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UFS partners with local radio stations to address community issues

08 December 2020 | Story Dikgapane Makhetha | Photo Supplied

In response to the current COVID-19 pandemic, the Directorate: Community Engagement (CE) has initiated an innovative platform on which students can continue to engage with university community partners, and at the same time be assessed for their service-learning and community engagement projects.

The E-Engagement approach also meets the University of the Free State’s (UFS) strategic mandate to be a caring, responsive, and engaged university. Coordinated by the UFS CE office, academic staff and students are scheduled to engage with the community partners through radio broadcasts and virtual mode platforms. Informative content that has been researched, prepared, and presented by students in a pre-recorded format, will address significant issues brought about by the surge of COVID-19, creating a breeding ground for some of the societal ills, such as gender-based violence (GBV).

In order to establish sustainable relationships with community radio stations, a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with two local community radio stations was signed on the UFS Bloemfontein Campus on 10 October 2020. Prof Puleng LenkaBula, the Vice-Rector: Institutional Change, Student Affairs, and Community Engagement, and Bishop Billyboy Ramahlele, CE Director, participated in the commitment to formalise the relationship between the UFS and the two radio stations, Mosupatsela FM and Motheo FM.

Master’s students from the Department of Psychology have produced and pre-recorded podcasts on community psychology. Their topics covered grief and self-compassion. The Department of Nutrition and Dietetics presented topics on a healthy lifestyle and diet. Fourth-year students from the School of Nursing have engaged new mothers concerning post-natal care. The School of Clinical Medicine has addressed the warning signs of burnout and preventative measures.

Bishop Ramahlele emphasised the importance of sustained relationship, which is expected to create further opportunities for interaction through partnerships in skills training (ICT) and the sharing of resources, including consultations through conference platforms. Prof LenkaBula highlighted the significance of the MOA by applauding the initiative, which has unlimited potential to ensure national development through student engagement, since universities create development sites that can be transferred further into the community.

News Archive

Boost for hockey in the Free State and South Africa

2006-06-20

The University of the Free State (UFS) will soon be one of a few universities in South Africa that are able to host national and international hockey tournaments in the country.

Two astro hockey fields are to be built on the western side of the UFS Main Campus in Bloemfontein. This is one of a number of major capital projects approved by the Council of the UFS earlier this month.

“The plans are drawn and the contractors are ready to move on site to start with the cleaning and digging process of the two astro fields,” said Mr James Letuka, Director of KovsieSport at the UFS.

According to Mr Letuka, the UFS will fund the building of the one astro hockey field whilst the building of the second court will be a joint venture between the university and high schools in Bloemfontein.

The two astro fields will be built on what is currently the Number 4 cricket field next to Shimla Park Rugby Stadium.

“This project will go a long way towards halting the outflow of good hockey players from the Free State. Hopefully they will find our facilities an attractive option,” said Mr Letuka.

“The astro fields will also place us in a good position to provide training camps for national teams, development teams, as well as international teams,” said Mr Letuka.

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel: (051) 401-2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za
20 June 2006

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