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Graduations
The UFS will honour all graduates during the upcoming graduation ceremonies to be held in the Callie Human Centre on the UFS Bloemfontein Campus from 9 to 11 December 2019.

The University of the Free State (UFS) will confer a number of qualifications on graduates at the upcoming graduation ceremonies on the Bloemfontein Campus from 9 to 11 December 2019. 

A total of 1 216 graduates across all UFS faculties will gather at the Callie Human Centre to be addressed by Chief Director: Teaching and Learning Development in the Department of Higher Education, Science and Technology, Dr Whitty Green; 2019 Kovsie Ambassador Award winner, Ms Louzanne Coetzee; and former Managing Director of De Beers Consolidated Mines and member of the UFS Council, Mr David Noko. 

Judge in the Supreme Court of Appeal and Chancellor of the Central University of Technology (CUT), Justice Mahube Molemela, will also be addressing the audience during the 2019 December graduation ceremonies.

For more information about the upcoming celebrations, visit the UFS graduation ceremonies page.
Graduates can read through the Bloemfontein Graduations: Preparing for Graduations Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), which contains the necessary information for graduates to note during the graduation processions.
 
Graduation ceremonies for the different faculties will take place on the following dates:
Bloemfontein Campus

9-11 December 2019

9 Dec 2019
14:30: South Campus: Open Distance Learning 
Certificates and diplomas

Graduations Programme: South Campus: Open Distance Learning

10 Dec 2019
09:00: Faculties of Education, the Humanities, Law and Theology and Religion 
All certificates, diplomas, Bachelor’s degrees, and Honours degrees
Graduations Programme: Faculties of Education, The Humanities, Law, Theology and Religion

14:30: Faculties of Economic and Management Sciences  and Natural and Agricultural Sciences 
All certificates, diplomas, Bachelor’s degrees, and Honours degrees

Graduations Programme: Faculties of Economic and Management Sciences and Natural and Agricultural Sciences

11 Dec 2019
09:00: Faculty of Health Sciences
All certificates, diplomas, Bachelor’s degrees, and Honours degrees


14:30: All Faculties 
Master's and doctoral qualifications
Graduations Programme: Master's and Doctoral Candidates in All Faculties

Family and friends who are unable to attend your graduation ceremony can still watch you graduate through our livestream link at which becomes active at 08:45 and 14:15 on the day of the ceremony.


News Archive

UFS institute set to contribute to transformation in South Africa
2011-01-23

The UFS launches it's new International Institute for Studies in Race, Reconciliation and Social Justice.
- Photo: Dries and Henco Myburgh

Today (Thursday, 27 January 2011), almost three years after the Reitz affair, the University of the Free State (UFS) is launching its International Institute for Studies in Race, Reconciliation and Social Justice. This international institute will be inaugurated by Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and Chairperson of the former Truth and Reconciliation Commission, who received an honorary doctorate in Theology from the university earlier today.

According to Mr John Samuel, Interim Director of the institute and former Chief Executive Officer of the Nelson Mandela Foundation, the institute seeks to establish itself as a premier international site for research on race, reconciliation and social justice.

“It is encouraging to see the UFS bringing to the fore such an initiative, which combines a study in race, reconciliation and social justice, all of which are indispensible elements in the process of rebuilding our nation,” said the Deputy President of South Africa, Mr Kgalema Motlanthe, in his message of congratulations to the university.

“I am confident that on the strength of its stature, coupled with its eminent experience as an academic institution, the UFS will further assist our country advance towards a united, non-racial, non-sexism, just and prosperous future.

“I wish the institute well in its arduous but noble task of contributing to the building of a better human society,” he said.

Prof. Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector, stated during his official inauguration in 2009 that the university would be an example of a place where reconciliation, forgiveness and social justice would not only be studied, but where it would also be applied in practice. “Students and scholars from across the world will come to the UFS to study the theory and practice about the building of societies across the boundaries of race, as well as religion, gender, disabilities and national origin,” Prof. Jansen said.

The institute is a critical space where engaged scholarship, public discussion, community engagement and teaching are innovatively integrated towards exploring and finding solutions to the complex and challenging work of social transformation in South Africa.

The institute furthermore works towards the realisation of its mission through a multiplicity of approaches and methods, informed by the notion that deep and complex social challenges require courageous and challenging scholarship, supported by innovative organisational forms and institutional arrangements.

Working from the inside to the outside, the institute will firstly serve the needs of the university, its staff and students. Through its research, the institute will endeavour to understand the challenges facing the UFS better, as well as how to address these challenges. For this reason, the concept of the UFS as a “live laboratory” and the use of evidence-based practice remain important for the university.

The institute will also reach out and empower its stakeholder communities through research and ongoing involvement on issues of race, reconciliation and social justice. Furthermore the institution expects to contribute to the creation of national and international networks and dialogue platforms pertaining to race, reconciliation and social justice.

For the first five years, the themes of 1) Values, Faith and Social Justice; 2) Development and Social Cohesion; 3) Teaching and Learning for Social Justice; and 4) Provincial, National, Global Perspectives and Leadership will direct the institute’s work.

The UFS will make a substantial contribution to the pursuit of reconciliation, greater social cohesion and equity in South Africa. The university is thus prepared to continue to engage the difficult, practical and trying work of building a strong, quality institution as it promotes racial healing and addresses the structural imbalances of the past. It is at this nexus that the institute commits to enabling change at the university as well contributing to transformation in South Africa.

Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe's message of support to the University of the Free State (PDF format)

Media Release
27 January 2011
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Director: Strategic Communication (actg)
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: news@ufs.ac.za

 

 

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