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07 January 2025 | Story Gerda-Marie van Rooyen | Photo Supplied
KovsieX
KovsieX offers a comprehensive digital experience through podcasts, video content, and social media. This initiative is set to transform the student experience, creating a strong sense of belonging and collaboration across campuses.

Optimising student experience while providing students with multimedia training using state-of-the-art equipment and aligning with Vision 130, KovsieX is set to become a great asset to the university, its students, and the community. 

This initiative, approved by the UFS Rectorate on 29 November 2023, combines various student media brands on the Bloemfontein and Qwaqwa campuses (KovsieFM, Q-Lit, KovsieTV, KovsieCAST) into a unified brand consisting of three student-driven sub-departments. This includes audio (radio and podcasts), video (long and short form), and social media (including TikTok, Instagram, WhatsApp, and YouTube). 

An all-digital approach 

Gerben van Niekerk, Head of Student Experience (KovsieX), explains: “This all-digital approach leverages digital radio, podcasts, and social media platforms to create a sense of belonging among students by reflecting on and leading student life across the campuses.” KovsieX has achieved remarkable success, reaching an audience of more than 1,2 million in the first semester alone, with multiple TikTok videos surpassing 100 000 views. 

“Recognising the evolving radio landscape, our approach integrates a comprehensive digital strategy to adapt to changing media consumption preferences and provide students with hands-on experience on emerging platforms, strengthening their market relevance. KovsieX (previously KovsieFM) moves away from traditional FM broadcasting and has enabled the students to cover a wider range of topics that affect the Kovsie community,” says Van Niekerk. He adds, “The essence of KovsieX can be summarised in our one-word slogan: IMAGINE.”  

KovsieX supports Vision 130, as it leverages emerging technologies to enrich academic and non-academic student experiences. Furthermore, it also provides students with the opportunity to gain on-the-job and leadership experience in the KovsieX executive committee (KovsieXco), comprising a small group of ‘dynamic and highly talented students’, with their first objective: to decide on a brand name and setting on KovsieX – with the ‘X’ referring to experience. 

A mobile app provides students with easier access to KovsieX’s content. This initiative is set to increase students’ experience even more, as possible partnerships are in the pipeline to deliver a year-long dialogue series on themes pertinent to students. “This initiative will engage students on key issues such as leadership, mental health, heritage, and anti-discrimination through a blend of digital content – including interviews, social media posts, and expert discussions – and live on-campus events.”  

State-of-the-art facilities 

The construction of the KovsieX Pod on the Bloemfontein Campus allows students to produce content in a state-of-the-art podcast and video studio with Apple Mac workstations and a meeting room. A similar space in the current Student Media Building on the Qwaqwa Campus, named the KovsieX Q-Pod, is on the cards, as is the integration of KovsieX across the Bloemfontein and Qwaqwa campuses. “KovsieX will be broadcast from two locations and will, therefore, allow students from both campuses to interact with one another live on air. Both radio studios will be rebuilt to allow students to stream directly on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok from both campuses simultaneously. This is made possible by cutting edge cloud-based software – popular in Europe – but KovsieX will be the first to leverage this technology in the country,” shares Van Niekerk.

News Archive

Students learn how to prepare for the workplace
2013-10-18

Attending the information session were, from the left: Shelagh Foster and Phiwe Mathe, SRC president of the Bloemfontein Campus. 
18October 2013
Photo: Johan Roux

  Your First Year of Work: YouTube video

Getting a foot in the door with potential employers is a struggle for the inexperienced, more so for fresh out of school graduates who don't know how to put a CV together, can’t spell or dress properly when meeting employers. 

Launching her book Your First Year of Work: A Survival Guide, communications expert Shelagh Foster highlighted  these facts and others during an information session on the Bloemfontein Campus. Students who attended gained a wealth of information from her and Prof Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector, who shared tips on how to prepare for the workplace and be successful in their job search. 

Shelagh explained how a request from a graduate to do an internship at Media Online, where she had formerly worked as editor, made her decide to teach jobseekers the basics of verbal and written communications. She told the audience that the e-mail request from a female student, was littered with mistakes and left her with questions such as "what if she is really smart, has something to offer the company, but just don't know how to send an e-mail?" 

Practical advice she gave, include dressing properly for a job interview, knowing who you communicate with when addressing an e-mail, as well as finding out as much as possible about the company you are applying to. 

* Your First Year of Work: A Survival Guide  addresses the unwritten codes that exist in the workplace that need to be understood by interviewees and new employees battling to get ahead once they've finished with matric or university. 

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