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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.
Meet our Council: Likeleli Mphutlane
2016-08-03
Likeleli Mphutlane
The University of the Free State (UFS) has long been considered a leader in diversity. Its diverse character is nowhere more apparent than on the UFS Council, where different voices with differing viewpoints and diverse cultural backgrounds strive to lead the institution to greater heights.
One such voice belongs to Likeleli Mphutlane, who has been serving on the UFS Council since 2015. This dynamic young woman was born in Bethlehem, raised in Lesotho, and matriculated at Louw Wepener High School as a Matriculant of the Year Top 14 finalist.
Studies at the UFS
She completed a BAcc degree at the UFS, while serving as vice-primaria of Welwitschia Residence, after which she obtained a BAcc Honours degree from the University of South Africa.
She qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2014. After gaining work experience at PricewaterhouseCoopers and SAB, she works now as an independent consultant in her own company, Inspire Innovation Business Consultants.
Likeleli serves on the audit and risk committee and the financial committee of the Council.
The difference she makes
"I believe that my role on the Council is to share my expertise and skills to ensure that the university upholds the highest standards of governance, and achieves its objectives of remaining financially sustainable. I also think that, as a black female alumnus, I bring a diverse viewpoint to the Council," she says.
While her responsibilities as co-founder of the Lesotho Young Professionals Forum, and chairperson of the Free State branch of the Association for the Advancement of Black Accountants South Africa, keep her busy, she enjoys physical activity, and travelling with her husband, Stephen Monyamane.