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#YouthMonth: Celebrating youth empowerment

08 June 2023 | Story Nosethu Badlezana | Photo Supplied

The University of the Free State (UFS) is celebrating Youth Month by showcasing the positive influence of the institution on career development. As part of this initiative, we are sharing the stories of UFS alumni who are now working at the university.

Nosethu Badlezana shares her UFS journey:

Q: Year of graduation from the UFS:

A: I completed my undergraduate degree in 2015 and thereafter obtained my honours in 2016.

Q: Qualification obtained from the UFS:

A: The first degree I obtained was a BA in Communication with specialisation in Media Studies and Journalism. I then made the decision to pursue my honours degree in the same field.

Q: Date of joining the UFS as a staff member:

A: In 2016, I began my internship on the Qwaqwa Campus with the Centre for Teaching and Learning’s former Curriculum Delivery and Innovation Division, which is now known as the Blended Learning Innovation Support and Services Division. The following year, upon completion of my internship, I was appointed as an Assistant Officer in the Academic Language and Literacy Development Division within the same department. Then, in 2022, I was promoted to the role of Academic Facilitator.

Q: How did the UFS prepare you for the professional world?

A: During my time as a student at the UFS, I followed a comprehensive curriculum that equipped me with essential skills to thrive in a professional setting. Through a diverse range of modules, I developed proficiencies in crucial areas, including time management, effective communication, problem-solving, critical thinking, self-management, and collaborative teamwork.

Q: What are your thoughts on transitioning from a UFS alumnus to a staff member?

A: It's a fascinating journey, one that feels like a way of giving back to the community that nurtured and shaped me. Assisting students to achieve success in higher education doesn't feel like a burden to me, as I once walked the same path as a student at this institution. The UFS has provided me with a valuable network of support and mentorship, which has been instrumental in fostering a sense of security and confidence in my chosen career path.

News Archive

DiMTEC hosts second conference on disaster risk reduction

2009-06-02

Dr Anthony Turton, the Director: TouchStone Resources (Pty) Ltd. delivered the opening address at this year’s two-day annual international conference on disaster risk reduction that was presented by the Disaster Management Training and Education Centre for Africa (DiMTEC) at the University of the Free State (UFS).

In his presentation: Sitting on the horns of a dilemma: South Africa and its strategic water supply, he said: “We have simply reached the limit of the water resources in South Africa. On the one hand, we deal with the quantity dilemma in terms of strategic water storage. South Africa and Zimbabwe counts under the top 20 countries in the world in terms of dams built. We can only build about ten more dams.”

“On the other hand, we must deal with quantity. Previous solutions are not future solutions. When water is recycled, hormones such as oestrogen do not disappear. We must become creative and do something else,” he said.

“Science can make a difference. The UFS is well placed in terms of its groundwater research. Universities must invest in the necessary technology because the testing of toxins is essential. We must work in ways to prevent toxins from re-entering the water cycle,” he said.

A number of international speakers such as Dr Fabrice Renaud, Associate Director at the United Nations University’s Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS) in Bonn, Germany, Dr Eugene Poolman, Chief Forecaster: Disaster Risk Reduction, South African Weather Service, and Prof. Rob Bragg from the Department of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology at the UFS, attended the conference, as well as attendees from 11 different countries.

At the conference were, from the left: Mr Andries Jordaan, Director: DiMTEC at the UFS; Dr Ing Jörn Birkmann, Head of Section: Vulnerability Assessment at the United Nations University’s Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS); Dr Anthony Turton, Director: TouchStone Resources (Pty) Ltd.; and Dr Fabrice Renaud, Associate Director: UNU-EHS.
Photo: Supplied

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