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21 August 2021 | Story Michelle Nöthling

What does the best university community look like? And what would a better South Africa look like?

In the last couple of weeks, our conversations have been dominated by topics of violence that have spilled into our communities. We have shared our fears with each other and talked about the complexities that gave rise to this rage within our society. We also witnessed communities pulling together in the midst of the destruction, reminding us of our common humanity. 

If you had the opportunity to help build the best university you could imagine, would you step into that space? If you could help create a prospering South African society, would you act?

This is what the Division of Student Affairs is calling you to do. Join us as we embark on a journey of reimagining and ultimately co-creating the community we want. It starts with a conversation. A conversation where your voice is important and welcomed, and where we regard your presence as essential to realise our shared dreams.

We call you as a member of the UFS community—students and staff alike—to join our circle of conversation. We will make use of deeply engaging methods and break-out rooms to create a safe and brave space that encourages mutual sharing and deep listening. 

Add your vision and voice to the conversation to collectively imagine and build the best version of our university.

UFS Community Conversation
Date: Wednesday, 1 September
Time: 16:00 – 18:00
Platform: Zoom (in order to best support universal access and methodology)

Registration is required:

For reasonable accommodation requirements (e.g., closed captioning, or sign language interpreters), contact Michelle Nöthling at nothlingm@ufs.ac.za.

We also have information session leading up to our main conversation. During these sessions, we welcome your questions and together start to explore the concept of community in a collaborative environment.  

Information sessions
Monday, 23 August 2021, 15:00 – 16:00
Tuesday, 24 August 2021, 15:00 – 16:00
Wednesday, 25 August 2021, 15:00 – 16:00
Thursday, 26 August 2021, 15:00 – 16:00
Monday, 30 August 2021, 15:00 – 16:00
Tuesday, 31 August 2021, 15:00 – 16:00

Click here to access any of the information sessions. No registration is required for these sessions.

News Archive

Giraffe research broadcast on National Geographic channel
2016-03-09

Description: Giraffe research  Tags: Giraffe research

A documentary focusing on the latest and most interesting research about giraffes was recently broadcasted on National Geographic. Dr Francois Deacon from the UFS Department of Animal, Wildlife and Grassland Sciences and the team of researchers working with him, were first in the world to equip giraffes with GPS collars, and to conduct research on them.

Research by Dr Francois Deacon, from the UFS Department of Animal, Wildlife and Grassland Sciences, involving the equipping of giraffes with GPS collars, was broadcast this week as part of a documentary (4 March 2016 and subsequent weeks) on National Geographic (Channel 182). The documentary is the first of two on his team's research.

Dr Deacon and the team of researchers working with him were the first in the world to equip giraffes with GPS collars, and to conduct research on this initiative. The group of researchers can now follow the animals night and day by means of the GPS collars, while monitoring their movements from a distance on a computer screen and seeing the world from a giraffe's perspective.

“The documentary focuses on the latest and interesting information about our research in different countries,” Dr Deacon said. Besides their local research on giraffes, he and his team also assist in other projects and research in Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Uganda.

“There is much to learn from the documentary,” Dr Deacon said. Interesting facts from their research include herd interactions by individuals towards each other, bulls versus bulls, and cows versus calves. In the documentary, the viewer can also learn how giraffes use thermoregulation, their tongues, and roaming areas and distances; peculiar behaviour such as feeding on bones and soil; bulls fighting; how and when giraffes drink water; and the conservation and management of giraffes.
 
Focus is also placed on the manner in which the latest research plays a role in the better understanding of the animals.
 
According to Dr Deacon, this is the first documentary to focus on giraffe research on such a large scale. Marco Polo Films from Terra Mater are contracted by National Geographic to produce nature films – this was the hundredth nature film produced by them.
 
“There has never before been such a production about giraffes. It also attracted huge interest and reaction overseas, which will provide great exposure for our research and for the UFS.
 
“We believe that the media involvement will provide much more exposure to giraffes, which is a good thing, since they are facing extinction in Africa. The exposure can, in itself, lead to new research and has already started attracting international students to the UFS,” Dr Deacon said.
 
The second documentary will follow later this year. Iniosante, a film team from Texas, USA, is producing this film, which focuses on the extinction of giraffes. It is the same team responsible for the production Last of the Longnecks.



Additional resources:


-    Last of the Longnecks (trailer)
-    Giraffe – Up high and personal (National Geographic video)
-    Giraffe: African Giant (National Geographic video)
-    Giraffe – Up high and personal (article)

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