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07 March 2022 | Story Lacea Loader

On 14 March 2022, the Bloemfontein and Qwaqwa Campuses of the University of the Free State (UFS) will return to face-to-face classes as per the teaching plans for 2022. The faculties that are continuing with face-to-face classes in the first term (i.e., the Faculties of Natural and Agricultural Sciences and Health Sciences), will remain face-to-face during the week of 7 to 11 March 2022.

The decision to resume face-to-face classes follows previous communiques in February 2022 about the temporary closure of the Qwaqwa Campus due to violent protest action, and the continuation of the academic programme on the Bloemfontein Campus in a differentiated and flexible online delivery mode due to challenges experienced with disruption of classes. 
 
The return to face-to-face classes on 14 March 2022 also follows the reopening of and resumption of online classes on the Qwaqwa Campus on 28 February 2022, and the resumption of some face-to-face activity on the Qwaqwa Campus as from 7 March 2022.

As a residential institution, it is important for students to return to campus, for the academic programme to continue as planned, and for activities to return to normal.
 
Students will be informed by their respective faculties as to how the academic programme will be adapted for face-to-face classes, including instances where classes will remain online.

News Archive

Robotic telescope at Boyden Observatory
2005-08-17

Technicians from the University College Dublin in Ireland recently   installed the Watcher robotic telescope at the University of the Free State's (UFS) Boyden Observatory. 

The UFS Boyden Observatory was approached by the University College Dublin to accommodate the Watcher robotic telescope because of its good position for modern astronomical observations, its good infrastructure and because of Bloemfontein's cloudless nights
(especially in winter).

The telescope will mainly be used for observing the optical afterglow of gamma ray bursts (awe-inspiring explosions in the universe) and to search for exo planets (planets around other stars). 

The work that will be done with Watcher will closely link to one of the research directions of the UFS astro physics group that is currently observing these phenomenon with the Boyden 1.5-m telescope. 

The telescope will receive its instructions via the internet and is expected to be fully operational by November 2005. 

At the Watcher robotic telescope are from left Mr Victor Litera, electronical technician from the University College Dublin in Ireland and Dr Matie Hoffman from the Physics Department at the UFS.
 

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