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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

Children with diabetes learn from each other
2012-05-08

 

Young diabetes patients.
Photo: Supplied
8 May 2012


Children with diabetes often think they are the only ones who live with this condition. For this reason, the Department of Pediatrics and Child Health from the UFS, in cooperation with our Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, annually offers a camping weekend in Bloemfontein for young diabetic patients.

This fun-filled yet informative weekend was held at Emoya Estate in Bloemfontein recently. This is the fourth year that it has been held. During the weekend, the children learnt how to be a “child” along with other children.

“Children with diabetes have many emotional issues that they must work through,” says Dr Ute Hallbauer of the Department of Pediatrics and Child Health.

 “Diabetes is a daily challenge for these children. During the camp, we try to make the children feel special and teach them how to take care of themselves.”

Twenty-six children between the ages of 9 and 14, who receive treatment in the public and private sector, attended the camp this year.

Dr Hallbauer says children as young as 12 months and even younger can be diagnosed with diabetes.

“They usually have Type I diabetes. This autoimmune disease destroys insulin producing cells in the pancreas. Thus the young children are insulin dependent and they have to, depending on their treatment, inject themselves daily. They must also test their blood sugar levels daily.”
 

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