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10 February 2023 | Story Lunga Luthuli | Photo Lunga Luthuli
Gateway Amigos
Volunteer Gateway Amigos, a University of the Free State initiative to assist first-entering students during Gateway First-year Orientation and the transition to life at the institution.

The University of the Free State (UFS) will be hosting welcoming ceremonies – which include the 2023 UFS Dream Walk event – for first-year students on the Bloemfontein and South Campuses on 18 February 2023, and on the Qwaqwa Campus on 25 February 2023.  

The Dream Walk – also known as Kovsie Dream – is an annual event, with the first being hosted in 2022.  With the event, the UFS welcomes first-year students to the university community, placing an emphasis on their individual dreams and aspirations. The event is also an opportunity for new students to familiarise themselves with the university, facilities, available opportunities, and to make new friends. 

The UFS recognises the importance of helping students set and pursue their dreams, especially in their first year. During the event, students will have an opportunity to interact with university staff, as well as current students who will share their experiences of pursuing their dreams and overcoming obstacles. 

Students participating in the Dream Walk will have the chance to explore their potential, identify their passions, and by completing their dream cards, they will be able to set goals for their individual futures.

Prof Francis Petersen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor, will officially welcome students to the UFS on both days – on the Bloemfontein Campus on 18 February 2023, and on the Qwaqwa Campus on 25 February 2023.  The welcoming messages on the two campuses will be followed by a Dream Walk.  Students participating in the Dream Walk will move along the same route that students follow on the day of graduation. 

The Division of Student Affairs believes that building a strong support network is crucial for students to succeed in their academic and professional lives. By connecting with staff and seniors, first-year students will gain valuable insight into their chosen courses and receive advice on how to achieve their academic goals.

Dr WP Wahl, Director: Student Life within the Division of Student Affairs, said: “The UFS is committed to providing its students with the support and resources they need to pursue their dreams. The Rector’s Welcoming, coupled with the Dream Walk, is an exciting opportunity for first-year students to start their university journey on the right foot and to set themselves up for success.”

For more information on the Welcoming, the Dream Walk event, and the programme, please click here

News Archive

HEDSA discusses better services for students with disabilities
2010-09-30

At the gala dinner were, from the left: Anlia Pretorius, Chairperson of HEDSA and Head of the Disability Unit at the University of the Witwatersrand; Dr Blade Nzimande, Minister of Higher Education and Training; Ms Hetsie Veitch, Head of the Unit for Students with Disabilities at the UFS; and Prof. Niel Viljoen, Vice-Rector: Operations at the UFS.
Photo: Leonie Bolleurs

The first ever General Meeting of the Higher Education Disability Services Association (HEDSA) was held on the Main Campus of the University of the Free State (UFS) in Bloemfontein this week. HEDSA is a newly constituted body that represents the Disability Units from the various universities across the country.

The UFS is a member of HEDSA, which aims to work together to promote equal opportunities for students with disabilities in terms of access, participation and success in Higher Education.

The General Meeting forms part of the launching symposium with the theme: New Beginnings and New Directions. The symposium, attended by 15 higher education institutions in South Africa, served as a platform to explore innovative approaches to assist in improving services for students with disabilities.

Dr Blade Nzimande, Minister of Higher Education and Training, was one of the speakers at the gala dinner of this prestigious event. He said that there is still a lot of work to do to overcome discrimination against students as well as staff members with disabilities at higher education institutions. Minister Nzimande quoted from the Soudien report, a government-commissioned report that brought to light discrimination – especially racism and sexism – still endemic at South African universities. “Victims, in this instance referring to students and staff with disabilities, are denied the opportunity – either through a lack of access to opportunities or due to outright discrimination – to realise their full potential. In the process, the country is robbed of valuable but untapped human resources. Higher education institutions cause incalculable damage to South African society by failing to deal boldly with these issues. Where institutions have indeed taken action, the benefits to individuals, to the different social groups in the country, as well as to the institutions themselves, have been major.”

He stated that he believed that HEDSA as well as the symposium could play a vital role that would assist in this process.

Ms Hetsie Veitch, Head of the Unit for Students with Disabilities at the UFS, was elected as treasurer of this body for the following two years. Johnny Mokoka will represent the UFS in HEDSA’s National Student Organisation for Students with Disabilities that was established during the symposium this week.

Media Release
Issued by: Leonie Bolleurs
Strategic Communication
Tel: 051 401 2707
Sel: 0836455853
Email: bolleursl@ufs.ac.za  
30 September 2010

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