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13 December 2024 | Story Anthony Mthembu | Photo Charl Devenish
Lieutenant Colonel Dr Rifa Tshivhase
Lieutenant Colonel Dr Rifa Tshivhase, Head of the Department of Surgery at 3 Military Hospital in Bloemfontein, addressed graduates within the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of the Free State on 10 December 2024.

Momentous and joyous – these are some of the words used to describe the December 2024 graduations at the University of the Free State (UFS). In celebration of the academic achievements of its students, the UFS hosted graduation ceremonies at the Callie Human Centre on its Bloemfontein Campus from 9 to 10 December 2024.

Prof Anthea Rhoda, acting Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the UFS, encouraged the graduates to always acknowledge and recognise the significance of this achievement as they transition from being UFS students to being UFS graduates.

Undergraduate and postgraduate achievements

At least 2000 undergraduate qualifications and postgraduate qualifications were conferred. As such, there were some standout academic achievements across the sessions. For instance, Itumeleng Pooe received his Advanced Diploma in Theology cum laude, making him the only graduate in the Faculty of Theology and Religion to receive his qualification with distinction during these graduations. In addition, Dr Bobuin Jr Valey Gemandze Oben – at just 28 years old – was the youngest PhD graduate from the Faculty of Law at the graduation ceremony, which took place on the morning of 9 December 2024.

Conferring Honorary Doctorates

Some highlights from these graduations were the recipients of honorary doctorates, as well as the keynote speakers. The Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences (EMS) at the UFS conferred an honorary degree on Prof Murray Leibbrandt, Research Chair in Poverty and Inequality Research in the Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit (SALDRU) at the University of Cape Town (UCT). In addition, the Faculty of The Humanities at the UFS conferred an honorary degree on HE Bineta Diop, Special Envoy of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission on Women, Peace, and Security.

On the final day of the graduations, graduates within the Faculty of Health Sciences at the UFS were addressed by Lieutenant Colonel Dr Rifa Tshivhase, Head of the Department of Surgery at 3 Military Hospital in Bloemfontein. In her address, Lieutenant Colonel Dr Tshivhase encouraged and challenged the graduates to actively seek out good in the world.

As the December 2024 graduations concluded, several of the graduates within the Faculty of Health Sciences indicated that the most memorable moments in the session were the cheers and applause they received as they walked across the stage.

News Archive

UFS introduces a unique new module for all first-year students
2012-01-15

As from 2012, thousands of first-year students at the University of the Free State (UFS) will be attending a newly designed core curriculum module called UFS 101.

UFS 101 has been specially developed as an exciting learning experience to create a new kind of Kovsie graduate that will stand out amongst other South African graduates.

“UFS 101 will teach students to look at local and global challenges from different perspectives and engage critically with the newest thinking nationally and internationally in fields such as nanotechnology, law and history, to name only a few. Students will also learn more about themselves and confront the boundaries in their thinking,” says Dr Mallory Du Plooy, the module coordinator.
This 16-credit module is also intended to promote social cohesion amongst students. The module is compulsory for all first-time entering mainstream students registered for a first degree or diploma.

UFS 101 is also unique in the sense that no other South African university offers a similar course on a scale this big.

This module, which will be attended by about 4 000 mainstream first-year students, will be presented in the Callie Human Centre on the Bloemfontein Campus. Classes will be interactive with lecturers by means of various audio and visual resources.

UFS 101 will be launched on Monday 27 February 2012.

More information about UFS 101 is available at www.ufs.ac.za  or can also be obtained by sending an e-mail to ufs101@ufs.ac.za .
 

Issued by: Lacea Loader
Director: Strategic Communication
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