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Preliminary opening of commuter lounge on UFS Qwaqwa Campus

05 August 2024 | Story Precious Shamase | Photo Yonela Vimba

commuter lounge Qwaqwa Campus — The new commuter lounge is designed to provide off-campus students with a comfortable and conducive environment for studying, socialising, and relaxation.

The University of the Free State (UFS) Qwaqwa Campus recently celebrated a significant milestone with the preliminary opening of its new commuter lounge. This dedicated space is designed to provide off-campus students with a comfortable and conducive environment for study, socialising, and relaxation.

A diverse crowd gathered to witness the historic event, including university staff and students from the off-campus community.

In his opening remarks, Vice-Principal: Support Services, Teboho Manchu, expressed his enthusiasm for the project. He highlighted the challenges previously faced by off-campus students who lacked adequate study spaces on campus. The new commuter lounge addresses this issue by offering a welcoming environment where students can connect, collaborate, and engage in intellectual discourse.

Quintin Koetaan, Senior Director: Housing and Residence Affairs, shared insights into the journey of bringing the lounge to fruition. He emphasised the collaborative efforts of various stakeholders and expressed gratitude to Coke for its generous sponsorship through the Alumni Office. The lounge also features a laundry facility, a valuable addition for students residing off campus. “Sitting here today really gives me goosebumps, because it is a dream come true for quite a number of people. This student lounge reflects an identity of what it is to be a Kovsie. It reflects us as the university, which is underpinned by the principles of diversity and accessibility. We want to give every one of our students access to a facility they can feel proud of, a facility where intellectual engagement can happen outside of class. This is a dream in terms of Vision 130, which demands of us to create these kinds of spaces that allow for positive interaction to encourage academic success,” expounded Koetaan.

A member of the Student Representative Council (SRC), Potela Zimvo, expressed the SRC’s appreciation for the new facility. He emphasised that the commuter lounge symbolises the university's commitment to inclusivity and support for all students, regardless of their residence status. The lounge is expected to foster a strong sense of community among commuter students and provide a much-needed space for social interaction and academic engagement. “To the university and campus management, thank you for recognising this initiative and providing the necessary resources. We hope that this place will become a central hub for our commuter students and that it will establish a sense of belonging for them. We appreciate the fact that this commuter lounge is equipped with laundry facilities, which will be helpful to our commuter students amid the water and electricity crisis that the Qwaqwa community faces,” said Zimvo.

The official opening ceremony of the commuter lounge is scheduled for later in the year, when it will be officially opened by the Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of the Free State, Prof Francis Petersen. However, the university has decided to make the facility available to students immediately to allow them to benefit from the amenities.

This new commuter lounge is a testament to the university's dedication to creating an inclusive and supportive campus environment for all students. It is a space where students can thrive academically and socially, contributing to their overall university experience.

News Archive

B. Iur. programme in Occupational Risk Law first of its kind in the country

2010-11-26

The University of the Free State (UFS) will offer a B.Iur. degree programme in Occupational Risk Law from 2011.

This programme of the Faculty of Law is the first of its kind to be offered in South Africa and positions the UFS in the forefront of this field of study.

The programme is designed to develop and qualify professionals, knowledgeable in the field of occupational risk law as prescribed by South African legislation and international best practices. It further offers a qualification based on a well-researched basis of applicable legal principles, combined with safety, health, environmental and quality risk management principles applicable to employers and employees in a specialised industry.

The B.Iur. (Occupational Risk Law) has been developed by experts within the parameters of international comparability, according to research-based identification of career demands and requirements in the fields mentioned.

By introducing this programmesignificant progress will be made towards achieving the nationally stated objective of legal safety, health and environmental quality assurance in the workplace and within the broader community. The programme will also encompass the values and standards prescribed by the Institute of Safety Managers. This will provide them with a further step towards the regulation of the professional en ethical standards in the field of legal safety, health and environmental quality assurance.

With the programme, the UFS not only creates a unique opportunity for stakeholders and learners to add meaningful value to their careers, but also exerts a meaningful influence on the industry and society in terms of the acquisition of a most appropriate type of qualification. The B.Iur. (Occupational Risk Law)degree therefore offers a meaningful contribution towards the industry through addressing the increasing demand for career opportunities in the field of legal safety, health and environmental quality compliance.

The new programme is the result of an agreement between the faculty and its partner, IRCA Global. The university officially launched its partnership with IRCA Global, an international supplier of risk management solutions pertaining to safety, health, the environment and quality in 2008. As part of the agreement, the UFS will offer short learning programme, a diploma and a degree in Risk Management.

IRCA Global is a South African company in the international risk control and SHEQ environments with filials in Africa, Australia, India, Eastern Europe, and South America.

In the interim IRCA Global has continued with the marketing of the programme, with the result that hundreds of potential students are waiting for the launching of the programme. The faculty is geared towards offering the programme in e-learning. New modules will also be offered with the help of IRCA’s trained and skilled facilitators. The faculty also utilises the partnerships entered into with IRCA to appoint practising specialists as part-time lecturers for the occupational risk law component of the programme as well as to develop a new specialist component amongst the permanent staff.

The programme is already active and students can register for the first semester 2011 (study code 3324, programme code M3000). Direct your enquiries to Cora-Mari de Vos at 051 401 3532 or devosc@ufs.ac.za.

The programme consists of fundamental modules of the LL.B. and B.Iur., as well as short learning programmes in the Faculty of Law and specially developed core modules in occupational risk law. The B.Iur.in Occupational Risk Law enables successful candidates to enrol for applicable Post Graduate Diplomas or a cognate Honours Degree. Obtaining one of these qualifications provides the platform to articulate to Magister degrees. Horizontal articulation possibilities exist with the accredited Baccalaureus of Law (LL.B.) which is presented by several institutions in the country.

Media Release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Director: Strategic Communication (actg)
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl@ufs.ac.za
26 November 2010

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