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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 mourns passing away of pioneer

2005-09-30

Prof Dudley Vermaak (76), founder and former director of the University of the Free State’s (UFS) Research Institute for Education Planning (RIEP), passed away on Friday 23 September 2005 in George as a result of a stroke.

Prof Vermaak was associated with the UFS for about 23 years. A Centenary Medal was awarded to him in October 2004 by the UFS for his pioneering work in transformation through his initiatives, during the apartheid era, to empower education officials, teachers and postgraduate students from disadvantaged communities in South Africa.

He did pioneering work in the eighties with the training of black teachers, especially senior officials and managers in black education, and with the research and training on the improvement of education in the black community.

“Prof Vermaak was a visionary person who understood the changing South African context in the eighties and started at an early stage with work to improve black schools and the training of black leaders in the education sector. He was a true pioneer at the UFS. We are thankful that we could honour him for this with a Centenary Medal last year,” said Prof Frederick Fourie, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS.

RIEP originally started off as the Research Unit for Education Planning in 1974 under the guidance of Prof Vermaak. During the apartheid years the institute was intensely involved with research about education in the former homelands. It was also the only organisation that could provide complete education statistics, which was necessary for planning, about the former homelands.

RIEP was also involved with service delivery to the so-called independent and self-governing states regarding training in management and planning and support. Several education officials from these areas undertook their M Ed and D Ed studies with the help of RIEP. Some post-1994 education and political leaders include e.g. Lionel Mtshali, premier of KwaZulu-Natal in 1999-2004.

Prof Vermaak was cremated in George. A memorial service will be held at 10:00 on Saturday 1 October 2005 at the Berg-en-Dal Dutch Reformed Church in Dan Pienaar. Prof Vermaak is survived by his wife, Marietjie, four children and grandchildren. He lived in Kiepersol Retirement Village in Bloemfontein for the past six years.

Media release
Issued by:  Lacea Loader
   Media Representative
   Tel: (051) 401-2584
   Cell: 083 645 2454
   E-mail: loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za
29 September 2005

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