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UFS celebrates nearly 8 000 graduates and honours national icons

17 April 2025 | Story Tshepo Tsotetsi

Congratulations to our UFS leaders of the future!

The University of the Free State (UFS) has officially wrapped up its April 2025 graduation season, closing a powerful two-week chapter marked by pride, perseverance, and purpose. Across both its Bloemfontein and Qwaqwa campuses, 7 994 graduates walked the stage, each one carrying with them a story, a struggle, and a celebration.

From Mandela Hall on the Qwaqwa Campus (4–5 April) to the Callie Human Centre on the Bloemfontein Campus (8–12 April), the energy was unmistakable. Applause thundered, gowns flowed, names were called with pride, and ululations filled the air. Some graduates clutched their hard-earned certificates with trembling hands. Others waved to proud families seated in the crowd. But in every moment, one thing was clear: this was not just a ceremony; it was a milestone.

This year, the UFS proudly conferred three honorary doctorates to individuals whose lives and work embody leadership, service, and scholarship:

Judge Raymond Zondo, former Chief Justice of South Africa, for his lifelong dedication to justice and transformation in the legal system;
Ms Joyce Siwani, social worker and activist, for her powerful legacy in children’s rights and community development; and
Prof Toyin Falola, world-renowned historian and scholar, for his outstanding contribution to African knowledge systems and the humanities.

Alongside these honours, 18 Dean’s Medals were awarded to the highest achievers in each faculty. At the very top stood Jocelyn Smith, who received the Senate Medal – the university’s most prestigious academic award. Smith achieved the highest weighted average across all faculties and graduated with a Bachelor of Science Honours degree in Data Science from the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences.

But it was not just a celebration of titles. It was a celebration of people. Seventeen members of the Student Representative Council (SRC) also received their qualifications, proving that leadership and academic excellence go hand in hand. And, stepping out from behind lecture-hall podiums and office desks, several academic and support staff members crossed the stage, upgrading their qualifications and proving that learning never stops.

As the UFS journeys toward its future vision – Vision 130 – to be an institution of excellence, care, and impact by 2034, graduations like these serve as a reminder of the human heartbeat behind every strategy, goal, and milestone.

Now, as autumn leaves settle across the Free State, the UFS Class of 2024 walks into their future with heads high, hearts full, and stories that will continue to inspire.

Congratulations, Kovsies!

Watch as each of the honorary doctorate recipients reflects on what the recognition means to them:

WATCH: Dr Joyce Siwani

WATCH: Dr Raymond Zondo

WATCH: Prof Toyin Falola

“Today, I am receiving an honorary doctorate at a university that I never thought I would step into.”

On 9 April 2025, Joyce Siwani was honoured by the University of the Free State with an honorary doctorate in the Faculty of The Humanities, recognising her remarkable journey and contributions in the field of social work.

Watch her share in her own powerful words what this recognition means to her.

Former Chief Justice Raymond Zondo reflects on receiving his honorary doctorate from the University of the Free State Faculty of Law, highlighting the power of education and the urgent need for ethical leadership in Africa.

“Education is the only thing that can really make a meaningful difference to people who are poor, to those who want to change the conditions of living of their communities.”

Watch as Prof Toyin Falola reflects on what it means to receive an honorary doctorate from the University of the Free State Faculty of Law – awarded for his remarkable contributions to African knowledge systems, global scholarship, and decolonial thought.

News Archive

Academics should strive to work with students towards publishing, says NRF-rated researcher

2017-07-17

Dr Rodwell Makombe, Y-gegradeerde navorser.
Foto: Thabo Kessah

“The National Research Foundation (NRF) is a prestigious research institution and to be recognised by such an institution means that my work is worthwhile. This alone motivates me to do more research.” This is how Dr Rodwell Makombe reflected on his recent recognition as an NRF-rated researcher – one of the few on the Qwaqwa Campus. He is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of English at the University of the Free State’s Qwaqwa Campus.

“This recognition is indeed an important milestone in my research career. It means that my efforts as a researcher are recognised and appreciated. The financial research incentive will enable me to engage in more research, attend conferences, and so forth,” he said.

Comparing research in the Humanities and Sciences
Dr Makombe’s research area is broadly postcolonial African literature, but he is particularly interested in postcolonial literatures and resistance cultures. He is currently working on a book project entitled Visual Cultures of the Afromontane.

When asked what he thought about Natural Sciences being in the lead as far as research is concerned, he said that this is mainly caused by funding opportunities.

“It means that my efforts as a
researcher are recognised and
appreciated.”

“It is easier to access funding for research in the Natural Sciences than for the Humanities. Researchers in the Humanities usually do research without any form of funding. However, there are also differences in the way research is done in the Sciences than in the Humanities. Science researchers tend to work together on different projects, which make it easier for them to have their names on publications, no matter how small their contribution. This is also connected to the issue of funding,” he added.

He continued: “Since research in the Humanities is largely unfunded, it is difficult for researchers to establish research groups. Another issue is that most academics in the Humanities do not necessarily teach modules within their research interests. Therefore, they tend to be overloaded with work as they have to do research in one area and teach in another area.”

NRF-rating and funding
For Dr Makombe, the solution to this challenge lies in academics in the Humanities working towards publishing with their students. “This way,” he said, “both the students and the academics will get publications that will help them to get NRF-rating and other forms of research funding. Modules in the Humanities need to be aligned to academics’ research interests to avoid mismatches between teaching and research.”

He previously worked at the University of Fort Hare and the Durban University of Technology and has published several articles in both local and international journals.

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