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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

Former architecture student takes part in Archiprix in Moscow
2013-06-24

Jurie Swart in Moscow.
24 June 2013

 

“I am proud that I could honour the UFS’ name,” says Jurie Swart. He participated in the prestigious Archiprix in Moscow in May 2013.

Archiprix is an international competition where the world’s top architecture students are selected. Architecture departments, schools and faculties of 1 500 universities from 78 countries worldwide are invited to enter their top master’s students over two study years.

In 2012, Jurie Swart was honoured as regional winner of the Corobrik Architectural Student of the Year Award and also received an honourable mention in the 2012 International Graduate Architecture Projects.

After several months of careful evaluation by a panel of five experts, his thesis, Borderline – mediated landscape, A water research centre for the University of the Free State, Qwaqwa Campus, was nominated as one of the world’s 25 master’s projects to take part in the Archiprix in Moscow. His thesis was also on display at the Central House of Artists in Moscow for a couple of months.

The judges were Yuri Grigoryan (architect and director of the Moscow-based Project Meganom, as well as director of educational programmes at the Strelka Institute in Moscow); Susan Herrington (professor of architecture and landscape architecture at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada); Kristin Jarmund (architect and director of the Norwegian-based Kjark, an architectural house); Hubert Klumpner (architect, director of the Venezuela-based Urban-Think Tank, and professor of architecture and urban design at the ETH, Zürich ); and Lesley Lokko (architect, academic and author from the UK).

Jurie Swart was selected as the participants’ favourite. “From the top 25, seven winners were announced, and although I didn’t win, it is still an amazing achievement and I am proud to have honoured the university’s name,” he said.

During his visit to Moscow, he also attended a workshop with the rest of the nominated students. This project, with the theme Railroads, was an exercise to help solve Russia’s transport problems.

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