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Redefining the future of international student policies

07 April 2025 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Supplied

International student symposium — Seithati Ramonaheng at the International Students Policy Review Symposium, where she contributed to discussions on policy alignment and student experiences.

Seithati Ramonaheng, who supports International Students Administration, Immigration, and Medical Aid in the University of the Free State (UFS) Office for International Affairs, was recently invited to attend the International Students Policy Review Symposium hosted by the Vaal University of Technology.

A platform for change

According to Ramonaheng, the symposium was more than just a platform for discussion; it was a catalyst for change in how South African universities and policy makers address the challenges and opportunities of international education. “By engaging diverse stakeholders and thoroughly reviewing both the legal and institutional frameworks, the symposium aimed to contribute significantly to the creation of inclusive, accessible, and supportive environments for international students in South Africa,” she said. During the event, she also presented on the inconsistencies between the Immigration Act and the practices.

In her presentation, Ramonaheng shared findings from data collected across various institutions, which closely aligned with the experiences of international students at the symposium. These students highlighted the challenges they face when applying for study visas. Additionally, recommendations were put forward to help ease these difficulties.

She continued, saying that it was inspiring to connect with other professionals and gain new perspectives that she believes will be beneficial to their team in the UFS Office for International Affairs. The symposium brought together key voices in international education, including Advocate Sipho Mantula, a human rights lawyer from the Thabo Mbeki School at UNISA; Rudy Petersen, a strategic manager at UJ; and Segomotso Phetlhu, managing director of the International Students African Union (ISAU). Student leaders from the University of Venda, UJ, and Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University also participated in the discussions.

Improving the student experience

International students from Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Eswatini, and Lesotho shared their experiences and proposed ways for higher education institutions and the Department of Home Affairs to improve the international student experience.

Ramonaheng found the symposium to be a valuable experience that allowed her to get a deeper understanding of international students’ experiences as a whole. She looks forward to applying her insights within the UFS Office for International Affairs to further support international students. She will also contribute to the scholarship of internationalisation by publishing research that documents the immigration experiences of international students.

News Archive

Kovsies to celebrate excellence at 2014 December Graduation Ceremony

2014-12-02

Live streaming: http://apps.ufs.ac.za/ufslivestreaming/

On Thursday 11 December 2014, the University of the Free State (UFS) will award degrees and qualifications during our Summer Graduation Ceremony at the Bloemfontein Campus.

The graduation will take place during two ceremonies in the Callie Human Centre, where master’s and PhD degrees will be awarded during the first ceremony at 09:30. Diplomas, certificates and undergraduate qualifications will be awarded to students from the School of Open Learning and the Faculty of Health Sciences at 14:30.

Radio personality, Redi Thlabi, and cardiothoracic surgeon, Dr Susan Vosloo, will address the graduates.

Apart from her radio show on 702 and CapeTalk, Thlabi has also hosted local television news shows and anchored for international broadcasters like SKY and the BBC. In addition, she has presented two of her own TV shows: ‘Redi’ on Mzansi Magic and ‘South to North’ on Al-Jazeera.

Her first book, Endings and Beginnings (Jacana) received popular acclaim and is currently being turned into a screenplay for a movie.

Dr Susan Vosloo, a Kovsie alumnus, graduated in 1980. She completed her internship in Pretoria and spent the following year in Critical Care Medicine at Universitas Hospital, Bloemfontein, before starting her surgical training in Johannesburg.

She is currently in independent private practice at the Netcare Christiaan Barnard Memorial Hospital in Cape Town, having also worked from 1998 – 2012 at the Vincent Pallotti Hospital in the same city.

Dr Vosloo maintains close ties with our university and has quite a number of addition roles to that of surgeon:

• member of the Council of the UFS;
• UFS Council Representative in the Senate;
• member of the Standing Advisory Committee of the School of Medicine, UFS;
• member of the Provincial Department of Health;
• Africa representative for the Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Society; and
• founding member of the World Society for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery.

Prof Boelie Wessels will also be awarded his 10th academic degree from the UFS since 1974. Adding his Honorary Doctorate degree to the list, it will make this his 11th degree. Prof Wessels is 84 years old and has 18-plus academic qualifications from various institutions – a phenomenal achievement.

Furthermore, Moses Lubinga and his wife, Stellah, will be the first married couple to be awarded their PhDs at the same graduation ceremony at the UFS. Mr Lubinga will receive his Doctorate in Agricultural Economics, while Mrs Lubinga’s PhD is in the field of Economic and Management Sciences.

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