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13 June 2024 | Story Edzani Nephalela | Photo Supplied
Dr Nomalungelo Ngubane
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

Professor Antjie Krog to deliver public lecture at UFS Bloemfontein Campus
2015-06-19

Professor Antjie Krog – illustrious author, poet, and academic – will deliver a public lecture at the University of the Free State’s (UFS) Bloemfontein Campus. The topic of her discussion will be ‘They Couldn’t Achieve their Goal with Me: Narrating Rape during the South African War’.

Prof Krog’s lecture will be the third instalment of the Vice-Chancellor’s Lecture Series on Trauma, Memory and Representations of the Past. The lecture series is hosted by Prof Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela, Senior Research Professor in Trauma, Forgiveness, and Reconciliation Studies at the UFS, as part of a five-year research project funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Details of the event:

Date: Tuesday 23 June 2015
Time: 12:00
Venue: Albert Wessels Auditorium, UFS Bloemfontein Campus
Members of the public are welcome to attend
RSVP to Jo-Anne Naidoo: NaidooJA@ufs.ac.za

Acts of rape during South African War

To set the context of her lecture, Prof Krog explains that, about two months before the South African War officially ended on 31 May 1902, affidavits were taken from women about transgressions experienced at the hands of British soldiers. These acts included plunder, killing of stock, abduction, sexual assault, and rape. Her lecture is the first scholarly focus in terms of narrative and agency on the affidavits of 24 incidents of sexual assaults and rape since the 25-year embargo on these documents was lifted in 1982. The shelving of these affidavits is indicative of how even transcultural multiple processes failed to create an honest discourse in post-colonial South Africa about sexual violence.

Paving the way to healing historical wounds

The series focuses on the portrayal of trauma and memory in multiple ways – such as the narrative arts represented by Prof Krog. These forms of expression may ultimately pave the way to healing historical wounds.

“This topic is very timely, given a recent NRF grant we’ve been awarded for research on transgenerational trauma related to the South African war,” Prof Gobodo-Madikizela says in anticipation of the lecture.

Previous instalments of Vice-Chancellor’s Lecture Series

The first instalment of the Vice-Chancellor’s Lecture Series on Trauma, Memory and Representations of the Past was delivered by former Constitutional Court Judge, Albie Sachs, in which he discussed ‘Sites of memory, sites of conscience’. Internationally acclaimed composer and sound artist, Philip Miller, delivered the second lecture, ‘Disrupting the Silence: The Past and Transnational Memory’.


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