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Virtual Graduation Ceremonies, 6-9 October 2020

03 September 2020

Dear Graduand

VIRTUAL GRADUATION CEREMONIES, 6-9 OCTOBER 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused immense disruption in many aspects of our lives, both in South Africa and abroad. Higher education institutions throughout the world were not exempt from the effects of the deadly virus. In South Africa in particular, most institutions were forced to suspend academic programmes and quickly found themselves transitioning academic programmes from the classroom to online learning platforms.

We also postponed graduation ceremonies in the hope that the situation would improve in time. Unfortunately, the situation has not improved, and as COVID-19 continues to present uncertainties and public health concerns, we have made the decision not to present our face-to-face graduation ceremonies on the Bloemfontein and Qwaqwa Campuses.

On the other hand, the pandemic has propelled innovation and creativity; we are delighted at the possibilities offered by technology to allow us to honour and preserve traditions that define the higher education experience. Your graduation and the conferring of your degree should be an unforgettable moment in your life. Therefore, we are making every effort to ensure that even during these unusual times, you are celebrated. You have committed countless hours of dedicated work to earn your degree, and we would like to support you in celebrating this momentous occasion.

Therefore, as an alternative, we are hosting virtual graduation ceremonies scheduled to be broadcasted from 6 to 9 October 2020 at 10:00 daily:

• 6 October 2020: Bloemfontein Campus (April 2020, all ceremonies)

• 7 October 2020: Qwaqwa Campus (May 2020, all ceremonies)

• 8 October 2020: Bloemfontein Campus (June 2020 undergraduate and honours ceremonies)

• 9 October 2020: Bloemfontein Campus (June 2020 master’s and PhD qualifications)

The institution is aware of and sensitive to the increased need to have your qualification certificates. We therefore wish to inform our graduates that certificates will be available and released immediately after the conferral ceremonies. It is our utmost priority to ensure your health and safety. As a result, certificates will be available and released via courier services at no cost to you and within convenient measures in adherence to the COVID-19 prescriptions. Communication regarding the issuing of the certificates will follow in due course.

Your disappointment at not having a face-to-face ceremony is understandable – however, it is extremely important that we do what is in the best interest of our students, staff, and community.

Congratulations to all our graduates and may you have continued success in all your endeavours!

We look forward to honouring you at the virtual graduation ceremony.

Enquiries: studentadmin@ufs.ac.za | +27 51 401 9666

News Archive

UFS busy with building projects to the value of R220 million

2010-07-26

Pictured at the sod-turning ceremony are, from the left: Mr Nico Janse van Rensburg (Manager: Physical Planning), Prof. Jonathan Jansen (Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS) and Prof. Dennis Francis (Dean: Faculty of Education).
Photo: Ula van Zyl

Since 2009, the University of the Free State (UFS) has already rolled out building projects to the value of R220 million on its Main and Qwaqwa Campuses.

Some of these projects include a new building for Education Training for the Faculty of Education, which will be erected at a cost of R21 million on the Main Campus opposite the UFS-Sasol Library. The sod-turning ceremony of the centre took place last week.

Prof. Jonathan Jansen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS, turned the first sod and a tree was also planted at the future entrance of this impressive building. “I am impressed with the eco-friendly design of the building and what the project promises for the future of the faculty and the UFS. It is important that the UFS continues to expand and improve,” he said.

The building, which will primarily be used for the training of Mathematics and Science teachers in the foundational phase, will amongst others boast three classrooms with seating for 100 students each, an auditorium that can seat 225 students and an office block. The auditorium will also be used as a classroom in the traditional African context of open-air teaching. The building has been designed to save water and power efficiently and will be completed by the end of 2011.

Other building projects that have been rolled out on the Main Campus this year include a building consisting of lecturing halls as well as offices for the Faculty of Health Sciences, a new skills laboratory, new laboratories, etc., at the Biotechnology Building, the renovation of the Stef Coetzee Building, die upgrading of various lecturing halls, the upgrading of service workers’ quarters, as well as the installation of computer rooms in virtually all the hostels.

Various other projects are in the pipeline, for example, extensions to the building in which the Department of Architecture is housed. At the Qwaqwa Campus, a new building for the Faculty of Education is under construction, laboratories are being renovated and new hostels for 200 students are being built.

Media Release:
Lacea Loader
Director: Strategic Communication (actg)
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl@ufs.ac.za
26 July 2010

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