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Episode two – featuring Bertus Jacobs

02 March 2021 | Story Dr Nitha Ramnath

Bertus_web read more — Francois van Schalkwyk, Keenan Carelse, UFS Alumni, Bertus Jacobs, UFS, University of the Free State, alumni relations, IoT.nxt.

We are pleased to host Bertus Jacobs in our second episode of the Voices of the Free State podcast series. As Chief Technology Officer at IoT.nxt. (Internet of Things), Bertus’ mind is constantly searching for new techniques, and imparting these to his team of developers. Evident from his ‘always on’ approach, Jacobs has optimised his passion for turning ideas into mainstream realities. He co-founded a successful software company, CSS Software, which saw its humble beginnings grow from Bloemfontein-based to an international-footprinted company. CSS Software is regarded as having some of the most innovative products in its market segment and was acquired by a JSE-listed group.

François van Schalkwyk and Keenan Carelse, UFS alumni leading the university’s United Kingdom Alumni Chapter, have put their voices together to produce and direct the podcast series. Intended to reconnect alumni with the university and their university experience, the podcasts will be featured on the first Monday of every month, ending in November 2021. Our featured alumni share and reflect on their experiences at the UFS, how it has shaped their lives, and relate why their ongoing association with the UFS is still relevant and important. The podcasts are authentic conversations – they provide an opportunity for the university to understand and learn about the experiences of its alumni and to celebrate the diversity and touchpoints that unite them.

Listen to the podcast:

University of the Free State · Voices from the Free State - Episode 2 Bertus Jacobs

Our podcast guest

While studying towards his BScHons (Computer Science) at the University of the Free State, Bertus developed an SDK (Software Development Kit) with low-level integration into various graphics hardware.

Bertus has researched many ways of contributing to the growing IT industry – from developing point-of-sale systems that still run today, qualifying as MCP and MCSE, engineering telematic and biometric solutions for clients (UFS was one of them). After being approached to consult in developing a solution for the government, his search for a certain hardware problem and his expertise in the IT realm resulted in his invention of a controller and the birth of the RAPTOR. Reports that took eight weeks to compile previously, are now at the fingertips of those who need it – all through data harvesting and dashboarding that combines software and hardware. The world-changing RAPTOR delivers a complete IoT solution, which has been internationally validated as being at the forefront of the emerging IoT wave. IoT.nxt was named Best Commercial and Best Overall Winner at the MTN Business M2M Awards in 2017.

Stay tuned for episode three to be released on 5 April 2021.

For further information regarding the podcast series, or to propose other alumni guests, please email us at alumnipodcast@ufs.ac.za

News Archive

UFS main campus and Vista campus students’ simultaneous graduation a first

2004-12-01

Altogether 284 students from the University of the Free State’s (UFS) main campus and the Vista campus will for the first time graduate during the same ceremony on Thursday 2 December 2004, following the incorporation of the Vista campus into the UFS in January this year.

The ceremony will mainly comprise of the graduation of students from the UFS’s Faculty of Health Sciences. Students from the Vista campus who will be graduating include those from the Faculties of Economic and Management Sciences, Humanities, Law and School of Education. One doctorate will be awarded to a student from Vista campus’ School of Education.

During the ceremony, the first group of students who completed the five-year programme for the MB ChB-course will be receiving their degrees. The last group of students who completed the six-year programme of the same course will also be receiving their degrees. The six-year programme of the MB ChB-course will be fully converted into a five-year programme as from next year.

Prof Stewart Petersen, from the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom, will receive a shield of honour from the UFS’s School of Medicine for his outstanding contribution to, and input in the medical curriculum 2000 that is used for the training of medical students in this school. Prof Petersen’s advice, ideas and recommendations have helped the School of Medicine to put together a medical programme that is currently considered one of the most innovative teaching and training programmes for medical students in South Africa. He is also involved in the Health Professions Education Programme where he acts as co-supervisor for Ph D students at the School of Medicine.

The ceremony will take place at 14:30 in the Callie Human Centre on the UFS main campus.

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel: (051) 401-2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za
1 December 2004

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