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One-room magic: UFS' immersive classrooms redefine learning

29 August 2025 | Story Igno van Niekerk | Photo Stephen Collett

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

Rugby players still a Kovsie pride

2015-06-23

Niel Marais, Elandré Huggett, Gerhard Olivier and Niell Jordaan.
Photo: Mlungisi Louw (Netwerk24)

Glory after glory, Kovsie rugby players seem to be making waves on- and off-campus in the rugby world. Four players, who formed part of this year’s formidable Shimlas squad, wore their Cheetahs jerseys in their debut cap for the Free State team in this year’s Super Rugby tournament. Niel Marais, Niell Jordaan, Elandré Huggett, and Gerhard Olivier were hand-picked to join the squad by the same man who lead Shimlas on their unbeaten streak, Franco Smith. Smith was recently announced as the Cheetahs’ new coach.

In their debut game (6 June 2015) against the Sydney-based Waratahs, Marais, Jordaan, Huggett, and Olivier had the privilege of playing alongside Tienie Burger and Henco Venter, who are also Shimlas teammates. Burger and Venter are not new to the team. Burger has been with the team since 2014 and Venter since 2013.

The young men appeared again in the game against the Blue Bulls in the final round of Super Rugby on 13 June 2015. Marais and Jordaan were part of the starting line, and were joined by Venter. It was unfortunate that the home-ground advantage did not work in the favour of the Bulls, as the team strode away with their first victory for the tournament, leaving Smith a very blissful coach.

We congratulate Tienie Burger on signing a professional contract with the Cheetahs.

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