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16 September 2020 | Story Xolisa Mnukwa | Photo Supplied
UFS Division of Student Affairs plans to extend their annual research colloquium to involve other universities, establishing the university as a pioneering institution of higher education and learning.
The annual University of the Free State (UFS) Division of Student Affairs Research (DSA) Colloquium aims to promote a culture of research embedded in data-driven and evidence- based practices in the field of Student Affairs. The purpose of the annual colloquium is to create a safe, enjoyable space for staff members to share their experiences, knowledge, research and practices.

The 2020 Student Affairs Research Colloquium was the first virtual Research Colloquium held by the university. As noted by DSA Researcher Ruben Langenhoven, this year’s theme Virtually Human: Connecting Meaningfully in a Digital World was inspired by the challenging times we live in, and thus commemorated the resilience and adaptability UFS Student Affairs practitioners, academic staff and students. 

As most of the projects and programmes in the DSA were negatively impacted, the Colloquium was threatened by a lack of “hard data” emanating from the 2020 academic year. The division consequently decided to reframe the colloquium by profiling distinct human voices that focused on qualitative experiences. As such, this Colloquium comprised of numerous sections where the emphasis was placed on shared experiences and shared understanding where UFS staff members and students discussed the challenges they faced in the last six months.

DSA staff engaged one another with staff and student-centered lived experiences, and professional staff development sessions that visited the impact of technology on their psychological well-being and how to improve their relationship with technology in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Also forming part of the programme that will inform the future of the division going forward, reflected DSA success-story presentations of the past year. 

The colloquium proved as beneficial for the DSA and the entire institution in its pursuit of a research-based working approach within the Student Affairs discipline. 

News Archive

Teacher training key to democracy and freedom
2011-12-06

 

MEC Mr Tate Makgoe (left) with Faculty of Education’s Prof. Dennis Francis, holding the inaugural SURLEC Award. With them is Dr Dipane Hlalele.
Photo: Thabo Kessah

Universities have the responsibility to respond to the challenges that the South African education system is faced with.

This is the view of the Free State MEC for Education, Mr Tate Makgoe, during his address at the three-day First Sustainable Rural Learning Ecologies (SURLEC) Colloquium, which was recently held at the Qwaqwa Campus of the University of the Free State (UFS).
 
“Our universities must not only research the failures of our system. They must also come up with solutions.
 
“One of the questions that demand answers in our country is whether we produce quality teachers at our universities, considering our learners’ performance internationally. Our children lack the basics like grammar and yet we are 17 years into democracy. Why is their performance so poor in comparison to children in poorer countries?” asked Mr Makgoe.
 
“We must work together as a Government and universities to change this. Universities must be anchors of democracy and freedom, which is meaningless if our children cannot read and write. We must also focus on Mathematics and Natural Sciences, not forgetting to value our indigenous knowledge and games to enhance learning, especially in Mathematics,” he said.
 
According to Dr Dipane Hlalele, Head of the Faculty of Education at the UFS Qwaqwa Campus, the colloquium was held to search for best practices and success stories relating to the theme, Creating sustainable rural learning ecologies in the 21st century.
 
“Our objective was to tap into experiences and wisdom of policy makers, researchers, scholars, teachers and students in order to map a new direction in research as well as to make an indelible mark on the revitalisation of this campus,” concluded Dr Hlalele.
 
The UFS Dean of Education, Prof. Dennis Francis’ efforts to improve rural education were honoured with the first ever SURLEC Award.
 
Over 70 research papers from the universities of the Free State, South Africa, Venda, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and the Cape Peninsula University of Technology were delivered and learners from the local schools like The Beacon, Mafube, Qwaqwa and Clubview presented their winning projects at the Science Expo.

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