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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

New Division of Virology to deliver crucial services for HIV diagnosis and resistance testing

2015-12-14

The establishment of a Division of Virology within the Department of Medical Microbiology, under the joint auspices of the UFS and the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), reflects the continued growth within Virology. Dr Dominique Goedhals, Head of the Division, says the division will also provide training of undergraduate medical students, medical technologists and technicians, and registrars.

The newly established Division of Virology at the University of the Free State will be one of only five laboratories in the country to be involved in crucial diagnostic and testing services for HIV viral load monitoring, early infant diagnosis, and HIV resistance testing.

The Virology Diagnostic Laboratory serves as the reference laboratory for all HIV National Priority Programme samples for the Free State and Northern Cape provinces.

Medical staff at the laboratory will provide a 24-hour consultative service, as well as outreach programmes to district laboratories in the Free State and Northern Cape where pathologists are not available.

Dr Dominique Goedhals, Head of the Division of Virology, says this division, under the joint auspices of the UFS and the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), reflects the continued growth within Virology.

The division will not only deliver this critical diagnostic service, but will also focus on training and teaching, as well as research.

Teaching and training activities include teaching of undergraduate medical students, medical technologists and technicians, and registrars. The postgraduate science programme has a high output of honours, master’s and doctoral students in Virology. The intern medical scientist programme is also active, with five interns having successfully submitted their portfolios since the programme was implemented in 2010.

Research activities under the Head of Research, Prof Felicity Burt, have also expanded and continue to show increases in publication output and acquisition of grant funding. Established research groups within the Division of Virology focus on vector-borne and zoonotic viruses, human papilloma viruses (HPV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), as well as work with a number of international collaborators.

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