Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items

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

UFS presents colloquium on the law of delict

2008-03-06

The Faculty of Law at the University of the Free State (UFS) recently presented a unique debate on the law of delict on the Main Campus in Bloemfontein. The colloquium was attended by six current and two retired judges of the Supreme Court of Appeal, including Justice Craig Howie, President of the Supreme Court of Appeal, as well as two judges from the Free State provincial division. Twelve of the most prominent academics and authors on the law of delict from across the country, members of the Free State Bar, as well as staff from the faculty were present. Arguments centred on the element wrongfulness and how it should be determined as well as how it differs from fault and more specifically negligence. Unfortunately no unanimity about how judgments of the Supreme Court of Appeal on how this issue should be interpreted could be reached. Attendees however agreed that this was a useful debate that served to highlight the importance of this issue and they expressed their appreciation for the opportunity. As far as could be ascertained, this was the first time that a debate regarding the law of delict took place on this level. At the colloquium were, from the left: Prof. Johann Neethling (speaker at the colloquium and author on the law of delict, Unisa), Prof. Rita-Marié Jansen (Department of Private Law at the UFS and organiser of the colloquium), Prof. Johan Potgieter (author on the law delict, Unisa), Appeal Judge Craig Howie (President of the Supreme Court of Appeal), and Judge Mojalefa Rampai (Free State Provincial Division of the Supreme Court).
Photo: Supplied

Back

Economic and Management Sciences

Education

Health Sciences

The Humanities

Law

Natural and Agricultural Sciences

Theology and Religion

Open Distance Learning

Business School

We use cookies to make interactions with our websites and services easy and meaningful. To better understand how they are used, read more about the UFS cookie policy. By continuing to use this site you are giving us your consent to do this.

Accept