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23 September 2020 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Supplied
Participants in the third Amazing Race travelled through the African continent, experiencing Africa’s roots and its rich, vibrant, and diverse cultures

During the third Amazing Race presented by Organisational Development and Employee Wellness, staff had the opportunity to virtually travel through Africa. 

The aim of the race with the theme, A Journey through Africa, was to celebrate South Africa and Africa’s roots and its rich, vibrant, and diverse cultures. 

Natasha Nel, organisational development specialist and organiser of the race, says they wanted to give the 13 participating teams the opportunity to explore, learn, create, and be challenged together as they travel to some of the most interesting and exotic locations around Africa, but also in South Africa. 

Here in our own country, teams had the opportunity to experience our culture as well as the diversity of beliefs and traditions.


Here in our own country, teams had the opportunity to experience our culture as well as the diversity of beliefs and traditions.

Interactive and exciting event

Nel says staff could join the race in the convenience of their personal working space via a Zoom meeting. “They only needed to download the game that was specifically tailored for the UFS.” 

“It was a fun, interactive, and exciting event. In this unique adventure, it was interesting to see how teams worked together, made decisions, and also thought outside the box during the challenges,” she says.

Nel explains that teams were requested to take photos, answer questions, and make decisions unique to Africa and their culture. Some decisions and answers were timed. They also had to decide where they wanted to travel, but each decision and option had its costs, reward, and challenge linked to it.

We are the champions

Chanel Lewis, Aneke Kruger, Runé van der Merwe, and Lischen du Randt walked away as winners of the third Amazing Race. 

By participating in this race, the university has sponsored 13 breakfasts for the Community Chest of South Africa (this organisation’s mission is to inspire and facilitate community giving for community enhancement).


News Archive

UFS students excel at FPI awards
2009-06-04

 
Top students Annemarie Trinder-Smith and Renier de Bruyn
Photo: Supplied


Two top achievers from the Centre for Financial Planning Law at the University of the Free State (UFS) were crowned nationally as top students by the Financial Planning Institute of Southern Africa (FPI) at a gala ceremony at Emperor’s Palace, Johannesburg, on Tuesday night.

Annemarie Trinder-Smith, a financial planner at Christo Saayman Financial Planners, was the best student in the Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Planning, while Renier de Bruyn, financial advisor at PSG Consult (George) was the best student in the Advanced Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Planning.

They were among 461 students of the Centre for Financial Planning Law at the University of the Free State (UFS) who earlier received their postgraduate diplomas at a ceremony that formed part of the annual FPI convention.

The Centre for Financial Planning Law, which was established in 2001, was the first and for five years the only academic centre in South Africa to present a Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Planning. Today the UFS is still the only institution to present this course through distance learning. The UFS is currently the only institution that offers the Advanced Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Planning.

At the diploma ceremony hosted earlier by the UFS, the following students were named as top achievers in various modules of the Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Planning:
• Mylie Archibald (Financial Planning Environment, Corporate Financial Planning)
• Shaun Matthews (Personal Financial Planning)
• Nicolette van der Linde (Financial Planning Case Study). She also received an FPI prize as top student.

In the Advanced Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Planning, the following students were named as top achievers in various modules by the UFS. They also received FPI prizes in these modules:
• Megan Joan Anika (Fund Governance and Maintenance)
• Sarah Lynn James (Fund Design and Financing)
• Melanie Louw (Personal Risk Management)
• Renier de Bruyn (Estate Planning, Asset Types and Investment Planning)
• Jan Willem Wessels (Principles of Portfolio Planning and Management)

According to Adv Wessel Oosthuizen, Director of the Centre for Financial Planning at the UFS, large companies, banks, insurers and investment managers enroll their staff for these qualifications.

“The two diplomas form the basis for financial planners, brokers, lawyers and bankers to be recognized as certified financial planners - the CFP® status - as well as obtaining membership of the FPI.”

“A qualified financial planner, especially a CFP®, is one of the most sought-after titles in the financial planning sector worldwide. With about 3 700 CFP’s, South Africa has the fifth highest number of certified financial planners in the world,” Adv Oosthuizen said.

Adv. Oosthuizen is well-known nationally and internationally for his contribution to the advancement of financial planning law and financial planning education.

He was recently invited by the Financial Planning Standards Board to serve on an international committee that will evaluate the quality of education in financial planning. He was also the chairperson of a working group that developed guidelines for a standardised international curriculum for financial planners.

Media Release:
Mangaliso Radebe
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2828
Cell: 078 460 3320
E-mail: radebemt.stg@ufs.ac.za
04 June 2009
 

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