This is a development that took root in Europe a few years ago. Furthermore, a growing field of interest is the study of the impact religion has had and still has, even in highly secularised societies. This name change is the first of its kind in South Africa, which means that the faculty will lead the way in transformation and impact-based religious studies.

Exciting times lie ahead
Prof Fanie Snyman, Dean of the faculty, says of these refinements: “The new name and restructuring of departments will lead to a new synergy that will have an impact on our teaching and research in the faculty. Exciting times lie ahead for the Faculty of Theology and Religion!”

Apart from the change in the name of the faculty, departments within the faculty were also regrouped, with new names. The Departments of Old Testament and New Testament merged to become the Department of Old and New Testament Studies, while the Departments of Systematic Theology and Ecclesiology merged and will now be known as the Department of Historical and Constructive Theology. The former Departments of Practical Theology and Missiology became the Department of Practical and Missional Theology. The Department of Religion Studies remained unchanged to emphasise the importance of religion in South Africa and the world at large.
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Distinction of theological disciplines
The rationale for these groupings is the distinction of theological disciplines in terms of the study of texts (Old and New Testament), sources (Systematic Theology and Church History), and practices (Practical Theology and Missiology). One benefit of these newly-constructed departments is that they will be more cost-effective, but the more important advantage is that this will stimulate discussion and research across the various theological disciplines.

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