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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

UFS Council approves a new Language Policy
2016-03-11

The Council of the University of the Free State (UFS) approved a new Language Policy with an overwhelming majority during its meeting held on the Qwaqwa Campus today (11 March 2016).

In the newly approved policy, the university commits to embed and enable a language-rich environment committed to multilingualism, with particular attention to Afrikaans, Sesotho, isiZulu, and other languages represented on the three campuses situated in Bloemfontein and Qwaqwa.

Based on the core values of inclusivity and multilingualism, the following principles in the newly approved policy were approved by the Council:

  1. English will be the primary medium of instruction at undergraduate and postgraduate level on the three campuses situated in Bloemfontein and Qwaqwa.
  2. Multilingualism will be supported among other activities by an expanded tutorial system especially designed for first-year students.
  3. In particular professional programmes such as teacher education and the training of students in Theology who wish to enter the ministry in traditional Afrikaans speaking churches, where there is clear market need, the parallel medium English-Afrikaans and Sesotho/Zulu continues. This arrangement must not undermine the values of inclusivity and diversity endorse by the UFS.
  4. The primary formal language of the university administration will be English with sufficient flexibility for the eventual practice of multilingualism across the university.
  5. Formal student life interactions would be in English, while multilingualism is encouraged in all social interactions.

“This is a major step forward for the UFS. I commend Council for their constructive and positive manner in which the discussion took place,” says Judge Ian van der Merwe, Chairperson of the UFS Council.

The university furthermore committed in the newly approved policy to:

  1. Ensuring that language is not a barrier to equity of access, opportunity and success in academic programmes or in access to university administration.
  2. Promoting the provision of academic literacy, especially in English, for all undergraduate students.
  3. Ensuring that language is not used or perceived as a tool for social exclusion of staff and/or students on any of its campuses.
  4. Promoting a pragmatic learning and administrative environment committed to and accommodative of linguistic diversity within the regional, national and international environments in which the UFS operates.       
  5. Contributing to the development of Sesotho and isiZulu as higher education language within the context of the needs of the university’s different campuses.
  6. The continuous development of Afrikaans as an academic language.
  7. Recognising and promoting South African Sign Language and Braille.

Today’s approval of a new policy comes after a mandate was given to the university management on 5 June 2015 by Council to conduct a review of the institutional Language Policy through a comprehensive process of consultation with all university stakeholders. A Language Committee was subsequently established by the University Management Committee (UMC) to undertake a comprehensive review of the parallel-medium policy, which was approved by Council on 6 June 2003. The committee also had to make recommendations on the way forward with respect to the university's Language Policy. During its meeting on 4 December 2015, Council adopted guidelines from the report of the Language Committee regarding the development of a new policy for the university.

The newly approved Language Policy will be phased in as from January 2017 according to an Implementation Plan.

Released by:
Lacea Loader (Director: Communication and Brand Management)
Email: news@ufs.ac.za

Related articles:

http://www.ufs.ac.za/templates/news-archive-item?news=6567 (26 November 2015)
http://www.ufs.ac.za/templates/news-archive-item?news=6540 (28 October 2015)
http://www.ufs.ac.za/templates/news-archive-item?news=6521 (20 October 2015)
http://www.ufs.ac.za/templates/news-archive-item?news=6469 (30 August 2015)
http://www.ufs.ac.za/templates/news-archive-item?news=6444 (25 August 2015)

 
Released by:
Lacea Loader (Director: Communication and Brand Management)
Telephone: +27(0)51 401 2584 | +27(0)83 645 2454
Email: news@ufs.ac.za | loaderl@ufs.ac.za
Fax: +27(0)51 444 6393

 

 


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