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24 May 2021 | Story Xolisa Mnukwa
The 2021 Kovsie ACT Eco-vehicle race puts students’ sustainable energy and critical thinking skills to the test.

The University of the Free State (UFS) Division of Student Affairs’ (DSA) Director of Student Life, Dr WP Wahl, believes the knowledge and skills that students have gained through participating in the 2021 Eco-vehicle project will position them more optimally in the future world of work. “We are also tremendously grateful for the project funding received from merSETA; without their support, none of this would have been possible,” he remarked.

The Kovsie ACT Eco-vehicle race, in conjunction with the overall programme, was established to encourage students to learn more about the technology and logic behind sustainable energy sources and how this can influence the future global society.

This year’s events witnessed students competing according to their UFS residence teams, with Sonnedou, Legatum, Kestell (SonLeTell); Soetdoring, Beyers Naude, Arista (Soetbeyrista); and Roosmaryn, Kagiso, Karee (Kar-is-myn) ending in first, second, and third place respectively, obtaining the highest scores for the races they competed in.

Anton Calitz, Electrical Engineer in University Estates who was the announcer on the day, described the event as one that exceeded his wildest expectations. “From a sustainable energy point of view, the eco-vehicle race results really turned the tables, with lower energy usage per lap being successfully recorded – as anticipated,” he further added.

Andre van Wyk, Client Liaison Officer of merSETA (Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services Seta) for the Free State and Northern Cape – as one of the sponsors of the innovative programme – extended warm congratulations to the UFS for hosting an outstanding event. He further applauded the university for its resourcefulness in virtually adding electronic media broadcasts to extend the event to the entire UFS community.

“The Kovsie ACT Eco-vehicle programme was eye-opening and exposed me to the broad field of electronics. It definitely came as a challenge – one I had not anticipated on that level, because at times I couldn’t even see what all the building was leading to, but I just had to put my mind and hands to work – it pushed me to think critically and creatively. I was honoured to have been part of this entire experience and I’m grateful to Anton and his team, as well as the Kovsie ACT office, for being a constant support structure throughout the process, as it was not easy.” 

These were the humble words of Sinegugu Sibisi, a University of the Free State (UFS) student who was part of the 2021 Kovsie ACT Eco-vehicle race, where sustainable energy was at the order of the day.

For more information about the Kovsie ACT eco-vehicle skills programme, email ACT at ACT@ufs.ac.za
 

 

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Esteemed international Council advises the UFS
2013-03-26

 

In front, from the left are: Prof Alice Pell, Vice-Provost for International Relations, Cornell University in the USA; Prof Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the UFS; Ms Jane Evans, Director of Ntataise Early Child Development Network Support Programme in South Africa; Mr Gert Grobler, Ambassador of South Africa to Madagascar and alumnus of the UFS. At the back, from the left are: Prof Joel Samoff, Professor in African Studies, Stanford University in the USA; Prof Teuns Verschoor, Vice-Rector: Institutional Affairs of the UFS; Prof Masafumi Nagao, Project Professor at the Graduate School for Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo; and Prof Akilagpa Sawyerr, former Secretary General of the Association of African Universities (AAU), Ghana. Ms Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, former Deputy President of South Africa, was absent when the photo was taken.
Photo: Sonia Small
27 March 2013

The International Advisory Council (IAC) of the University of the Free State (UFS) is visiting the Bloemfontein and Qwaqwa Campuses this week as part of its biennial meeting with the university leadership. The Council, consisting of seven leading academics, business leaders and policy makers, are advising the leadership on how well we perform against international benchmarks in research, teaching, service and transformation. The Council also acts as advocates for the university in their own spheres of influence.


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