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09 December 2020
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Story Carli Kleynhans
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Photo Supplied
Carli Kleynhans.
With the most gruelling year recorded in our entire lives, gradually coming to an end we remain hopeful and thankful that we have made it through. From the unexpected shock of going into lockdown, to the worry of having to use a blended approach to succeed in your academics and now finally settling into a new normal, we at the advising office bestow upon you the title of Kovsie champion…because that's exactly what you are!
One of our many champions, Carli Kleynhans, a 3rd (final) year student enrolled for BA Psychology and English shares how she survived…no, actually how she has thrived in 2020.
• What was your biggest concern about your academics when you found out the country was going into lockdown?
My biggest concern about my academics as a final year student was whether the online learning and tests would provide the same in depth learning experiences that are necessary to build upon for future studies.
• What are some of the challenges you've experienced along the way?
Staying focused and trying not to procrastinate was a big challenge I had to conquer, especially trying to not be distracted by my family and my phone. How I survived and was able to thrive in 2020!
• What are some of the strategies you've used to ensure your academics don’t suffer?
Time management was one of the most important strategies that I applied. For most of my classes, I was able to focus each week on a different module, by working and studying in advance I was able to keep up with my workload and still have the weekends to focus on myself, therefore creating designated time to work, study and also time to relax and read.
• What support have you received from the institution that's helped you thus far?
Most of my lecturers have provided needed support regarding our academics. The institution helped provide clarity with everything that was going on.
• What do you think the UFS could have done differently to support student success?
I think the UFS could have provided more resources for the final year students, especially considering we have to apply for further studies; online it was difficult to discern exactly what was necessary for the applications, whereas in class I feel more information would have been provided.
• What has kept you motivated?
Knowing it is my final year has helped to motivate me, as I have to use these grades to apply for further studies. I recently received recognition from Golden Key and this helped to further inspire me to work even harder at my academics.
• What advice do you have for your fellow Kovsies who are finding it difficult to keep going?
Remember to make time for yourself, to look after yourself and your mental health, especially in these difficult times. Work in advance and keep to your personal academic calendar.
Universities can contribute to economic transformation
2010-01-27
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At the lecture were, from the left: Prof. Neil Heideman (Acting Dean: Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences), Prof. Hartmut Frank (University of Bayreuth, Germany), Prof. Bianchi and Prof. Jan van der Westhuizen (professor in Chemistry at the UFS).
Photo: Mangaliso Radebe |
Universities have a role to play in economic transformation and industrial development according to Prof. Fabrizio Bianchi, the Rector of the University of Ferrara in Italy.
This was the core message of his lecture on the topic Globalisation, Agriculture and Industrial Development that he delivered at the University of the Free State.
He said after the collapse of the agricultural industry in Italy as a result of the subsidies that the farmers were receiving from the government, the university had to step in.
“This was meant to maintain high prices and maximize the production but in the long run this approach created problems because the farmers were no longer producing high quality products but large quantities in order to receive subsidies,” he said.
“The result was that the government itself had to destroy those poor quality products. This was a completely unreasonable way to manage the economy”.
He said they had to abandon that approach and concentrate on quality because they realized that Italy could not match the prices and the quantity, in terms of production, of countries like China and the USA.
He said “knowledge and human resources” were the key factors that could get them out of that crisis; hence they came up with what he called “the Made in Italy approach”.
“We were working on the idea that food is part of culture and that it is not just simply for refueling the body,” he said.
“One of the fundamental ideas was to come back to the idea that production is the centre of the development process.”
“Quality is a very complex, collective issue,” he said. “You cannot understand development if you do not understand that you have to base it on strong roots”.
This approach resulted in the formation of several companies with specialized niche markets producing high quality products.
His visit to the UFS coincided with that of the 1991 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, Prof. Richard Ernst from Switzerland, who was also part of the fourth presentation of the Cheese fondue concept.
The main thrust of this concept is that technical advances alone are insufficient for an agreement to be reached on the minimum respect between the various groups and individuals within a society. It proposes that for this to be achieved there has to be a concurrent development of empathy and emotional synergy.
Media Release
Issued by: Mangaliso Radebe
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2828
Cell: 078 460 3320
E-mail: radebemt@ufs.ac.za
27 January 2010