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UFS HR Division bags Gold at 2024 IABC Gold Quill Awards

02 July 2024 | Story Lunga Luthuli | Photo Suplied

IABC Awards 2024 — The UFS HR Division celebrates its win at the 2024 IABC Gold Quill Awards for its 2023 UFS Women’s Breakfast.

The University of the Free State's (UFS’s) Human Resources Division has been awarded gold in the Special and Experiential Events Category at the 2024 International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Gold Quill Awards held in Chicago, Illinois. This accolade recognises the division’s exceptional work on the 2023 UFS Women’s Breakfast, an event that exemplified innovative communication and organisational development.

"Winning the gold at the 2024 IABC Gold Quill Awards is a significant honour for both the Human Resources Division and the UFS," said Susan van Jaarsveld, Senior Director of the HR Division. "This recognition highlights our commitment to excellence and innovation in communication and organisational development. It validates the hard work and dedication of our team in fostering a positive workplace culture and enhancing employee engagement and well-being."

The 2023 UFS Women’s Breakfast was meticulously planned, and executed with a unique ‘journey’ theme. "Since we have just launched our onboarding programme based on a journey theme, we extended this theme to our Women’s Breakfast," van Jaarsveld explained. "A carefully curated communication strategy and plan guided our actions, and we invited guests to ‘board a flight’ with us, integrating the journey theme with our content. Our approach is neatly tied into the UFS’s Vision 130, which is a journey to a better destination."

The primary objectives of the event were to promote the UFS's Vision 130, and to increase participation in university initiatives. "Data collected after the event indicated that we did hit the mark," van Jaarsveld noted. "Guests felt more familiar with the UFS’s Vision 130, and also experienced a sense of inclusion. Participation in our initiatives increased significantly – in some cases by 200%. Our biggest problem this year is finding venues that can accommodate our growing numbers."

The success of the UFS Women’s Breakfast was attributed to several innovative elements, including a video invitation simulating an airport boarding call, and staff dressed as flight attendants. "Some attendees thought our team was hired from a professional airline – what a compliment to the UFS Organisational Development team!" van Jaarsveld remarked.

Van Jaarsveld emphasised the importance of such events for fostering community and engagement within the university. "Studies have shown that positive social events in the workplace improve employee engagement and satisfaction," she said. "It is important for employees to see and feel that they are valued, and that their well-being is a priority."

Looking ahead, the HR Division plans to continue creating impactful and award-winning events. "Teamwork makes dream-work! Our goal is to 'be better' – not just about achieving external recognition or awards, but about making a meaningful and lasting impact on the university community we serve," van Jaarsveld concluded.

The UFS Human Resources Division’s dedication, perseverance, and award-winning efforts demonstrate its innovative and engaging initiatives, setting a high standard for future events and reinforcing the university's commitment to excellence.

News Archive

Expansion to Physics building officially opened on Bloemfontein Campus

2016-05-06

The newly-opened addition to the Physics Building on the Bloemfontein Campus.
Photo: Charl Devenish

An extension to the Department of Physics at the University of the Free State (UFS) was officially opened on the Bloemfontein Campus on 20 April 2016.

“This started off about five years ago when we were talking about not having enough room for large classes. Prof Matie Hoffman suggested that we build a large lecture room on our parking space,” said Prof Hendrik Swart, Professor in the Department of Physics as he addressed guests at the official opening ceremony.

“A year later, we received a Sarchi Research Chair [South African Research Chairs Initiative] on Advanced and Luminescent Materials. We needed more office and laboratory space. The two ideas were combined and presented to the university’s senior management,” he added.

When the university was founded in 1904, Prof James Lyle was appointed to head up the Physics and Chemistry departments. Five years later, a single room was allocated for the Physics laboratory in the main building upon its completion. In 1947, the old Physics building was designed and constructed. Fast forward 69 years, the department has reached another milestone. Facilities accommodated by the expansion include a new telescope for astrophysics experiments, a basement for storing old equipment, as well as a sliding trap door which allows heavy goods to be elevated into the building from the ground floor. The telescope is one of the many unique features of the building given its capacity to expose graduate students to the basic techniques of radio astronomy, especially in light of the fact that the SKA (Square Kilometre Array) project which is in progress.

“Our department is extremely strong at this stage, and a bright future lies ahead,” said Prof Koos Terblans, the Head of Department. The opening also served to celebrate the 103 publications achieved by the department last year.

Dr Lis Lange, Vice-Rector: Academic is proud of the heights reached by the department to date. “The Department of Physics is undoubtedly one of the jewels in the crown of our university, and we are very proud of its developments. Universities are built on legacies, and they are also about change, which is what this department has been demonstrating.”

The expansions to the building with its top-class facilities, was constructed at a cost of R25 million – an infrastructure grant courtesy of the Department of Higher Education and Training.

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