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29 March 2022
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Story Teli Mothabeng
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Photo Supplied
Philmon Bitso, Student Recruitment Officer, with the top-10 cohort of the class of 2021 Free State Star of Stars.
The Department of Student Recruitment Services at the University of the Free State (UFS) hosted its annual Free State Star of Stars competition at the Amanzi Private Game Reserve during the first week of March. The event saw some of the brightest young minds in the Free State inducted as UFS first-year students into this year’s top-10 cohort for the competition. This marks the first Star of Stars event since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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This new cohort consists of a dynamic group of academically gifted students from Quintile 1-3 schools in the Free State who are currently enrolled for different UFS academic programmes, ranging from Medicine, Law, Education, and various Bachelor of Science courses. Many of these students had to overcome insurmountable challenges to perform as well as they did in their Grade 12 academic year and to become part of the top-10 cohort for the class of 2021. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Student Recruitment Services was forced to take a different approach to celebrate these deserving students; consequently, a weekend-long induction camp was the substitute for the annual gala dinner.
Apply for the 2022 Free State Star of Stars competition
The UFS realised the need to establish a platform that recognises and celebrates the diverse and, in most instances, difficult circumstances that disadvantaged schools (Quintile 1-3) are facing. Consequently, the Star of Stars competition was developed and established in 2016. This competition provides disadvantaged Grade 12 learners from all districts in the Free State an opportunity to showcase their excellence, while motivating them to aspire to achieve more.
UFS Qwaqwa Campus honours research champions
2016-11-22

Best Emerging Researcher in the Faculty of
Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Dr Puseletso Mofokeng,
being congratulated by Drs Elsa Crause
(Campus Vice-Principal: Academic and Research)
and Dipane Hlalele
(Acting Campus Vice-Principal: Operations).
The Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL) and the Academic and Research Office on the Qwaqwa Campus of the University of the Free State recently honoured innovative academics and leading researchers. The event was the highlight of the 2016 academic year and was aimed at recognising academic innovation, dedication, and hard work.
The winning academics and categories were:
CTL Awards:
Dr Emile Bredenhand – Design Your Course
Dr Marga Stander and Bianca Naude (joint winners) – Student Engagement
Dr Marga Stander – Research in Teaching and Learning (runner-up: Fani Radebe)
Wouter de Wet – Assessment Methods (runner-up: Ntebohiseng Sekhele)
Ben Mase – Technology (runner-up: Dr Jared McDonald)
The History Department – Departmental Award
Outstanding researchers were also honoured per faculty on the day.
Academic and Research Awards:
The winners were:
Habasisa Molise – Best Emerging Researcher (Faculty of Education)
Calvin Mudzingiri – Best Emerging Researcher (Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences)
Dr Oliver Nyambi – Best Emerging Researcher (Faculty of the Humanities)
Dr Puseletso Mofokeng – Best Emerging Researcher (Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences)
Dr Dipane Hlalele – Prolific Researcher (Faculty of Education)
Dr Jared McDonald – Prolific Researcher (Faculty of the Humanities)
Dr Tom Ashafa – Prolific Researcher (Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences)
Prof Birhanu Dejene – Consistent Researcher
Prof Rodney Moffett – Life-long Researcher
The event also acknowledged Drs Geofrey Mukwada (Geography) and Aliza Le Roux (Zoology and Entomology) as newly-appointed Professors. The duo leads the Afromontane Research Unit.