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UFS Qwaqwa Campus Empowers Students through Human Rights Dialogue

03 May 2024 | Story Precious Shamase | Photo Supplied

On 25 April 2024, the University of the Free State (UFS) Qwaqwa Campus held a Round-table Dialogue on Human Rights in collaboration with the Division of Student Affairs, Residence Life, and Human Rights Ambassadors. This event aimed to educate students about their human rights and empower them to stand up for themselves.

The Mopeli, Bakoena, and Batlokwa Royal houses all showed their support by attending the dialogue, emphasised the importance of open discussion in her welcome address. "We want people to share views and engage so that we learn from each other about human rights," Dotwana said.

The dialogue, held at the Kutlwano Gazelle (SHU-7), provided a platform for open discussion about human rights. This discussion is crucial to ensure that students understand their rights and feel equipped to advocate for themselves. The event also aimed to raise awareness about lesser-known rights to prevent students from unknowingly surrendering their power to others.

The round-table discussion included Campus Principal Prof Prince Ngobeni, Prof Sethulego Matebesi from the Department of Sociology, Lecholo Nkabiti from the South African Human Rights Commission, and Siyanda Magayana from the Gender Equality and Anti-Discrimination Office.

Prof Ngobeni spoke about the access to education that students now have in South Africa's democracy, and the government's efforts to ensure this access. He also highlighted the importance of royal leadership, indigenous practices in leading communities, and incorporating these practices to move forward as a country. Additionally, he mentioned the importance of including agriculture in future plans to create more employment opportunities.

Prof Matebesi urged the audience to reflect on the legacy they are leaving behind. "What legacy are we leaving?" he questioned. "We won't live forever, and there will come a time when we can't reflect on these issues."

Lecholo Ntabiti emphasised the importance of pursuing rights and accessing freedoms within a legal framework. "Freedom comes with responsibility," he stressed. "Go vote on 29 May 29 so your voice can be heard in this democracy."

This initiative demonstrates the UFS Qwaqwa Campus' commitment to fostering a well-informed and empowered student body regarding their human rights. The event coincided with South Africa's Freedom Day and the upcoming national elections in May. The dialogue addressed various human rights topics, including economic freedom and freedom of speech.

The engaging round table concluded with a lively question-and-answer session, ensuring that students left the event informed and equipped to advocate for their rights, marking a significant step towards a more empowered student generation on the UFS Qwaqwa Campus.

News Archive

First Global Leadership Summit brings partner universities to our university

2012-05-17

The University of the Free State (UFS) is gearing up for the Global Leadership Summit when students from universities all over the world will visit the UFS. The summit will take place from Sunday 8 July to Friday 20 July 2012. About 180 staff and students from universities in the United States, Asia and Europe are expected to visit the UFS during these two weeks and eminent scholars and politicians have already confirmed their participation. Among them are Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, Dr Tim Murithi, Prof. Mark Solms, Fulbright Scholars who were previously tenured at the university, and a number of ambassadors.

Prof. Aldo Stroebel, Director: International Academic Programmes, Office of the Vice-Chancellor, says that our university has increasingly embedded internationalisation in its strategic priorities. The Leadership for Change Programme, jointly hosted by International Affairs and Student Affairs, is a significant step forward in this context. This innovative and unique programme, initiated in 2010, serves as a leadership development programme focused on first-year students. It aims to build layers of new thinking and engagement among students from diverse backgrounds. As part of a year-long engagement, each student spends a period abroad where there is intense exposure to the academic, social, cultural and residential lives of students in other countries. A formal mentor development programme for staff runs concurrently with the initiative.

In the 2010 programme, 71 students in various cohorts were placed at nine universities in the USA. Following on the success of this initiative, in 2011, 150 students were hosted at partner universities in the USA, Europe and Japan. The impact of cross-cultural and cross-border experiences on changing and enriching the participants’ minds and attitudes has been manifested in a wide variety of ways at both the UFS and the partner institutions.

The Global Leadership Summit, with the theme, “Transcending Boundaries of Global Change Leadership”, is a reciprocal programme of the Leadership for Change initiative. It will focus on international engagements in addressing salient issues around change leadership, diversity and racial reconciliation in Higher Education through critical dialogues between staff and students from all over the world.

The programme will be continued during 2013 when 150 students will again be selected for participation and placement abroad.

Media Release
17 May 2012
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Director: Strategic Communication
Tel: +27(0)51 401 2584
Cell: +27(0)83 645 2454
E-mail: news@ufs.ac.za

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