Latest News Archive

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

#UFSYouthMonth2024: Empowering youth to tackle mental health

18 June 2024 | Story Valentino Ndaba | Photo iStock

Mental health 2024 — The University of the Free State celebrates Youth Month by promoting mental health, inspired by the resilient spirit of 1976.

To commemorate Youth Month 2024, the University of the Free State (UFS) highlights the strides made by its youth in addressing mental health challenges. The Department of Student Counselling and Development (SCD) plays a crucial role in empowering students to be well-being warriors, drawing inspiration from the resilience and determination of the youth of 1976.

The spirit of 1976

This year marks the 48th anniversary of the Soweto Uprising, where youth bravely protested against apartheid's oppressive education system, igniting a movement for freedom and justice in South Africa. As we commemorate National Youth Day on 16 June 2024, with the theme “Actively advancing socioeconomic gains of our democracy,” we reflect on this legacy and celebrate 30 years of freedom by empowering today’s youth to overcome modern challenges. This aligns with the UFS’s commitment to Vision 130, which emphasises care, well-being, and inclusivity, creating a supportive environment for teaching, learning, and community engagement.

Empowering students for mental well-being

Dr Munita Dunn-Coetzee, Director of SCD at UFS, underscores the department’s mission: “Student Counselling and Development aims to implement holistic mental health services that promote student well-being and assist students to flourish. We want students to become Well-being Warriors, raising awareness and providing education about what mental health really means, and how it contributes to overall well-being. Our goal is to enhance students' resilience through a variety of support services.”

SCD’s empowering role is realised through an array of services including self-help materials, workshops and group and individual therapy sessions. These initiatives are designed to foster a compassionate and caring environment conducive to mental well-being.

Success stories

The impact of SCD is best illustrated through the transformation seen in students who have utilised its resources. Dr Dunn-Coetzee recounts: “A success story is when you start seeing a behaviour change – the way a student looks, dresses, talks, the sparkle in their eye returning. This positive transformation is often shared with peers, creating a ripple effect of empowerment and resilience.”

One SCD influencer who acts as a Well-being Warrior, Tsholofelo Mahamotse, reflects on her journey: “Utilising the university’s student counselling services has profoundly empowered me to address my mental health challenges. The resources and support available provided a safe space to express my concerns and work through them with professional guidance. This support has not only helped me navigate difficult times but also fostered personal growth and a deeper understanding of self-care.”

Comprehensive approach to student support

SCD offers a spectrum of essential services for student well-being, including individual psychotherapy and group workshops on stress management, self-esteem, and emotional intelligence; support for developing key personality traits and professional skills; career guidance through psychometric tools; and academic support to enhance study skills and manage test anxiety and time effectively.

Empowerment through support

Mahamotse urges fellow students: “I encourage you to take full advantage of the mental health services our university provides. Seeking help is a sign of strength, and utilising these resources can make a tremendous difference in your overall well-being. Support is just a step away.”

As UFS commemorates Youth Month, it celebrates not just the legacy of past youth movements but also the present-day efforts of youth who continue to build a better future through resilience, courage, and empowerment.

Celebrating Youth Month at UFS

Community Engagement Office: Youth Day Celebration

Date: 21 June 2024

Time: 09:00–14:00

Venue: Lusaka Community Hall, Qwaqwa

Topics: Gender-based violence; bullying; LGBTQ, legislative framework, substance abuse, crime, school dropout; teenage pregnancy, youth unemployment, and child-headed households.

Services: Contraceptives, sexually transmitted illness treatment, voluntary medical male circumcision, and referrals.

For more information, contact Moodi Matsoso at matsosoMS@ufs.ac.za.

Career Pathway

The Career Services Office offers a programme to enhance the employability of registered students. Upon completion, students earn five badges reflecting their competency and work-readiness.

For more information, contact Belinda Janeke at JanekeB@ufs.ac.za.

