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12 September 2022 | Story Valentino Ndaba | Photo UFS Photo Gallery
UFS Protection Services
The science of safety reinforces practical and collaborative efforts aimed at creating a secure campus environment.

While we might not have it down to a science just yet, safety is something that the University of the Free State (UFS) is constantly working towards improving. As it stands, various preventative measures exist across our three campuses. They say “Prevention is better than cure” – and that is exactly what the science of safety is all about.

What is the university doing to prevent crime? 

There are a few measures put in place by the Department of Protection Services, as its core mandate involves working around the clock to address the state of safety and security for staff and students. Some of these measures include:
• CCTV cameras monitoring campuses on a 24/7 basis.
• Panic buttons mounted on red poles which are fitted with cameras linked to the Control Room.
• Daily visible vehicle and foot patrols conducted by security personnel. 
• Security infrastructure such as turnstiles and surveillance cameras installed on all residence entrances.
• Security officers deployed around residences at night.
• Closely collaborating with Housing and Residence Affairs to find ways of creating, maintaining, and improving off-campus student safety.
• Investigating Officer on a 24/7 standby who is in direct contact with the South African Police Service (SAPS) Investigation Unit.
• Security and SAPS vehicles deployed at identified hotspots.
• Security patrols by contracted armed response security companies conducted in areas such as Brandwag, Willows, and Universitas in Bloemfontein, and surrounding areas at the Qwaqwa and South Campuses.

Safety is a shared responsibility

“In as much as Protection Services has duties and responsibilities in ensuring the safety of staff and students, the UFS community also needs to support and provide assistance to the department,” said Cobus van Jaarsveld, the department’s Section Head: Threat Detection, Investigations, and Liaison. 

You can play a role in ensuring that the UFS becomes an increasingly safe environment by:

• Immediately reporting any suspicious activity, item, person, or vehicle to the Department of Protection Services. 
• Acting responsibly to minimise your vulnerability to criminal activities.
• Familiarising yourself and complying with the UFS Security Policy, Protest Management Policy, and other security guidelines, standards, procedures, and protocols. 
• Following instructions issued by an authorised person for safety and security reasons.
• Cooperating with investigation processes that are in the interest of justice.
• Treating university property with the utmost care and avoiding exposing it to criminal activities, as well as reporting such activities. 

Creating a safe space for all

From identifying safety needs to tackling security issues head-on, the Department of Protection Services strives to reduce the risk of all kinds of crimes through the science of safety. The department continuously responds to the call to serve and protect in the following ways:

• Identifying and assessing risks and threats that have an impact on the safety and security of the UFS staff, students, and property.
• Enforcing access control.
• Investigating any reported incidents, providing investigation reports, and also issuing early-warning reports.
• Responding to emergencies reported on campuses. 
• Advising UFS management on all aspects of security.
• Initiating programmes and projects to enhance security awareness among UFS staff, students, visitors, and contractors.
• Providing support to students living in off-campus residences through contracted armed response that responds to emergencies and conducts patrols.
• Arranging counselling for victims of crime where necessary.
• Coordinating security services for on-campus events to ensure a safe and secure environment.

Contact Protection Services:
Bloemfontein Campus: +27 51 401 2911 or  +27 51 401 2634
Qwaqwa Campus: + 27 58 718 5460

News Archive

Mathematical methods used to detect and classify breast cancer masses
2016-08-10

Description: Breast lesions Tags: Breast lesions

Examples of Acho’s breast mass
segmentation identification

Breast cancer is the leading cause of female mortality in developing countries. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the low survival rates in developing countries are mainly due to the lack of early detection and adequate diagnosis programs.

Seeing the picture more clearly

Susan Acho from the University of the Free State’s Department of Medical Physics, breast cancer research focuses on using mathematical methods to delineate and classify breast masses. Advancements in medical research have led to remarkable progress in breast cancer detection, however, according to Acho, the methods of diagnosis currently available commercially, lack a detailed finesse in accurately identifying the boundaries of breast mass lesions.

Inspiration drawn from pioneer

Drawing inspiration from the Mammography Computer Aided Diagnosis Development and Implementation (CAADI) project, which was the brainchild Prof William Rae, Head of the department of Medical Physics, Acho’s MMedSc thesis titled ‘Segmentation and Quantitative Characterisation of Breast Masses Imaged using Digital Mammography’ investigates classical segmentation algorithms, texture features and classification of breast masses in mammography. It is a rare research topic in South Africa.

 Characterisation of breast masses, involves delineating and analysing the breast mass region on a mammogram in order to determine its shape, margin and texture composition. Computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) program detects the outline of the mass lesion, and uses this information together with its texture features to determine the clinical traits of the mass. CAD programs mark suspicious areas for second look or areas on a mammogram that the radiologist might have overlooked. It can act as an independent double reader of a mammogram in institutions where there is a shortage of trained mammogram readers. 

Light at the end of the tunnel

Breast cancer is one of the most common malignancies among females in South Africa. “The challenge is being able to apply these mathematical methods in the medical field to help find solutions to specific medical problems, and that’s what I hope my research will do,” she says.

By using mathematics, physics and digital imaging to understand breast masses on mammograms, her research bridges the gap between these fields to provide algorithms which are applicable in medical image interpretation.

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