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UFS Language Policy is now available in four languages

13 June 2024 | Story Edzani Nephalela | Photo Supplied

Dr Nomalungelo Ngubane, the Director of the Academy for Multilingualism, is at the forefront of this initiative, championing diversity and inclusiveness for all stakeholders at the University of the Free State.

Diversity in higher education institutions enriches the learning environment, fostering a culture of inclusion and mutual respect. It broadens perspectives, encourages critical thinking, and prepares students for a global workforce by supporting equitable access to opportunities and enhancing all students' personal growth and academic excellence.

The University of the Free State (UFS) has marked a significant milestone in its commitment to linguistic diversity with the official translation of its Language Policy into three additional languages: Sesotho, Afrikaans, and isiZulu. Previously only available in English, the translation of the policy – approved by the University Council in November 2023 – into these languages reflects the university's dedication to inclusivity and recognition of its diverse community.

The collaboration between the Academy for Multilingualism and the Institutional Regulatory Code was instrumental in a groundbreaking initiative: making the Language Policy accessible to speakers of African languages. Spearheaded by the Academy for Multilingualism, this endeavour involved a thorough translation, formatting, and proofreading process.

Dr Nomalungelo Ngubane, Director of the Academy for Multilingualism, emphasised that the availability of the Language Policy in multiple languages is not merely symbolic, but underscores the UFS' values of respect, human dignity, and social justice, as outlined in its Vision130. “This initiative aligns with the university's overarching goal of fostering an environment where all languages are valued and respected. We also hope that the Language Policy will not just be written in different languages but will strengthen the implementation of the policy in various domains of the university to achieve its objectives.

She further explains that the translation project is expected to have far-reaching impacts on how policies are communicated and understood within the university, because it enhances the ability of students, staff, and stakeholders to participate more fully in university life, contributing to a more cohesive and integrated community.

This initiative is a testament to the UFS' commitment to embracing and celebrating linguistic diversity as a fundamental aspect of its identity and operations.

News Archive

Tim Noakes delivers lecture at UFS symposium

2014-08-04

Prof Tim Noakes
Photo: Renè-Jean van der Berg

The Metabolic Research Unit at the University of the Free State (UFS) held a symposium on diabetes, with Prof Tim Noakes as one of the guest speakers.

Prof Noakes, a professor in Sports Medicine at the University of Cape Town, became known mainly for his research and findings on nutrition and health and is also the person behind the infamous ‘Noakes diet’.

The ‘Noakes diet’ – or the Paleo diet – focuses on avoiding carbohydrates in favour of including high fat and oil content for a healthy diet.

During his lecture, Prof Noakes explained how this diet can actually help control certain stadia of diabetes and shared several success stories with the symposium.

Prof Noakes’ reasoning concerning the ‘traditional’ nutritional requirements known to everybody, is that it has never been studied before to determine its effectiveness.

According to this nutritional plan, often depicted as a food pyramid, carbohydrates should form the biggest part of a healthy diet and foods from the fats and oils group should be restricted.

Prof Noakes explained that the human body converts carbohydrates into glucose (sugar) to be able to digest it. It is this sugar that leads to weight and health problems in people, of which heart disease and diabetes are some of the most common.

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