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One-Room Space
The UFS’ one-room spaces are designed to connect students and lecturers seamlessly across locations and borders.

The university is transforming education across its Bloemfontein, Qwaqwa, and South campuses with its pioneering one-room spaces, mirrored across all three locations to deliver cutting-edge, immersive learning. Research for these innovative spaces began in 2023, sparked by a photo from the University of Leuven in Belgium, which the university identified as showcasing Leuven’s advanced classroom setup. Prof Philippe Burger, Dean of the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, leveraging a connection there, led a team to explore this technology globally, collaborating with Canada’s X2O OneRoom to make the UFS the first in South Africa – and one of (as far as we know) two in Africa, alongside Kenya – to offer such immersive classrooms.

Unlike Zoom or Blackboard, where online students were often overlooked as small icons, one-room spaces ensure that everyone feels included. Designed for postgraduate training and PhD interactions, these rooms accommodate up to 40 in-person and 40 online participants, with large video camera feeds on screens, reminiscent of the TV programme Small Talk, where children’s faces lined the wall for engagement. Directional audio and personal cameras create a sensory experience, with sound coming from the speaker’s direction and eye contact feeling natural. Angelique Carson-Porter from the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics shared her excitement about a postgraduate session led by Prof Aletta Olivier, Lecturer in the Centre for Gender and Africa Studies: “It feels like you’re right there, even from Pretoria or Ghana. You see everyone, interact, and never miss a beat.”

Gavin Coetzer at ICT Services, a key project leader, highlighted how lecturers struggled with older platforms’ limitations, often only addressing online questions at the end, disrupting the flow. The UFS’ one-room spaces, implemented in the UFS Business School, the Clinical Skills Unit, South Campus teacher training, and Qwaqwa, solve this with breakout sessions and global conference support. While other universities rely on Teams, the UFS’ user-friendly tech, with around 24 screens and ceiling microphones, allows lecturers to focus on teaching.

Staying ahead of tech trends is challenging, but the university is excelling, making education inclusive, engaging, and truly global.

News Archive

Physics researchers at the UFS receive awards from the NSTF
2009-05-28

 
 Dr Martin Ntwaeaborwa and Prof. Hendrik Swart from the Department of Physics at the University of the Free State.
Yesterday evening two researchers from the Department of Physics at the University of the Free State (UFS) received prestigious awards from the National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF) during its eleventh gala-award ceremony. The event was held at the Emperors Palace in Johannesburg.

Prof. Hendrik Swart, Head of the Department of Physics, was the recipient of the award for research capacity development over the last five to ten years. He received the award for his significant contribution towards the development of students in niche areas of nanophysics. The award, sponsored by Eskom, includes a prize of R100 000 which will be used for research purposes.

Prof. Swart is actively involved in the research of phosphor material, concentrating on the effectiveness of nanophosphor.

Dr Martin Ntwaeaborwa, senior lecturer in the Department of Physics was the recipient of the T.W. Kambule National Research Foundation (NRF) award in Category J as distinguished young black male researcher over the last two to five years. He received the award for his contribution to the understanding and harnessing of light emitting nanomaterials for application in light emitting devices. The awarded includes R100 000 prize money towards Dr Ntwaeaborwa’s research.

Dr Ntwaeaborwa is an expert in luminescent nanomaterials.

A first-year student of Dr Ntwaeaborwa, Thabo Ngobeni also received a Technology and Human Resources for Industry Programme (THRIP) bursary at the gala event.

The NSTF awards give recognition to the outstanding contributions of individuals and groups to science, engineering and technology. This includes all practicing scientists, engineers and technologists across the system of innovation, including, for example, teachers and students in mathematics, science and technology. The NSTF represents government, science councils, professional bodies, higher education, business and civil society.

Altogether 13 individuals and corporate organisations or institutions were presented with the NSTF Awards trophy by the Minister of Science and Technology, Ms Naledi Pandor.

Media Release
Issued by: Mangaliso Radebe
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2828
Cell: 078 460 3320
E-mail: radebemt.stg@ufs.ac.za  
27 May 2009

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