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07 March 2024
Photo Lunga Luthuli
Prof Francois Strydom, Senior Director at the Centre for Teaching and Learning and Simphiwe Kunene, the first African DREAM scholar and a master’s student from the Faculty of Education.
The University of the Free State (UFS) received recognition for its commitment to student success at the 2024 Achieving the Dream (ATD) conference which celebrated its 20-year anniversary. Simphiwe Kunene, an Education master's student originally from the Qwaqwa campus, was selected to represent South Africa as the first DREAM scholar from Africa as part of the conference.
The Achieving the Dream network of over 300 institutions, which is one of the largest movements in US higher education aims to transform colleges and universities so that students of colour and a lower socio-economic status are supported to earn a degree. The UFS is a leading partner in the Siyaphumelela Network, which has been working for 10 years with ATD to enhance the success of students in South Africa. Prof Francois Strydom, Senior Director at the Centre of Teaching and Learning (CTL), accepted the award on behalf of the institution.
Prof Strydom said that collaboration with the ATD and Siyaphumelela institutions has helped the UFS to develop cutting-edge approaches to “level the playing field” and support Kovsies to earn their undergraduate degrees.
The first African DREAM scholar
Kunene was selected as the first African DREAM scholar from the Siyaphumelela network. To select the DREAM scholar, each Siyaphumelela partner institution nominated one student as a preferred candidate. From the proposed candidates, the DREAM scholar was selected by the South African Institute for Distance Education (Saide) based on the following: demonstrating resilience, academic excellence, and a deep commitment to making a positive difference in universities and personal communities.
He addressed the conference of over 2 000 delegates and shared with them his hopes and dreams. Many members of the South African delegation said Simphiwe did his country proud. He had the following to say about his opportunity to be a DREAM scholar: “Being a DREAM scholar was life changing for me, exposing me to an array of opportunities I never knew were possible and available for me. It was as if, for a moment, the world had stopped to just listen to what I had to say."
The way forward
The UFS will continue its work as a partner of the Siyaphumelela network for the 2024-2026 cycle. The multi-stakeholder project team is focused on enhancing undergraduate students’ time, and to position the UFS as a thought and research leader in the area of student success as part of Vision 130.
UFS will award four honorary doctorates during Winter Graduation ceremonies
2016-06-29
Four honorary doctorates and two Chancellor’s medals will be awarded at the University of the Free State’s Winter Graduation ceremonies.
Max du Preez, Prof Joel Samoff (both Humanities), Trevor Manuel, and Dr Reuel Jethro Khoza (both Economic and Management Sciences) will receive honorary doctorates during the morning ceremony of 30 June 2016. Antony Osler and Marguerite van der Merwe (née Osler) will receive Chancellor’s medals at the same ceremony. Prof Samoff, from Stanford University in the USA, will also be the guest speaker during the afternoon ceremony on 29 June 2016.
A total of 482 master’s and doctoral degrees

The University of the Free State will award
482 postgraduate qualifications at the
Winter Graduation ceremonies.Photo: Johan Roux
The Winter Graduation ceremonies will take place in the Callie Human Centre of the Bloemfontein Campus on 29 and 30 June 2016. On 29 June 2016, diplomas will be awarded in the School of Financial Planning Law, as well as diplomas and certificates for educational qualifications on the South Campus. On 30 June 2016, 53 doctorates and 429 master’s degrees will be awarded in the seven faculties.
Most of the doctorates (16) will be awarded in the Faculty of the Humanities, while most of the master’s degrees (204) will be awarded in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences.
Date: 29 June 2016
Time:
09:00: Diplomas: School of Financial Planning Law
14:30: Diplomas and certificates: Educational qualifications of the South Campus
Venue: Callie Human Centre, Bloemfontein Campus
Date: 30 June 2016
Time:
09:00: Master’s and doctoral degrees: All faculties, except Natural and Agricultural Sciences
14:30: Master’s and doctoral degrees: Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences
Venue: Callie Human Centre, Bloemfontein Campus