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UFS students achieve outstanding success in the SAICA ITC examination

18 April 2024 | Story Anthony Mthembu | Photo Supplied

Mia Pretorius, one of the accountancy graduates from the UFS Class of 2023, excelled in the SAICA ITC examination, securing the 6th position nationally.

The accountancy graduates of the University of the Free State (UFS), Class of 2023, have showcased their excellence by achieving an impressive 86% pass rate in the January 2024 Initial Test of Competence (ITC) examination administered by the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA). This achievement underscores the rigorous academic standards and dedication upheld by both the students and the esteemed faculty of the UFS School of Accountancy.

Prof Frans Prinsloo, Director of the School of Accountancy at UFS, expressed profound satisfaction at these remarkable results. He remarked, ‘’This achievement bears testament to the many hours of hard work invested over many years by the UFS School of Accountancy team and its students, and it brings us great joy.’’

Among the shining stars of this accomplishment is Mia Pretorius, a SAICA Audit Trainee at Deloitte in Cape Town and a distinguished UFS alumnus. Pretorius clinched the sixth position nationwide in the exam, surpassing over 2000 graduates across the country. Reflecting on her achievement, Pretorius conveyed her overwhelming gratitude, acknowledging the challenging nature of the examination, particularly the time constraints. She attributed her success to the comprehensive preparation received at UFS, stating, ‘’We wrote some difficult examinations during my time at UFS, so I was well prepared and found the ITC to be a bit easier than some of the exams that were written at UFS.’’

Prof Prinsloo lauded Pretorius’s success as a testament to the effectiveness of the CA programme at UFS, stating,’ Our CA programme not only enables our graduates to pass the ITC examination but, in fact, empowers them also to excel.’’

The significance of this accomplishment extends beyond individual success stories. Prof Prinsloo emphasised that the SAICA ITC examination serves as a crucial benchmark for evaluating the quality of the Chartered Accountancy (CA) programme offered at UFS. He elaborated, ‘’These results signify that the CA programme offered by the UFS not only develops our students’ technical competence in the subject areas of Financial Accounting, Auditing, Taxation and Managerial Accounting and Finance to the appropriate level but also equips them with the essential professional skills.’’

With aspirations for their students to make meaningful contributions to their respective fields and communities, Prof Prinsloo expressed hope that these accomplished students uphold ethical standards and serve as inspiration for our future students.

The achievements of the UFS accounting graduates of 2023 in the SAICA ITC examination underscore the university’s commitment to academic excellence and the holistic development of its students.

News Archive

Multilingualism and exclusion to be discussed

2007-11-27

Some of the UFS staff who will be attending the colloquium on multilinguisim and exclusion in Antwerp, Belgium are, from the left, front: Prof. Theo du Plessis and Ms Susan Lombaard; back: Prof. Johan Lubbe and Mr Roelof Geyser. All are from the Unit for Language Management.

Multilingualism and exclusion to be discussed

Five members of the University of the Free State’s (UFS) Unit for Language Management will be taking part in an international colloquium at the University of Antwerp in Belgium on the theme: “Multilingualism and exclusion – perspectives on language and society” this week.

“During this week’s colloquium, approximately twenty South African and Flemish colleagues will reflect on the complex relationships within multilingual communities, where a variety of factors can contribute to the inclusion or exclusion of individuals or communities. Some of the papers will focus on policy measures (“from above”) with regard to the relative position of languages in a particular state, and the impact of these policy measures on the lives of language users. Others will investigate perceptions and “appropriation” (“from below”) by the same language user. In view of the multiple points of departure, the colloquium should contribute towards a better understanding of the dynamics within multilingual communities,” said Prof. Theo du Plessis, Director of the Unit for Language Management at the UFS.

“To give expression to the theme of multilingualism and exclusion, lectures will be presented in three languages, namely Afrikaans, English and Dutch. Several postgraduate students (from South Africa and Flanders) will also have an opportunity to report on investigations they are conducting within the framework of their master’s degree and doctoral studies,” said Prof. Du Plessis.

The colloquium is a follow-up of an international symposium held at the UFS during April 2006 in which a considerable number of outstanding scholars from various countries participated.

According to Prof. Du Plessis, the proceedings of the symposium held last year will be released in book form as part of the unit’s publication series “Studies in Language Policy in South Africa”, published by Van Schaik Publishers.

This sixth issue in the series entitled: “Multilingualism and Exclusion. Policy, Practice, Prospects” will be released tonight (26 November 2007) by the Permanent Deputy of the Province of Antwerp at a prestigious event during the colloquium. The issue was edited by Prof. Du Plessis, Prof. Pol Cuvelier (University of Antwerp), Dr Michael Meeuwis (University of Ghent) and Ms Lut Teck (Institute for Higher Education and the Arts in Brussels).

The UFS will be represented by Prof. Du Plessis, Prof. Johan Lubbe, Ms Susan Lombaard and Mr Roelof Geyser of the Unit for Language Management, as well as Prof. Jackie Naudé of the Department of Afro-Asiatic Studies, Sign Language and Language Practice. Representatives from the universities of Pretoria, Johannesburg, North West and the Monash University in Johannesburg will also be participating in the colloquium.

Media Release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@ufs.ac.za
26 November 2007

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