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UFS welcomes new Director for Academy for Multilingualism

02 March 2022 | Story Nonkululeko Nxumalo | Photo Charl Devenish

The University of the Free State (UFS) welcomes Dr Nomalungelo Ngubane as the new Director of the Academy for Multilingualism. This follows her previous role as Senior Lecturer and Module Lead for Academic Literacy and Reasoning at the Nelson Mandela University Medical School.

With the academy established in 2021, Dr Ngubane’s main priority is to continue to promote multilingualism through various academic and community-based projects and initiatives, with particular emphasis on Sesotho, Afrikaans, and isiZulu.

Dr Ngubane’s role at the UFS

“My role is to drive my team towards achieving the mandate set out by the academy,” she said. Other responsibilities include, “managing the development and implementation of multilingualism at the UFS through strategic projects and initiatives by collaborating with various university role players throughout all three campuses”, she explained.

A long-term vision for multilingualism at the UFS

Dr Ngubane expressed positivity when asked about her long-term vision for multilingualism at the UFS. “I would like to see the academy as a hub for the advancement and development of indigenous languages, not only at an institutional level, but at a national and global level," she stated. She also said that all students have the right to learn in the language they feel comfortable in. “If we can afford them that opportunity, it will promote good performance and, in a way, achieve social justice for those students,” she expressed. Furthermore, Dr Ngubane aims to provide equal status to all languages in our constitution, socially and academically. With that said, she also believes in promoting proficiency in English. "English remains the most widely spoken language in the world. We need to create that balance as much as possible while still promoting our indigenous languages," she stressed. Dr Ngubane envisions the academy as a leader for research on multilingualism and seeks to attract partnerships with national and international institutions. “We strive to establish a partnership with them through symposiums – and with those universities that have walked a mile in the implementation of multilingualism; we want to learn from them as well and share our own experiences. Financially, we're also pushing towards attracting funding to promote our mandate.”

What to look out for

The academy has a number of initiatives, such as the Kovsies Multilingual Mokete and the Initiative for Creative African Narratives (iCAN), which are used to promote multilingualism. “We will also be reviewing the UFS Language Policy to determine if we have any gaps in what we promised to implement.” In addition, “the university is constantly working on a multilingual glossary, where we work closely with several faculties to translate difficult terminology into indigenous languages for different subjects so students can understand complex concepts. This promotes access to knowledge and improves student excellence, especially for those from English second language backgrounds. We're also in close collaboration with the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL) to implement trans-language tutorials across various disciplines”, she emphasised.

When asked how she would like to be viewed by the UFS community, she responded, “I would like to be viewed as a transformational leader, a team player, and a driving force of multilingualism.”

News Archive

UFS student makes breakthrough in the application of nanorobots

2005-04-21

A student from the University of the Free State (UFS) has made a ground-breaking discovery in the field of microbiology by uncovering a series of new compounds that may in future be used to lubricate man-made nanorobots.

Mr Olihile Sebolai, a full-time student at the UFS’s Department of Microbial- Biochemical and Food Biotechnology, made this discovery while working on his M Sc-study on yeast.

With this discovery Mr Sebolai will also be awarded six prestigious prizes during this week’s autumn graduation ceremony at the UFS. This university has recognised this exceptional achievement as a build-up to the celebration of national Science and Technology week next month.

Mr Sebolai’s dissertation on the yeast genus Saccharomycopsis Schionning has been published in an accredited international journal of repute.

“Words cannot describe how excited I am. I never expected to receive such recognition for my studies. I am humbled by all of this,” said Mr Sebolai.

The Lipid Biotechnology Group at the UFS recently discovered that some yeasts produce their own water-propelled capsules in which they are transported. These capsules have different shapes and resemble among others miniature flying saucers, hats with razor sharp brims etc. “In order to function properly, parts of the capsules are oiled with prehistoric lubricants – lubricants that are produced by yeasts and that probably existed for many millions of years as yeasts developed,” said Mr Sebolai.

According to Mr Sebolai these capsules are so small that approximately 300 can be fitted into the full-stop at the end of a sentence and are therefore invisible to the naked eye.

“With my studies I discovered many new compounds that resemble these prehistoric lubricants. These lubricants may in future be used to lubricate man-made nanorobots and are similar in size compared to yeast capsules,” said Mr Sebolai. The nanorobots are used to perform tasks in places that are invisible to the naked eye and could one day be used, among others, to clean up human arteries.

Mr Sebolai has been interested in the subject of Micro technology since he was at RT Mokgopa High School in Thaba ‘Nchu. “I was specifically interested in the many possible applications the subject has – in the industry, as well as in medicine,” said Mr Sebolai.

His next goal is to successfully complete his Ph D-degree.

The prizes that will be awarded to Mr Sebolai this week include:

Best Magister student at the UFS (Senate medal and prize);

Best Magister student in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Science and Dean’s medal at the same faculty;

The Andries Brink – Sasol-prize for the best M Sc dissertation in Microbiology;

The JP van der Walt prize for best M Sc dissertation in yeast science;

The Chris Small prize for an outstanding Master’s dissertation; and

Honorary colours awarded by the UFS Student Representative Council

Media release

Issued by: Lacea Loader

Media Representative

Tel: (051) 401-2584

Cell: 083 645 2454

E-mail: loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za

20 April 2005

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