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04 January 2021 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Supplied
Hay’s family celebrated his graduation ceremony with him in 2013. Pictured here are Frank Hay (father), Hay, his brother, Shanley and his mother, Vasi Hay.

Diversity, inclusivity, and transformation are what sets the University of the Free State (UFS) apart from other institutions of tertiary education. It instils in graduates the values of attention to detail and precision, being meticulous, adherence to deadlines, being honest, ethical, and taking the ‘moral high ground’. 

Graduates at the UFS are also introduced to high levels of dedication and commitment, irrespective of the task at hand; taking pride in producing work of high quality; having a non-discriminatory mindset; the ability to be team players or leaders (depending on what needs to be done); and demonstrating an understanding and consideration for society at large. 

This is the view of Ashley Hay, a successful UFS alumnus who completed his honours (accepted through the Recognition of Prior Learning process) and master’s degrees (graduating cum laude) in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning. Throughout his academic career, Hay has achieved good results and accolades such as Best Master’s Student, Best Master’s Dissertation, Best Research in Advanced Planning Practice, and also receiving membership of the Golden Key International Honour Society.

Today, he is employed by the Gauteng Provincial Government as Director: Land Use Management and Statutory Boards in the Office of the Premier and is in transition to a new branch called ‘Urban Planning’ under the Minister for Cooperative Governance, Urban Planning and Human Settlements.  

He leads a team of professionals on spatial planning and land use management aspects, and particularly to monitor and support three metropolitan municipalities, two district municipalities, and six local municipalities in Gauteng. His achievements include the development of a policy document titled, Gauteng City Region Implementation Plan for SPLUMA, which was approved by the Provincial Cabinet Executive Council and endorsed by the Premier’s Coordinating Forum. At a previous place of employment, the uMshwathi Local Municipality, he was the author of one of the best Integrated Development Plans (IDPs), which received an award in KwaZulu-Natal.

Proudly UFS

Hay believes he was equipped with a set of values and skills to deliver services and to make a difference wherever he is. Not only through the resources and means available to him, but also with a high level of dedication to the general good of others – whether it is ordinary citizens or people who just need the very basics to uplift their livelihoods. “These basics should be forthcoming from the people’s government, which in turn implicates me among many other government employees,” he believes.

Hay says in the UFS Department of Urban and Regional Planning – from the administration team through to the lecturers and senior academics – everyone plays a role to instil a wealth of knowledge and expertise in students to understand and resolve societal problems. “It is the manner in which the course is conducted, the administrative facilitation, the steadfast pace of learning, as well as the personal attention to students, that have equipped us to later formulate solutions for everyday life challenges.”

He is convinced that these are the fundamental principles that graduates need to achieve academic excellence and make themselves employable in a competitive world.

Words that stick with Hay from his master’s classes, are those of the former Head of the Department, Prof Das Steyn, “Gain experience, build your capacity, and do something positive with the education you receive. Education is not what we teach you, it is what you do with it. Everyone gets the same degree, but some will fail with it and some will do something positive with it and make a difference”. 

Standing out

And UFS graduates distinguish themselves in the workplace.

“In my work environment, the UFS graduates I know and have worked with are dedicated, goal-orientated, and passionate about the discipline. We go the ‘extra mile’ irrespective and have been able to apply the knowledge we gained from university towards problem-solving and contributing to make society a better place for all,” says Hay.

He also believes that the university has strong leadership and dedicated staff who actively respects the country’s rich diversity, acknowledging that we are an all-inclusive society, and creating a learning atmosphere that is transformed towards democratic principles.

News Archive

CHE lifts notice of withdrawal of UFS LLB degree’s accreditation status
2017-11-16


The Council on Higher Education (CHE) has lifted the notice of withdrawal of the accreditation status of the University of the Free State’s (UFS) LLB degree. The degree is conditionally accredited with a progress report required in October 2018.

The Faculty of Law received this response to its Improvement Plan for the LLB degree from the CHE on 14 November 2017.

During 2016, a national review was conducted on all LLB programmes in order to strengthen the quality of legal education provision at all South African universities. On 30 March 2017, the Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC) approved the findings of the National Reviews Committee (NRC) with regard to the LLB programme at the UFS, and placed the qualification on a notice of withdrawal of accreditation.

The decision of the CHE this week comes after the faculty submitted the Improvement Plan during early October 2017. This plan sets out for the CHE the changes that will be effected in the LLB programme for 2018 and 2019 and provides an outline of the new LLB curriculum it intends to introduce in 2020.

“The university’s executive management is extremely pleased about the outcome and welcomes the lifting of the notice of withdrawal of accreditation status, as it comes during a critical time of the year when the new cohort of Law students is completing their Grade 12 exams. Prof Caroline Nicholson, Dean of the Faculty of Law, and her team are commended for the considerable effort put into the submission and the extensive attention that was specifically given to concerns raised by the CHE in terms of the number of credits in the degree,” says Prof Francis Petersen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS. 

“There is hard work to be done going forward in ensuring that the UFS LLB degree is the very best on offer in South Africa, but with the continued support and commitment of the staff and students in the Faculty of Law, this vision is achievable,” says Prof Nicholson.

 

Released by:
Lacea Loader (Director: Communication and Brand Management)
Telephone: +27 51 401 2584 | +27 83 645 2454
Email: news@ufs.ac.za | loaderl@ufs.ac.za
Fax: +27 51 444 6393

 

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