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07 October 2019 | Story Rulanzen Martin | Photo Rulanzen Martin
MICT Seta Grant
The MICT SETA Journalism programme will give addition training to 20 Journalism students from the Department of Communication Science.
Student success is one of the key components in the Integrated Transformation Plan. Facilitated by a grant from the Media Information and Communication Technologies (MICT) SETA, the Department of Communication Science at the University of the Free State (UFS) is providing an additional training opportunity for its students with a programme for second-year journalism students. 

The MICT SETA Journalism Short Programme is a prestigious extracurricular opportunity. “The programme will provide additional exposure and training in specialist areas not necessarily covered in depth as part of the BA (Journalism) degree,” says Dr Willemien Marais, Programme Director: Communication Science. “Participation in this programme provides students the opportunity to build a portfolio to enhance their employability.” 

The SETA grant was acquired through an application made by the department with the assistance of Juanita Burjins Head: Leadership and Development Unit in the Human Resources Department at the UFS, and was signed earlier this year.

In-depth training 

The programme will entail short courses on writing, photojournalism, documentary filmmaking, entrepreneurship and personal development. 
“It gives us an opportunity to swim in an ocean where it feels you are drowning. I am very excited to have been chosen to be part of the programme,” says.Rene Robinson, a second-year Journalism student and one of 20 selected for the programme. They were selected based on academic performance as well as on the essay they wrote. 

Robinson says: “As a Journalism student you meet a lot of negativity about the degree you are pursuing and this programme offers a chance to elevate yourself.” 
Keamogetswe Mosepele, who is also part of the programme, adds: “I am really excited to see what it will deliver.” 

The programme specifically targets second-year students so these students, once in their final year, can share their experience through assisting a new cohort of first-year journalism students in various practical exercises, thus reinvesting in the department. They will also work at various media partners of the Department of Communication Science.

MICT Seta grant
From the left;  Nkonsinathi Gabuza, from the MICT Seta; Dr Willemien Marais; Prof Collin Chasi, Head of the Department Communication
 Science and Juanita Burjins. (Photo: Rulanzen Martin)

News Archive

University recognised as leading Higher Education Institution for students with disabilities
2013-12-05

The University of the Free State has been lauded for creating an inclusive environment for persons with disabilities, winning the 2013 National Disability Higher Education Institution Award. The award was presented at the National Disabilities Awards held in Port Elizabeth as part of the celebrations for International Day of People with Disabilities.

The Deputy Minister for Women, Children and People with Disabilities, Hendrietta Ipeleng Bogopane-Zulu, commended the university during the event for standing out among South African institutes of higher education. She told the audience the award gives recognition to institutions that demonstrate, through their strategy and policy, the provision of an inclusive environment for persons with disabilities. This is done through the use of technology and accessibility at their premises.

It's not the first time the university received praise from the deputy minister. In 2012 she visited the Bloemfontein Campus as part of a nation-wide roadshow to assess disability compliance and support services at all universities and FET colleges. Impressed with the work of the Unit for Students with Disabilities (USD), she recommended that staff from various higher education institutions visit the campus to gain insight into what they are doing.

Receiving the award on behalf of the university, Hetsie Veitch, Director of the USD, says the award recognises the commitment of the university’s senior leadership, who support the USD in creating a learning environment that is welcoming and accessible to all students.

Rudi Buys, Dean of Student Affairs, says the university is appreciative of what the USD does and says the award is a great achievement for a unit that only started functioning on its own three years ago. “The role of our support unit for Students with Disabilities has since 2010 grown to hold not only a prominent place in our institutional reflection on and implementation of approaches of universal access, but also to stand as leading department in building and bearing witness to the commitment of the UFS to values of universal access.”

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