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07 March 2024 Photo Lunga Luthuli
Simphiwe Kunene and Prof Francois Strydom
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.  

News Archive

UFS Council approves proposals from the Naming Committee for the Bloemfontein and Qwaqwa Campuses
2016-07-20

Description: New Hostels on Qwaqwa Campus Tags: New Hostels on Qwaqwa Campus

New residence on the Qwaqwa Campus
Photo: Charl Devenish

During its meeting at the Bloemfontein Campus on Friday 3 June 2016, the Council of the University of the Free State approved the following proposals from the Naming Committee: 

Bloemfontein Campus

  • The Student Representative Council Building was renamed Steve Biko House.
  • The amphitheatre was renamed Student Kgotla.

Qwaqwa Campus

  • The Administration Building was renamed the Intsika Building.
  • The amphitheatre was renamed the Chief Albert Luthuli Amphitheatre.
  • The Dining Hall was renamed the Kopanong Dining Hall.
  • The new Education Building was named the Sedibeng Education Building.
  • The old Education Building was renamed the Kgorong Education Building.
  • The Humanities Building was renamed the Mendi Building.
  • The two new women’s residences were named the Fulufhelo Residence and Charlotte Maxeke Residence.
  • The two new men’s residences were named the Khayelitsha Residence and Khayalethu Residence.

UFS Council approves name change of buildings and centres on the three campuses (23 February 2016)

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