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17 February 2022 | Story Lacea Loader | Photo Sonia Small (Kaleidoscope Studios)
Dr Engela van Staden
Dr Engela van Staden, Vice Rector: Academic

The University of the Free State (UFS) has finalised the first part of the Council on Higher Education (CHE) Institutional Audit (IA), submitting its Institutional Self-Evaluation Report (SER) and Portfolio of Evidence (PoE) to the higher education quality assurance body. 

According to Dr Engela van Staden, Vice-Rector: Academic, the second part of the institutional audit will involve the participation of relevant stakeholders in a site visit to the institution. During the visit, scheduled between 9 and 13 May 2022, an external panel of experts will systematically assess the submitted SER and requisite documents by asking inquisitive questions to interviewees who will be participating in this process.  

“The focus will be on the quality of programme offerings with a view to improving student success in all spheres of the student walk – from registration to graduation. To this end, the university’s Integrated Quality Management Framework (IQMF) will be assessed in order to provide evidence that quality assurance is ingrained in the core functions of the UFS, i.e., student success; quality of teaching and research; and engaged scholarship.”

Dr Van Staden says by re-introducing the SER, the university will embark on a stakeholder engagement plan, engaging with staff in faculties, service units, directorates, centres, departments, or schools, to keep them informed and prepared for a productive contribution to the Institutional Audit process. 

- The CHE is an independent statutory body established in terms of the provisions of the Higher Education Act No. 101 of 1997, as amended. It advises the Minister responsible for Higher Education and Training and is the national authority for quality assurance and promotion in higher education.

News Archive

These boots are made for walking ... to Cape Town
2014-04-24

On Thursday 1 May 2014, four pairs of feet gave their first stride on a journey that will last for 33 days and stretch over 1 000 kilometres.

These feet belong to four very brave volunteers who will walk all the way to the Cape in order to highlight the problem of food insecurity among students.

Adéle van Aswegen and Ntokozo Nkabinde from the University of the Free State (UFS), together with Ronél Warner and Nico Piedt, both from Bloemfontein, are undertaking this hike as part of a fund-raising effort for the UFS’s No Student Hungry bursary (NSH bursary).

The NSH bursary, established in 2011 by Prof Jonathan Jansen, the UFS’s Vice-Chancellor and Rector, and Rudi Buys, Dean of Student Affairs, is aimed at alleviating food insecurity among students at the UFS.

The food bursary is awarded on the grounds of financial need, good academic performance, active participation in student-life programmes and a commitment to community service.

“The NSH bursary of about R30 per student forms only a small part of a student’s day, but it makes a huge difference in their lives,” says Vicky Simpson, coordinator of this programme offering assistance to more than 100 students.

You can follow our hikers’ progress on Twitter by using the #NSHstride. We will also keep you updated on Facebook and our website.

Meanwhile, everyone is invited to show their support for the hikers in a fun way. Take a picture of your foot (or feet), tweet the photo with #NSHstride @UFSweb or post it on your Facebook page and challenge all your friends to do the same.

Daily updates:
(You can also follow us on @UFSweb for daily tweets)

Day 14: 14 May 2014
18:33
43 km
Joalani Guest Farm

Day 13: 13 May 2014
17:30
33 km
Die Rondawels

Day 12: 12 May 2014
16:49
40 km
Aandrus B&B in Richmond

Day 11: 11 May 2014
39 km
Wortelfontein (Magdel and Christiaan)

Day 10: 10 May 2014
15:44
34 km
Hanover Lodge

Day 9: 09 May 2014
40.8 km
Camping between Colesberg and Hanover

Day 8: 08 May 2014
15:25
33.7 km
Colesberg, The Lighthouse Guesthouse

Day 7: 07 May 2014

15:08
23 km
Orange River Lodge

Day 6: 06 May 2014
15:57

51.06 km
Gariep Forever Resort

Day 5: 05 May 2014
12:18
28 km
Rondefontein

Day 4: 04 May 2014
15:27

35 km
Trompsburg: Fox Den

Day 3: 03 May 2014
17:30
46.74 km
Edenburg Country Lodge (Hotel)

Day 2: 02 May 2014
11:44 am
15.3 km
Tom's Place

Day 1: 01 May 2014
32 km
Leeuwberg

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