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Campus tours help first-time UFS students become familiar with their new academic home

08 February 2024 | Story Lunga Luthuli | Photo SUPPLIED

Student Campus Tour — The UFS Division of Student Affairs is helping first-time students get their bearings by offering campus tours on the Bloemfontein, South, and Qwaqwa campuses.

The University of the Free State’s (UFS’s) Division of Student Affairs is ready to welcome 2024’s first-time entering students (FTENS) for the new academic year with an engaging campus tour.

These tours will take place on the Bloemfontein and South Campuses from 5 to 8 February starting at 12:00, and on the Qwaqwa Campus from 12 to 15 February, with one tour daily, from 14:00. Students must note that the 5 to 8 February schedule aligns with specific colleges each day, which means you should attend on the day specified below for students from your college.

The comprehensive tour route covers vital campus locations, including Protection Services, the Administration buildings, examination venues, Kovsie Health, Student Counselling and Development, Arts and Culture, Callie Human, HMS, Main Building, and many more. The itinerary helps students become familiar with significant facilities on the three UFS campuses.

The Division of Student Affairs aims to make the campus tours even more inclusive by allowing commuter students and late registrants to join a later group of tours, on 12 and 14 February on the Bloemfontein Campus.

Campus Tours

ROUTE:

Main locations:

Bloemfontein Campus:

Meet at the Kovsie Village (i.e. the tent next to the EXR registration venue)-> Protection Services (Stopping Point) -> George du Toit -> EXR -> Kovsie Health; SCD; Food Environment Office; Arts and Culture -> Callie Human -> HMS -> Main Building -> ECLA Lab -> Vishuis -> 24-hour study labs -> Stabilis -> Bridge (Bank; Van Schaik) -> FGG -> EBW -> Landbou; Visitors Gate-> Kopanong; Genmin Lectorium -> Computer Lab -> Mabaleng Auditorium -> Winkie Direko (Fundza Offices) -> Ned Education Building -> Modlec; Konica Minolta -> Library (organise in faculty).

South Campus Tour:

Dates: 6 and 8 February 2024

Time: 12:00

Starting point: Amphitheatre (Outside the cafeteria)

Qwaqwa Campus Tour:

Date: 12 February 2024

Time: 14:00 (Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences)

Assembly point: Amphitheatre

Date: 13 February 2024

First time slot: 14:00 (Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences)

Assembly point: Amphitheatre

Date: 14 February 2024

First time slot: 14:00 (Faculty of Education)

Assembly point: Amphitheatre

Date: 15 February 2024

First time slot: 14:00 (Faculty of the Humanities)

Assembly point: Amphitheatre

Qwaqwa Off Campus Tour

Date: 18 February 2024

Time: 08:00

Assembly point: Amphitheatre

To register for the campus tours, please click here.

News Archive

Implications of new Language Policy for first-year students in 2017

2016-10-17

Dear Prospective Students and Parents/Guardians

As we have communicated to you since January 2016, the University of the Free State’s (UFS) parallel-medium (Afrikaans-English) Language Policy was under review during 2015. In March 2016, the Senate and then Council adopted with overwhelming majority a new Language Policy that strives to achieve multilingualism. The new policy entails English as primary medium of instruction, but with the introduction of a tutorial system in Afrikaans and progressively in Sesotho to support students’ learning in their first and second year of study.

The policy will be piloted in 2017 with first-year students in three faculties: Law, Health Sciences, and the Humanities. In these faculties, the majority of students indicated their preference to be taught in English. The Afrikaans-English policy will be maintained in the rest of the faculties in 2017 and phased out according to an implementation plan as from 2018. Current registered students will be able to complete their studies in the language they selected upon registration.

As you probably know through the media, the UFS decision to change its Language Policy is before the courts. It is hoped that the final outcome will be known before the end of the year, but this is not certain. The university management gives the assurance that it will act in terms of that final outcome.

In the meantime, the UFS will proceed with the implementation of the new Language Policy in 2017 as approved by Council.

Should the court’s verdict be in favour of the Senate and Council resolution, the March 2016 decision will come into effect. If not, the Afrikaans-English policy will stand. The UFS is committed and ready to provide for both eventualities.

Released by:
Lacea Loader (Director: Communication and Brand Management)
Telephone: +27 51 401 2584 | +27 83 645 2454
Email: news@ufs.ac.za | loaderl@ufs.ac.za
Fax: +27 51 444 6393

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