Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
Previous Archive
08 July 2021 | Story Rulanzen Martin | Photo Supplied
For Prof Anthea van Jaarsveld, the balance between science, theoretical and practical experience is important for a balanced industry.

Her unique approach to Drama and Theatre Arts makes Prof Anthea van Jaarsveld the most suitable person to take over the reins as Head of the UFS Department of Drama and Theatre Arts. Prof Van Jaarsveld was officially appointed as head of this special department this year. 

The Department of Drama at the UFS is one of the biggest in the country, and according to Prof Van Jaarsveld it is also the best, because the department produces some of the finest in the industry. Her main goal as head of department is to bring about a subtle change in emphasis that will ultimately make a real contribution to employability, a greater variety of job opportunities, and practice-orientated research. “My ultimate goal is therefore an approach within which academy and practice will find each other for the benefit of both,” says Prof Van Jaarsveld.

Science, theatre and drama collide 

Prof Van Jaarsveld has a scientific approach to drama and theatre arts. She never acted professionally. It is precisely from a scientific perspective that her knowledge of the theorising and contextualisation of drama text, theatre concepts, and the film industry is applied in order to maintain a balance in a profession where the emphasis on practical experience is overwhelming.  

She studied Drama at the UFS and was also employed as Drama teacher at Eunice Girls’ School. Following this, she started working as lecturer in the Department of Afrikaans and Dutch. “There I focused on the Drama genre in Afrikaans; therefore, I never actually left drama and theatre,” says Prof Van Jaarsveld. In 2018, she returned to the Department of Drama. 

Upon her return to the department where she started her studies, her aim is to ensure that the department again complies with the total package of the UFS and to make sure “that our students are prepared for a multifaceted and dynamic industry on a practical level”. 

Prof Van Jaarsveld took over from Prof Nico Luwes who retired in 2019. 

News Archive

UFS Department of Architecture Building receives SAIA Award
2014-08-21

 
The South African Institute of Architects (SAIA) conferred a national merit award on renovations and additions to the DHET UFS Department of Architecture Building. The UFS is very proud of this award.

The building, which was completed in 2012, was designed by Typology Architects' director, Henry Pretorius. Pretorius is also the Head of the Department of Architecture at the UFS.

“The merit award by the South African Institute of Architects, which was presented on 1 August 2014 at the International 2014 UIA congress (held for the first time in South Africa), is a great honour. Not only does the award recognise my work as an architect, it also brings back a certain degree of pride to the Free State and especially the UFS’s Department of Architecture,” says Pretorius.

The SAIA Awards Programme runs over two years to coincide with the presidential term of office, starting with the Regional Awards for Architecture during the preceding year.

A total of forty-nine (49) entries for varying buildings were received from the regions. The project range included residential projects, new public buildings, restoration of heritage projects and an academic research project.

From these submissions, fourteen (14) projects received merit awards, of which eight (8) projects received excellence awards.

The adjudication panel comprised:
• Sandile Ngonyama: SAIA President
• Paul Kotze: Architect, planner and academic from WITS
• Malcolm Campbell: Architect from ACG Architects in Cape Town
• Annemarie Meintjies: Deputy editor of VISI magazine, representing a prominent member of the public
• Peter Kidger: representative of Corobrik, sponsor of the awards. 

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