Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
Previous Archive
21 October 2024 | Story Litha Banjatwa | Photo Supplied
Matriculant of the year 2024
This year’s winner, Jayden Leech (centre), deputy head boy and hockey captain at Grey College.

For more than four decades, the University of the Free State (UFS) has used its annual Matriculant of the Year competition to attract the country’s top matriculants. This prestigious award recognises and celebrates the exceptional achievements of South African high school students who excel in academics, sports, culture, and leadership.

This year’s winner, Jayden Leech, deputy head boy and hockey captain at Grey College, stands out not only for his academic average of 90% but also for his sporting achievements. He has represented South Africa in karate and has been a member of the Free State Hockey and Waterpolo teams for the past three years. Jayden has been selected to pursue a medical degree.

The competition is closely aligned with the UFS’s Vision 130, which envisions a future where academic excellence, innovation, and societal impact are prioritised. “By recognising academic success, creativity, resilience, and leadership potential, the university aims to attract the brightest minds to join its community. This competition serves as a platform to identify and nurture future leaders who will help address South Africa's pressing challenges,” says Nomonde Mbadi, Director of Student Recruitment Services.

This year, the competition attracted 60 applicants, with a strong representation of women - 43 women and 17 men. The Free State province led with 28 entries, followed by North West, KwaZulu-Natal, and Gauteng. Popular fields of study among applicants included Medicine (MBChB), Accounting, Engineering, and Law. While the overall academic average of all entries was an impressive 81%, the top 14 finalists achieved an outstanding average of 85%.

Through a series of interviews and group activities, candidates were assessed on their critical thinking, communication skills, and ability to collaborate effectively. The Matriculant of the Year is ultimately selected for their overall balance, leadership potential, and capacity to serve as an ambassador for the UFS.

The Matriculant of the Year competition reflects the UFS’s commitment to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and equitable learning environment, aligned with the university’s values of social justice and sustainability. “By aligning this competition with Vision 130, we reaffirm the UFS’s dedication to transforming lives, creating opportunities, and shaping the next generation of leaders who will drive societal and economic progress,’’ adds Mbadi. 

News Archive

Transport service to shuttle Kovsies to and fro
2012-01-30

Our university, in collaboration with taxis in Bloemfontein, currently offers a scheduled minibus-taxi transport service to students living in the Universitas and Brandwag areas. The pilot project, which will run from January 2012 to June 2012, officially kicked off on Monday 16 January 2012. During this period it will be monitored how many students make use of the service.

The cost is R6 per trip, in other words, R6 to an address in Universitas/Brandwag and again R6 back to the university. Students can buy coupons for the service at the Thakaneng Bridge on our Bloemfontein Campus.

The minibus-taxi service will operate on weekdays (Mondays to Fridays), excluding public holidays and normal UFS holiday periods. All services shall depart from the taxi facility at the DF Malherbe Drive gate on our Bloemfontein Campus, from where it shall follow a circular route and return to the same spot again.

Route U will travel: DF Malherbe Drive/ Wynand Mouton Drive/ De Bruyn Street/ Paul Kruger Avenue, back to DF Malherbe Drive.

Route B will travel: DF Malherbe Drive/ Nelson Mandela Drive/ Furstenburg Road/ Melville Drive/ Nelson Mandela Drive and back to DF Malherbe Drive.

Route
Departure time
Arrive back at the UFS
U
19:10
19:45
B
19:10
19:45
U
20:10
20:45
B
20:10
20:45
U
21:10
21:45
B
21:10
21:45
U
22:10
22:45
B
22:10
22:45

 

We use cookies to make interactions with our websites and services easy and meaningful. To better understand how they are used, read more about the UFS cookie policy. By continuing to use this site you are giving us your consent to do this.

Accept