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06 November 2019 | Story Legopheng Maphile | Photo Legopheng Maphile
Best assigment winners
At the prize-giving were from the left, front: Christoffel de Lange and Ms Nombulelo Shange (who accepted the prize won by De Haan). Back row, from the left: Prof Neil Heideman, Professor in the Department of Zoology and Entomology; and Betsy Eister, UFS LIS Director.
The University of the Free State Library and Information Services (UFS LIS) is partnering with faculties in acknowledging top-performing students at the university. Together with the Faculties of the Humanities and Natural and Agricultural Sciences, the Best Assignment project was launched – meant to inspire, motivate, and encourage students to put extra effort into producing assignments of high quality.

Legopheng Maphile, Assistant Director: Library Marketing and Community Engagement at UFS LIS, says the project is meant to harness and nurture undergraduate research in line with the university’s research-led vision. 

“There are requirements as to how assignments should be presented. This demonstrates the level of knowledge acquisition and academic writing skills. The library contributes to this activity by training students in library research skills to access scholarly, academic, specialist, and expert information resources to support academic excellence. This is a collaborative practice between the library and academics.

“In 2019, only third-year assignments were considered in a pilot project, and at this stage, students are expected to understand what is required for writing assignments.”

Recognising the effort that students put into their assignments, the UFS LIS, in collaboration with the Departments of Sociology and Zoology and Entomology, recently handed out prizes of R2 500 to deserving students. 

Johandré J de Haan and Christoffel de Lange each received gift vouchers to the value of R1 250, courtesy of Van Schaik and Sherwood Books, in collaboration with Juta and Oxford University Press. De Haan was recognised for his assignment titled Marx and the impact of his theoretical concepts in the South African context and its relevancy and De Lange received a nod for his Differences in Heat Uptake Rate between White and Black Sand-filled Cans of Similar Size. 

Legopheng says going forward, the best undergraduate research assignments will be considered for publication in the Kovsie Undergraduate Research Journal, the library’s open-access journal that is being developed. 


News Archive

Ensuring justice does not get lost in translation
2014-02-06


Court interpreters who have successfully completed a legal interpreting learnership.
Photo: Stephen Collett

The University of the Free State (UFS) is a taking a leading role in changing the face and character of the South African court system, infusing it with qualified professionals.

The university’s Unit for Language Facilitation and Empowerment partnered with the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development as well as the Safety and Security Sector Education and Training Authority (SASSETA). This union lead to 63 court interpreters successfully completing a legal interpreting learnership.

These newly-qualified interpreters will from now on render specialised interpreting services in courts across our country.

Addressing the audience at the diploma ceremony held on the Bloemfontein Campus, Dr Derek Swemmer, Registrar of the UFS, said translators have an important role to play. ”Translation is a gift to those who do not understand the language that a person is speaking,” he said.

In her speech, Nonkululeko Sindane, Director-General in the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, said the qualification will improve the professional status of court interpreting. She added that the learnership is based on a broader government policy on skills development. She mentioned that eight of those who received qualifications have been permanently employed by the department.

Praising the university for its role, Abbey Witbooi, Chairperson of the SASSETA board, said the diploma will allow qualified learners to contribute to social and economic transformation. This will ensure the protection of human rights in the court setting. In addition, it also provides equal access to a fair trial in terms of effective communication. “The fact that this is a first in the republic, speaks volumes for the extent of the commitment of collective leadership to realise the transformation agenda,” he said.


 

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