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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

Traditional medicine can play important role in modern drugs discovery

2014-11-11

Indigenous knowledge possesses a great potential to improve science. Making use of this source may lead to advanced technological innovations. This is according to Dr Sechaba Bareetseng, UFS alumnus and Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) Manager at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
Dr Bareetseng recently addressed the seventh annual IKS symposium on the Qwaqwa Campus.
“Interfacing indigenous and local knowledge with scientific knowledge has the potential of encouraging and developing inventions, especially in the pharmaceutical industry,” said Dr Bareetseng.

“Such interfacing can also enable access to both sets of knowledge without any discrimination whatsoever. It would also encourage co-existence that would improve understanding between the two.”

“Traditional medicine,” said Dr Bareetseng, “can play an extended role in modern drugs discovery as it is already happening in Botswana and New Zealand. These two countries are leading this wave of new thinking in as far as drug development is concerned.”

Dr Bareetseng also called on established researchers to start embracing the local communities into their research.

“Contemporary scientific research demands that local communities must co-author research conducted within and with them by the universities and research institutions. This would help in maintaining trust between the researchers and the communities that feel exploited. Regular feedback would also make communities feel part of the developments,” Dr Bareetseng argued.

He further called on the pharmaceutical companies specifically and researchers in general to convert valuable indigenous knowledge and resources into products and services of commercial value. “Plants, the ecosystem and indigenous knowledge must be preserved to provide a source of income for the local communities. Communities must also be protected from foreign exploitation of their intellectual property.”

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