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Create to innovate to differentiate: Virtual Expo 2021

12 May 2021 | Story Ilze Bakkes

The COVID-19 outbreak in South Africa and the subsequent national lockdown severely impacted the usual physical open day mass-marketing tactic. At the same time, it provided an opportunity for the Department of Student Recruitment Services (SRS) to be super creative and agile in promoting the UFS offerings to the target audiences.

Once a year, the UFS invites prospective learners and parents to visit our campuses for a taste of campus life. But for many interested students, especially those living remotely or abroad, a site visit is not always practical. Furthermore, the 2021 open days on the Bloemfontein and Qwaqwa Campuses were again cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2020 Virtual Open Day proved that breaking from the traditional recruitment tactics and moving into the virtual domain was not only bold and innovative, but also offered more engagement and communication opportunities with prospective students. Building on the insights and success of COVID-19 response engagements, the Department of Student Recruitment Services has once again developed an immersive virtual experience for prospective students.

Ilze Bakkes, Chief Officer: Integrated Marketing and Innovation from the Department of Student Recruitment Services, says: “We listened to the needs and wants of our prospective students and staff. Therefore, the 2021 Virtual Expo will have undergraduate, postgraduate, and international student recruitment foci, offering more and relevant information in a visual, multi-layered, and digital way.” Information is presented through videos, photos, downloadable PDF brochures, and links to marketing material and the online application platform.

A challenge during the physical open day is the lack of time to engage with faculties or that not all the information could be obtained. The Virtual Expo is live now click here and can be visited until 30 September 2021, when applications to study undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in 2022 close. The Virtual Expo offers a professional, easy-to-navigate and hassle-free digital experience of the academic, social, and cultural life at the UFS on all three campuses – in the convenience of the visitor’s own space and time. Subtexts for videos enable differently abled visitors to enjoy the content, and data-sensitive visitors can download the PDF versions of videos.

Applications to study in 2022 are already open. To apply, click here (link to online application). For important closing dates, download the UFS Undergraduate Prospectus

For information on the Virtual Expo, contact Ilze Bakkes at +27 51 401 9028 or bakkese@ufs.ac.za.

News Archive

Architecture does it again!

2009-03-27

From the left are: Prof. Jan Smit, Head of the Department of Architecture at the UFS, Wim Steenkamp, National Corobrik Architecture Student of the Year 2008, and Ms Petria Jooste-Smit, Wim's tutor and former lecturer at the department.
Photo: Stephen Collett

Architecture does it again!

A student from the Department of Architecture at the University of the Free State (UFS), Wim Steenkamp, was recently named National Corobrik Architecture Student of the Year 2008.

This is the second time in the past three years that a student from the department has won this prestigious competition.

The award, given to the best student in his/her final year of the M.Arch. (Prof) degree in South Africa, entails prize money to the value of R40 000.

“The competition was of a high standard and we are extremely proud of Wim. Seven architecture departments of universities and universities of technology took part in the competition. Students had to submit the final project that was used to obtain their professional degree. This entails the design, technical drawings, a model of a building of their choice as well as a thesis explaining the theory and approach,” said Prof. Jan Smit, Head of the Department of Architecture at the UFS.

In his project, Wim created and designed “a memorable place for the Herero culture and their history through an architectural intervention in the desert/cultural landscape”. His tutor was Ms Petria Jooste-Smit, a former lecturer at the department.

According to Prof. Smit, the department has already won this competition six times out of the 22 times it has been presented. “This once again confirms the high regard the department has in the architecture field in South Africa. It is also proof of the quality of our staff and the programmes we offer,” said Prof. Smit.

The past year was an exceptional one for the department. It received unconditional accreditation from the South African Council for the Architecture Profession (SACAP) for all three courses offered; and its students won the Tripod Photography Competition, the National Cement and Concrete Institute Competition for honours students, and the Carl and Emily Fuchs Foundation Student Prestigious Prize.

Media Release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@ufs.ac.za
26 March 2009

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