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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

UFS Professor on his new book on Boko Haram
2017-02-01

Description: Prof Hussein Solomon, Senior Professor  Tags: Prof Hussein Solomon, Senior Professor

Prof Hussein Solomon, Senior Professor
in the Department of Political Studies and
Governance at the UFS and co-editor of the
book titled Understanding Boko Haram:
Terrorism and Insurgency in Africa
.
Photo: Charl Devenish

Understanding the nature of the Boko Haram insurgency in northeast Nigeria is exactly what Prof Hussein Solomon from the Department of Political Studies and Governance at the University of the Free State (UFS) has set out to do.

Understanding the emergence of Boko Haram
Prof Solomon says tens of thousands of people have been killed in northeast Nigeria and neighbouring states as a result of the violence unleashed by the terrorist group. With the help of his co-editor, Prof Jim Hentz, who is an army colonel and lecturer at the Virginia Military Institute in the US, they set out to “understand the emergence of Boko Haram in a historical, sociological, economic and political context”.

In his book, titled Understanding Boko Haram: Terrorism and Insurgency in Africa, Prof Solomon “seeks to understand the emergence of Boko Haram in a historical, sociological, economic and political context”.

Book launch to take place in Chicago in the US
In his previous book, Islamic State and the Coming Global Confrontation, he analyses the origins and organisational structure of the Islamic State. Although an entirely new topic, but within the broad theme of political Islam, this book focuses more on how Boko Haram has become part of the Islamic State’s franchise in West Africa.

The book, which took more than a year to write, is based on secondary research, followed by primary documents and interviews done on the ground in Nigeria. It will be of much interest to students of terrorism and political violence, insurgencies, African politics, war and conflict studies, and international relations in general.

The official launch will take place at the African Studies Association’s annual meeting and takes place from 16-18 November 2017, in Chicago in the US.

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