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20 February 2025 | Story Anthony Mthembu | Photo Kaleidoscope
Dream Walk 2025
First-year students celebrate the start of their academic journey at the University of the Free State (UFS) during the 2025 FTEN Welcoming event.

The University of the Free State (UFS) officially welcomed its 2025 cohort of first-time entering students (FTENs) at ceremonies held at its Bloemfontein and Qwaqwa Campuses on Saturday 15 February.

The events marked the culmination of the university’s FTEN Welcoming and Orientation Programme, which began with a Parents Information Session in December 2024.

The Institutional VC Welcoming and Dream Walk ceremonies at the Qwaqwa and Bloemfontein Campuses were attended by Prof Hester C. Klopper, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the UFS; Prof Prince Ngobeni, Qwaqwa Campus Principal; the UFS’s executive and academic leadership; and members of the Student Representative Council (SRC) alongside the vibrant class of 2025.

The FTENs participated in a series of activities, including dance challenges that could win them prizes. “I felt overjoyed, and I also felt welcomed,” said first-year BCom Accounting student Omphile Khomari. “The entire experience was enlightening in a lot of aspects as far as the UFS is concerned.”

Words of wisdom

Gerben van Niekerk, Head of Student Experience at the UFS and host of the ceremony at the Bloemfontein Campus, encouraged the students to reflect on the significance of this moment. “See the sacrifices you’ve made to be a part of this community, see the late-night study sessions, feel the determination that fuelled your efforts, and acknowledge the strength that resides in you,” he said. Van Niekerk also encouraged the students to envision the type of people they want to become as part of the UFS community.

The first-time experience for the new students was also a first for Prof Klopper, who became the UFS’s new Vice-Chancellor from 1 February. In her speech at both events she highlighted that the ceremony was a special moment for both her and the students. “I want to congratulate all of you, because by choosing the University of the Free State for your higher education studies, you have joined the winning team,” she added.

Prof Klopper encouraged students to work hard and persevere through all the challenges of university studies and urged them to follow three key steps to ensure their personal success: take advantage of the opportunities provided by the UFS beyond the lecture halls, such as the university’s cultural and sporting offerings; lean on the UFS support structures such as the Student Counselling and Development Office (SCD) and the Food Environment Office; and embrace and embody the UFS values contained in the university’s Vision 130 strategic plan, including ‘excellence’, ‘innovation and impact’, ‘accountability’, ‘care’, ‘social justice’, and ‘sustainability’.

Prof Ngobeni echoed the Vice-Chancellor’s sentiments in a heartfelt address in which he also urged students to make use of the support structures available on campus.

At the end of the ceremonies, students wrote their dreams and aspirations for their time at the UFS on dream cards.

The students at the Bloemfontein Campus hung their cards on railings along the way, as they took part in the UFS’s iconic ‘Dream Walk’ tradition, in which the new students and the university leadership walk together from the Callie Human Centre to the Main Building. Students at the Qwaqwa Campus handed their cards in as they walked from the Mandela Hall to the sports field. These walks symbolise the beginning of the FTENs’ journeys at the UFS. “I’m really looking forward to learning new things, meeting new people and having fun as a member of this community,” said first-year BCom Accounting student Enzo Ernest.

News Archive

Council concerned over health crisis
2009-06-08

The Council of the University of the Free State (UFS) has come out in support of doctors and health professionals attached to its Faculty of Health Sciences who expressed their concerns about the health crisis in the Free State.

At its meeting on Friday, 5 June 2009 the Council said it shared the concerns of health professionals that the quality of patient care and the quality of training being provided at the health faculties across the country are being compromised.

Earlier last week doctors and other health professionals of the UFS Faculty of Health Sciences issued a statement highlighting the seriousness of the crisis in health care provision in the Free State Province, warning that the system was on the verge of collapse.

According to the Council of the UFS, a petition will be addressed to the Minister of Health and the Minister of Education calling for urgent steps to be taken to correct the deteriorating situation in the province’s health care system.

In other decisions, the UFS Council also decided to confer an honorary doctorate on Judge Louis Harms, the Deputy President of the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein.

Judge Harms is an international specialist in the field of Intellectual Property Law and has been actively involved in legislation and international agreements on intellectual property law, including the Designs Act, Trademarks Act and Patents and Copyrights Acts.

The motivation quotes one of his fellow jurists as saying that: “Harms is one of the greatest South African lawyers of the last 50 years. He is an intellectual giant who has made an impressive and profound contribution to the development of South African law: He is erudite, visionary, astute and principled.”

An honorary doctorate will also be conferred on geologist and expert on the geology of the Karoo Supergroup, Mr Johan Loock, for his distinguished efforts towards promoting the earth sciences and specifically geology, particularly in the context of the Free State.

Mr Loock has had two Karoo fossils named after him, which is a particular honour in the scientific world of palaeontology. He was employed by the UFS for 32 years and has close ties with the Free State in terms of his wide field of research interests.

The motivation further states that “the man affectionately and respectfully known as Oom Loock, or Malome, has selflessly given of his vast knowledge, expertise and insights into the physical and cultural heritage of the Free State to all who would learn from, and with, him”.

A Council Medal will be awarded to Prof. Johan Grobbelaar from the Department of Plant Sciences at the UFS. During his time at the UFS he has been a pioneer in many areas, including the first research expedition to Marion Island, the first PhD about research on Marion Island, the establishment of the Institute of Environmental Sciences as well as the establishment of the Centre for Environmental Management.

Council also decided to refer a report from the iGubu consultants regarding aspects of diversity in student residences to the Executive Committee of the Council so that the benefit of the participation of the rector-designate Prof Jonathan Jansen could be obtained and for further participation and consultation with relevant stakeholders.

In another decision the Council also extended the term of appointment of Prof. Tienie Crous as Dean: Economic and Management Sciences for an additional term of five years.

The Council furthermore appointed Prof. Hugh Patterton as the director of the strategic academic cluster dealing with advanced biomolecular research and Prof. Wijnand Swart as Director of the strategic academic cluster dealing with technologies for sustainable crop industries in semi-arid regions.

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