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2023: the year of starting our new future

03 March 2023 | Story Nonsindiso Qwabe | Photo Stephen Collett

Prof Francis Petersen_ UFS Official Opening 2023 — Prof Francis Petersen outlined the strategic intent of Vision 130 during his official welcoming address.

The trajectory to 2034, when the university turns 130, is not a dream, but an exciting journey that we are working towards achieving. Painting a picture of the university of the future, UFS Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Francis Petersen, welcomed staff in his official opening speech on the Bloemfontein Campus on Friday 17 February 2023.

2023 marks the starting point of Vision 130, a vision with bold ambitions that will lead us to the renewal, re-imagining, and repositioning of the UFS in 2034, Prof Petersen said. “We are building on our strengths, achievements, and learnings of our past and, in particular, the past five years. The vision is driven by excellence, and we won’t compromise excellence. It is about excellence, but it is also about visibility as an institution, and it is about impact.”

What does the UFS look like in 2034?

Prof Petersen said ours will be a university of choice for exceptional students, exceptional academics, and exceptional support staff. We will be recognised and acknowledged by peers and society as a top-tier university in South Africa, specifically among the top five universities in South Africa and the top 600 globally.

“Remember, I said we have built on the past, specifically the past five years, to give us a foundation. Still, we need to use that foundation to be able to deliver those specific goals or activities or deliverables that we want to achieve. We will have to start now if we want to achieve this in 2034.”

The Rector outlined four goals towards achieving these commitments:

• Improving academic excellence, improving our reputation, and improving our impact.

• Promoting an environment of agility, flexibility, and responsiveness.

• Advancing a transformational institutional culture that demonstrates the values of the University of the Free State – a place where ideas are discussed, contested, improved, and implemented in a culture of civil, robust engagement.

• Promoting stewardship and the prioritisation of institutional resources for strategic intent, which include our people, our staff, and our students.

Understand how your space is connected to Vision 130

“This is about creating a culture of delivery and empowering everyone within the University of the Free State and the UFS community to contribute to the realisation of Vision 130. This is what I am asking of you within your own sphere of operation. I am asking for a renewed commitment from you to own that space that you operate in. To understand how your space is connected to Vision 130 and to share what I would call an unrelenting ambition to deliver on this vision.”

Watch recording of the 2023 Official Opening below:

News Archive

First-year students encouraged to attend UFS welcoming function

2006-01-12

The University of the Free State (UFS) will host a welcoming function for all new first-year students and their parents on Saturday 14 January 2006 in the Callie Human Centre on the Main Campus in Bloemfontein.

The function starts at 11:00 and will be addressed by the Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS, Prof Frederick Fourie. UFS staff will also be available to provide vital information to first-year students on academic matters.

According to Mr Vernon Collett, Registrar: Academic Student Services at the UFS, Saturday’s welcoming function can assist students and parents by providing vital information on the many high quality academic learning programmes on offer at the UFS in six faculties.

“If students and parents have this information it will make the registration process, which starts next week Tuesday 17 January 2006, much smoother,” Mr Collett said.

The UFS has split the registration process into various categories of students and Mr Collett appealed to all students to adhere to the dates and times which apply to them as a one-stop service will be available so as to avoid unnecessary delays in the registration process.

The registration of first-time entering first-year students who applied before 30 November 2005 to study at the Bloemfontein Campus will take place from Tuesday 17 January 2006 at the Callie Human Centre.

Senior undergraduate students (that is, students entering their second or later year of study) may register from 23 January 2006.

Postgraduate students, first-time entering first-year students and other students who applied for admission to the main campus after 30 November 2005 must register at the Callie Human from 2 February 2006.

Late applications will be accepted until Wednesday 25 January 2006 at the Information Centre on the Main Campus’ Thakaneng Bridge. These applications will be regarded as pending and will be processed as places become available on the programme the student has applied for,” said Mr Collett.

Vista Campus:
The Vista Campus in Bloemfontein – which was incorporated into the UFS in January 2004 – no longer accepts applications from first-year students. Such prospective students had to apply to the UFS Main Campus. Students who had been registered on the Vista campus last year must register at the Vista Campus on the same dates as applicable on the Main Campus.

Qwaqwa Campus:
At the Qwaqwa Campus of the UFS, all first-time entering first-year students must report on Thursday 19 January 2006, after which the registration of these students will take place according to a specific programme. The official welcoming functioning for new first-years at the Qwaqwa campus of the UFS will take place on Saturday 11 February 2006 at 08:00 in the Rolihlahla Mandela Hall on the Qwaqwa Campus.

Mr Collett appealed to first-year students who have applied to study at the Qwaqwa Campus and their parents to attend this function which fulfils the same role as the one held on the Bloemfontein Main Campus.

Detailed information on the dates and times of registration for the various faculties and academic learning programmes is available on the UFS website at www.uovs.ac.za. Prospective students may also call the Main Campus in Bloemfontein on (051) 401-3000 or the Qwaqwa Campus on (058) 718-5000 for more information.

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel: (051) 401-2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za
10 January 2006

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