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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

Seminar on mediation and peacemaking in Southern Africa
2011-09-21

Our university will join universities from five other African countries at a seminar in Lusaka, Zambia, from 23 - 25 September 2011, to discuss mediation and peacemaking in Southern Africa.  The Osaka University from Japan will also be present at the seminar.

The seminar follows the conceptualisation of a programme entitled the Southern Africa Oasis of Peace Project by Prof. Hussein Solomon, Senior Professor in Political Science at our university, and Prof. Virgil Hawkins from Osaka University. The project aims to build networks between academics across the world who work in the broad field of conflict resolution and to offer good practical suggestions to policy makers on how to achieve sustainable peace in the Southern African region.
 
Prof. Solomon will deliver a paper on mediation within the context of a war, presenting the case of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), at the seminar. Senior academics from the universities of Zambia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Dar-es-Salaam, Stellenbosch and Pretoria will also deliver presentations.
 
Prof. Solomon said that amongst the envisaged outputs of the seminar are a journal and regular conferences to bring together academics and policy makers.

The Southern Africa Oasis of Peace Project is being funded by the Asia Africa Science Platform Programme and the Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science.

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