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01 December 2021 | Story Dr Nitha Ramnath

The University of the Free State will present the December 2021 graduation ceremonies virtually from 8 to 13 December 2021. The recent changes in our environment due to the discovery of the Omicron variant, and the increase in COVID-19 infection rates in South Africa, have required us to re-assess our plans.  This was also addressed as a matter of concern by President Cyril Ramaphosa during the family meeting on 28 November 2021. 

After careful consideration of the risks of presenting face-to-face graduation ceremonies, the executive management of the University of the Free State (UFS) has decided to adjust all the ceremonies to virtual broadcasts. 

The university community acknowledges your hard work and achievements in the midst of the many challenges you have faced. Despite not being able to meet in person, we are grateful that technology makes it possible to proceed with this significant event. 

The graduation ceremonies will be broadcast as follows:

Faculty of Education, South Campus: Wednesday, 8 December 2021 at 09:00

Faculty of Education, South Campus graduands: Wednesday, 8 December 2021 at 11:00

Faculty of Education, Bloemfontein Campus and Qwaqwa Campus graduands: Thursday, 9 December 2021 at 09:00

Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences: Thursday, 9 December at 11:00

Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences: Friday, 10 December at 09:00

Faculty of the Humanities: Friday, 10 December 2021 at 11:00

Faculties of Health Sciences, Law, and Theology and Religion: Monday, 13 December 2021 at 09:00

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

 


News Archive

Traditional medicine can play important role in modern drugs discovery
2014-11-11

Indigenous knowledge possesses a great potential to improve science. Making use of this source may lead to advanced technological innovations. This is according to Dr Sechaba Bareetseng, UFS alumnus and Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) Manager at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
Dr Bareetseng recently addressed the seventh annual IKS symposium on the Qwaqwa Campus.
“Interfacing indigenous and local knowledge with scientific knowledge has the potential of encouraging and developing inventions, especially in the pharmaceutical industry,” said Dr Bareetseng.
 
“Such interfacing can also enable access to both sets of knowledge without any discrimination whatsoever. It would also encourage co-existence that would improve understanding between the two.”
 
“Traditional medicine,” said Dr Bareetseng, “can play an extended role in modern drugs discovery as it is already happening in Botswana and New Zealand. These two countries are leading this wave of new thinking in as far as drug development is concerned.”
 
Dr Bareetseng also called on established researchers to start embracing the local communities into their research.
 
“Contemporary scientific research demands that local communities must co-author research conducted within and with them by the universities and research institutions. This would help in maintaining trust between the researchers and the communities that feel exploited. Regular feedback would also make communities feel part of the developments,” Dr Bareetseng argued.
 
He further called on the pharmaceutical companies specifically and researchers in general to convert valuable indigenous knowledge and resources into products and services of commercial value. “Plants, the ecosystem and indigenous knowledge must be preserved to provide a source of income for the local communities. Communities must also be protected from foreign exploitation of their intellectual property.”
 

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