FutureLEAD Challenge

The FutureLEAD Challenge (FLC) is an online, voluntary leadership development programme available to all undergraduate and postgraduate students across UFS’s three campuses. The programme lasts four to seven months and utilises Blackboard for blended learning.

For more information, contact René Pelser at PelserR@ufs.ac.za.

Entrepreneurship talk and #YouthMonth Mingle

The Centre for Graduate Support will host a #YouthMonth Mingle where postgraduate students will discuss their studies and discover funding opportunities.

For more information, contact Naomi Haupt at DeValdoNE@ufs.ac.za

News Archive

Number of PhD graduates a record for School of Accountancy

2017-06-27

Description: School of Accountancy PhDs Tags: School of Accountancy PhDs

From left to right: Dr Stiaan Lamprecht,
Dr Cornelie Crous, Prof Hentie van Wyk
(Programme Director: School of Accountancy),
Prof Francis Pietersen (Rector and Vice-Chancellor),
Prof Dave Lubbe (Research Fellow: School of Accountancy),
Dr Léandi Steenkamp and Dr Louis Smidt.
Photo: Charl Devenish

This year’s mid-year graduation ceremony for master’s and doctoral degrees saw the School of Accountancy honouring four alumni with PhDs in Accounting on 26 June 2017 at the Callie Human – a record for the School of Accountancy.

Professor Hentie van Wyk, Programme Director of the School of Accountancy and promoter of one of the doctoral degrees, says, “Over the past three to four decades before 2017, no more than five doctoral degrees were awarded by the School of Accountancy.”

Dr Cornelie Crous, Dr Léandi Steenkamp, and Dr Louis Smidt received their doctoral degrees with specialisation in Auditing, and Dr Stiaan Lamprecht with specialisation in Accounting.

PhD candidates’ thesis and personal profiles
Dr Crous, who was born in Bloemfontein on 30 June 1979, is currently working in the School of Accountancy as a Senior Lecturer in Auditing. Her thesis, which is titled ‘Corporate Governance in South African Higher Education Institutions’, influences the application of corporate governance principles in higher-education institutions. It provides a thorough breakdown of the application and disclosure of the application of corporate governance principles in terms of both South African and international best practices in publicly-funded universities in the country.

Dr Lamprecht’s thesis, ‘A Financial Reporting Framework for South African Listed Companies under Business Rescue’, contributes innovative knowledge and insights to the existing body of knowledge on financial reporting. According to his study, with reference to a listed company under business rescue, there is a need for an underlying financial reporting assumption that varies from the recognised going concern and liquidation assumptions. Users of the financial statements of such a company also require an accounting measurement model based on current values, as opposed to the mixed-measurements accounting model employed at present.

Dr Smidt completed both his master’s and PhD degrees at the UFS. This father of two sons is currently a lecturer at the Tshwane University of Technology. His thesis, ‘A Maturity Level Assessment on the use of Generalised Audit Software by Internal Audit Functions in the South African Banking Industry’, has already started to contribute to the internal audit profession in South Africa and globally. Due to its existing extension to internal audit functions in various industries in Canada, Columbia, Portugal, and Australia, the value has been enhanced, as it now provides an internationally correlated set of results.

Dr Steenkamp, who completed her Magister in Auditing with a distinction at the UFS in 2013, is a qualified Chartered Accountant (CA (SA)), Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA), Professional Accountant (SA), and member of all the professional bodies. Her thesis, ‘The Sectional Title Industry in South Africa: Enhancing Accounting and Auditing Practices’, makes a significant impact on the sectional title industry and the accounting profession in South Africa. The literature review gave an in-depth overview of risks associated with sectional title for various stakeholders (i.e. owners, trustees, managing agents, auditors and accountants, and EAAB-appointed inspectors).

“Indeed a special day for the School of Accountancy!” says an ecstatic Prof Van Wyk. Professor Dave Lubbe, Research Fellow in the School of Accountancy, was the promoter for three of the four doctoral degrees.

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