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17 August 2022 | Story Samkelo Fetile | Photo Charl Devenish
Gadija Brown MEC for Finance in the Free State
Gadija Brown, Free State MEC for Finance.

Students in the Department of Business Management within the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences at the University of the Free State (UFS) had the opportunity to attend guest lectures by Gadija Brown, MEC for Finance, and Makalo Mohale, MEC for Economic, Small Business Development, Tourism, and Environmental Affairs (DESTEA) in the Free State government. The guest lectures, which took place on 1 August 2022, were also attended by the Black Management Forum (BMF) Free State Chapter Chair, Mosebetsi Dladla. 

Insights from the guest lecturers

“A priority for the government was SMEs involved in agriculture, tourism, and agricultural industrialisation or manufacturing, as these were the main contributors to the Free State’s economy,” said Brown in her keynote address as she profiled the small business sector of the Free State. 
Makalo Mohale discussed the importance of establishing an enabling environment for the creation of SMEs in the province. “University students, such as the UFS students, can be active participants in the economy by creating businesses that are feasible and viable in order to reduce the unemployment rate of the country, as well as provide employment for themselves,” he said.

Prof Brownhilder Neneh, Head of the Department of Business Management, extended her gratitude to the Free State government representatives for honouring the invitation. She advocated for more interactions and partnerships between the university and provincial government to create a synergy of collaborations between government and academia.

Makalo Mohale MEC Economic, Small Business Development, Tourism, and Environmental Affairs
Makalo Mohale. Photo: Supplied. 


From sit-down exam to practical engagement

The Department of Business Management offers Small Business Management as an undergraduate programme at NQF Level 7 (16 credits) during the third year of study. The module's goal is to give students the knowledge and abilities they need to become capable and self-assured business professionals or leaders.
Dr Ekaete Benedict, Coordinator of the Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management modules, outlined that the group project is what students are assessed on, instead of a sit-down examination. 

“One of the first things I did to change the curricula of the module was to apply for it to become a continuous assessment module,” she said.  “That is, do away with the sit down and write exam component at the end of the semester, and rather test the students on practical engagement with real-life business scenarios and people throughout the duration of the semester,” she continued. 

“This is in line with best practices at the world's top universities,” Dr Benedict concluded.

News Archive

Local businesses challenged to join hands with NSH in raising funds for Mandela Day
2015-07-07

To celebrate Mandela Day, the No Student Hungry Bursary Programme (NSH) will host the first-of-its-kind “Extreme Challenge” in partnership with the Vrystaat Kunstefees/Arts Festival on the Bloemfontein Campus.  The competition will have businesses in Bloemfontein enter their staff teams to compete against other businesses, to help raise funds, and to celebrate the tradition of Mandela Day.

Date: 17 July 2015
Time: 11:00 - 16:30
Venue: Grass area at the back of the George du Toit building, Bloemfontein Campus

The NSH Extreme Challenge aims to raise awareness on food insecurity on all three of the UFS campuses. It will provide exposure for the bursary programme, and will get local businesses involved as potential long-term partners.

“The NSH Bursary Programme invests in potential, and supports academic achievers who come from challenging backgrounds,” says Vicky Simpson, co-ordinator of NSH. The NSH food bursary is awarded to students on the basis of financial need, academic excellence, and the commitment to serve the community, and has assisted more than 500 students since 2011.

The public and members of the UFS community are invited to come and support the teams and to bring non-perishable food items on the day to the George du Toit Building during the event, from 11:00 to 16:30. These donations will go towards assisting students on the NSH Bursary programme.

Registered teams:

Phatshoane Henney Attorneys
Parexel
UFS Centre for Accounting (2 Teams)
UFS Centre for Universal Access and Disability Support
UFS Institute for Reconciliation and Social Justice
UFS Protection Services
UFS Student Life (2 Teams)

Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world- Nelson Mandela

For enquiries or to register your team contact:
Vicky Simpson
simpsonvz@ufs.ac.za

 

 

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