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07 December 2022 | Story Samkelo Fetile
Students from the UFS Department of Economic and Management Science
Students from the UFS Department of Economic and Management Science attend the British Council’s Innovation for African Universities (IAU) Programme.
The British Council’s Innovation for African Universities (IAU) Programme brings together universities across sub-Saharan Africa and the UK with organisations supporting sub-Saharan African ecosystems. The programme aims to grow universities’ capabilities for fostering innovation and entrepreneurship.

Supporting youth social entrepreneurship

The Supporting Youth Social Entrepreneurship (SYSE) project is part of the IAU programme, and includes 24 projects (in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa) funded through the IAU programme. The SYSE project is being delivered by the University of the Free State (UFS) Centre for Development Support, working with Challenges Ghana and Scotland’s Glasgow Caledonian University. 

Professor Deidre Van Rooyen, Associate Professor at the Centre for Development Support, said, “The programme teaches students in terms of social justice, creating change in communities, and making a difference, which all aligns with our vision as UFS.” The project trained 50 students on aspects of social entrepreneurship, and groups of five were matched with 10 NGOs.  In this way the knowledge they gained was transferred to community projects. “Ultimately, these organisations are now able to become more self-sustainable.”   

Prof Van Rooyen added that the project benefits the UFS as it also touches on the University’s three main pillars. “Teaching, research, and engaged scholarship are what the UFS aspires to do and, through that, students can gain not only theoretical knowledge but practical and soft skills to assist with social changes in society. By working with NGOs and applying social entrepreneurial principles and practice to generate measurable and meaningful outcomes, students will improve (self-) employability and social impact experiences. Students will further obtain hard social and economic skills.”

She concluded that, “If we for example have trained 40 students through the project, as well as teaching programmes in 10 NGOs, just think what type of social impact we can create within the region – touching lives of children, vulnerable people, the elderly, youth, and more.” 


The University will learn later this month whether the British Council will award further funding to the project. 

News Archive

UFS celebrates multi-campus system
2013-06-01

 

Qwaqwa Campus, Bloemfontein Campus, South Campus
Photos: Sonia Small
04 June 2013

The University of the Free State is celebrating 10 years of the multi-campus system this year.

Uniqwa – as it was known when it was still part of the University of the North, was incorporated into the UFS in 2003, becoming the Qwaqwa Campus.

Following shortly on this event, a satellite campus of the Vista University also became part of the UFS family and was renamed to the South Campus.

The multi-campus system enables the UFS to offer a comprehensive choice of study programmes. “Our multi-campus system offers greater access to higher education with the Qwaqwa Campus offering tuition in the faculties of the Humanities, Education, Economic and Management Sciences as well as Natural and Agricultural Sciences,” says Dr Choice Makhetha, Vice-Rector: External Affairs.

“On the other hand,” Dr Makhetha continues,“the South Campus strategically covers learners let down by the South African school system by offering them extended programmes that would ultimately help them enter the mainstream programmes successfully.”

The formal festivities on the Qwaqwa Campus will kick off on Friday 7 June 2013.

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