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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

UFS sports scientist joins Cricket SA

2016-05-11

Description: Ross Tucker Tags: Ross Tucker

Prof Ross Tucker South Africa’s premier sports scientist
Photo: Supplied

Considered as South Africa’s premier sports scientist, Professor Ross Tucker has been appointed to be part of an official panel of experts to assess the performance of Cricket South Africa (CSA). Tucker is a Professor of Exercise Physiology at the University of Free State (UFS) School of Medicine. On joining the UFS, his plan was to help place the University onto the global map, and to become a leading voice in the sports science landscape. His involvement in sports around the world is fulfilling his vision.

(Professor Ross Tucker from @UFSweb has been appointed to be part of an official panel of experts to assess the performance of @officialCSA) - Tweet.

Having an enviable reputation in the world of sport worldwide, he was named in the Mail and Guardian’s list of Top 200 Influential Young South Africans, and by the Minister of Sport as one of the 100 Influential people in South African Sport in 2013.

The official panel, commissioned by CSA, is to review the performances of elite Cricket teams - primarily the Proteas, but also the U/19 and women’s teams - with the aim of addressing the challenges encountered by the teams. Alongside other members, including former Protea player, Adam Bacher, and world-class rugby player and 1995 national captain, Francois Pienaar, Prof Tucker is to evaluate what has worked and what hasn’t, in order to make recommendations, and guide strategies and tactics that will yield some World Cup successes.

On his vision for Cricket South Africa, Prof Tucker said he sees the opportunity as a chance to drive an elite, high-profile agenda, and set an example for all sports to follow. “We want to improve South African cricket, helping to chart a course for winning the next World Cup and dominating the world”, he said.

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