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UFS launches groundbreaking RPA challenge on innovating with power automation

29 October 2024 | Story Jacky Tshokwe | Photo Supplied

RAiN Automate Innovate Challenge 2024 — The University of the Free State accounting students rise to the challenge in the RAiN Automate to Innovate Challenge.

The School of Accountancy at the University of the Free State (UFS) is leading a forward-thinking initiative by introducing the RAiN Automate to Innovate Challenge in 2024. This marks the first time that the UFS has run this challenge, and it is already making waves in the accounting education landscape. As one the few Accountancy department in South Africa to host such an event, the UFS is paving the way for technological integration in the academic world, setting the stage for future inter-university competitions.

The RAiN Automate to Innovate Challenge invited second-year BAcc students enrolled in the EIDE2724 module to participate in groups of three to four. Their task was to identify and solve a real-world problem related to either students or business by developing a robotic process automation (RPA) bot using Power Automate.

The challenge followed an exploratory learning approach, empowering students to dive into the world of automation with minimal formal lecturing. This approach develops students’ creativity and problem-solving skills. The students worked hard to master Power Automate and applied their knowledge to build automation bots that successfully solved business and student life problems.

Presentations and the final showdown

After presenting their bots on 10, 11, and 14 October, the top six groups were announced in class, eagerly awaiting the grand finale. The final round took place on 18 October from 12:00 to 14:00, where the top six groups competed head-to-head.

A distinguished panel of judges, consisting of three judges from RAiN Auditors and three from the UFS, evaluated the bots based on creativity, functionality, and potential impact. By the end of the event, the winning groups were announced, and the following prizes were awarded:

First place: R1 500 each
Second place: R1 200 each
Third place: R1 000 each

The prizes were generously sponsored by RAiN Auditors, showcasing their commitment to fostering innovation in education.

Looking ahead

As the first South African university to run this type of challenge, the UFS aims to inspire other institutions across the country to follow suit. The School of Accountancy is eager to expand this competition, with the hope of challenging other universities in 2025 and beyond, creating a platform for students to showcase their technical skills and business acumen in the rapidly evolving field of accounting.

Stay tuned for the impact and future growth of the RAiN Automate to Innovate Challenge, where we continue to push boundaries and prepare the next generation of accountants to excel in a digital world.

For more insight into the competition, check out the video recap [here](insert Vimeo link). Be sure to explore the image gallery, showcasing the incredible work and teamwork of our students.

Check out the video here for more details.

News Archive

UFS Expert: Prof Felicity Burt investigates zoonotic and arboviruses

2017-12-13

Prof Felicity Burt recently received a B-rating from the
National Research
Foundation.
Photo: Sonia Small

Prof Felicity Burt is from the Division of Virology in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of the Free State (UFS), as well as the National Health Laboratory Services (NHLS). She currently holds an NRF-DST South African Research Chair in vector-borne and zoonotic diseases. Professor Burt and her research group investigate arboviruses and zoonotic viruses.

Prof Burt’s research primarily focuses on host immune responses to arboviral infections specifically characterising humoral and cellular immune responses in patients with infections such as Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) virus and Sindbis virus; epitope discovery for development of diagnostic tools; development of molecular and serological assays for surveillance purposes; virus discovery; and the development of vaccines.

Raising awareness of these viruses, defining associated diseases, and developing tools for surveillance programmes will contribute to understanding these pathogens as well as the public health implications.

Leads research group in papilloma viruses
Arboviruses cause outbreaks of disease in South Africa annually. Outbreaks are usually associated with heavy rainfall favouring the breeding of mosquitos, but these viruses also have the capacity to spread and become endemic in new areas where competent vectors are present.
In addition, she is leading a research group that investigates human papilloma viruses (HPV) associated with head and neck cancers and recurrent laryngeal papilloma.

The focus of this research group is to ascertain the genotypes of HPV causing these diseases, identification of novel biomarkers for early detection, and complete genome sequencing for molecular characterisation of HPV isolates.

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