Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
Categories
UFS News Media Release Research
Years
2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Months
January February March April May June July August September October November December
Previous Archive
02 April 2021 | Story Ruan Bruwer | Photo Varsity Cup
Rewan Kruger, new captain of the Shimlas.
With a new coach, new captain, and not having played a competitive match in more than a year, there will be many eyes on the Shimlas when they take to the field on 5 April.

The popular Varsity Cup is back, having been cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
The 2021 edition will be played in a secure bio-bubble at the University of Pretoria from 4 April to 24 May. The Shimlas will start with a clash against the University of the Western Cape. Matches will be played at the Tuks Stadium and Loftus Versfeld on Mondays, Thursdays, Sundays, and public holidays. 

There are high hopes after the return of Pote Human as head coach. He was previously in charge of the Shimlas from 2000 to 2004. Human knows what it takes to win the Varsity Cup, having done so with Tuks in 2017 before going on to coach the Bulls. 

Rewan Kruger, who is participating in his fourth campaign, will lead the team. 
The scrum half, who is studying BCom Accounting, said he felt humbled to lead the team.

“Hopefully I can lead in a way that takes this team forward. As a team, we strive to make a difference and the only way we can do that is if we play good rugby."
Kruger represented the Springbok U20 team at two Junior World Cups and captained the Free State U21 team in the past.

Human believes there is no shortage of talent in the squad. “I’m really excited to see what they can do. With most of the games being televised, they can make a name for themselves.”
“The guys have worked really hard during pre-season and are hungry to play rugby again. The set piece was a concern last year, but we have worked extremely hard on that.”

News Archive

Vice-Chancellor honoured with major awards
2013-05-02

02 May 2013

The University of the Free State (UFS) is proud to announce that Prof Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector, has been awarded a number of major awards recently.

The University of California in the United States awarded him the Alice and Clifford Spendlove Prize in Social Justice, Diplomacy and Tolerance. The award is made in recognition of persons who exemplify in their work the delivery of social justice, diplomacy and tolerance in the diverse local and global society.

“The committee was very impressed with the commitment that Prof Jansen has had to reconciliation and forgiveness as a way to build bridges and to find common ground. Prof Jansen is following in the steps of many of our greatest peace-time leaders and we support his efforts to bring understanding to all cultures,” said Mark Aldenderfer, chair of the awards committee and Dean of the School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Art at the University of California.

Prof Jansen also received the 2013 Academia Award at the Sixth Annual Ubuntu Lecture and Dialogue Awards Ceremony of the Turquoise Harmony Institute on 4 April 2013 in Johannesburg. The Institute aims to foster relations among different faith and cultural traditions to contribute to the well-being of humanity.

According to the organisers, “outstanding individuals who made noteworthy contributions to dialogue, peace and harmony in the society,” are given recognition during the ceremony. The awards are made in a number of different categories. Prof Jansen was among the recipients who included Graca Machel and the South African National Editors Forum (SANEF). Previous winners of Turquoise Awards include Ahmed Kathrada, Chester Williams, Dr Frene Ginwala and Prof Russel Botman.

On 10 May 2013, Prof Jansen was also honoured by Kappa Delta Pi International Honour Society in Education. He was awarded membership of the Laureate Chapter of the society founded in 1911 which “is comprised of men and women who have made distinguished contributions to education, and is limited to 60 living persons”. Prof Jansen joins an exclusive membership of 293 which includes such luminaries as Albert Einstein, Eleanor Roosevelt, Jean Piaget and George Washington Carver.

Also in the United States, Prof Jansen has been invited to be Messenger Lecturer for Fall 2013 at Cornell University. He will give three lectures and interact with the students and staff of Cornell at various functions.

“This is a significant honour and it will really allow members from across the university to get a deeper appreciation of the work you are doing at UFS and in South Africa more broadly,” said Prof Judith Byfield of Cornell’s Department of History and Director of Graduate Studies at the department’s Africana Studies and Research Centre.

On the local front, City Press published its inaugural 100 World Class South Africans on 28 April 2013. During a rigorous selection process, 100 of our country’s most extraordinary citizens who have achieved world-class status were chosen. Prof Jansen’s achievements procured him a place on this prestigious list in the category: Heroes and Mavericks.

We use cookies to make interactions with our websites and services easy and meaningful. To better understand how they are used, read more about the UFS cookie policy. By continuing to use this site you are giving us your consent to do this.

Accept