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23 July 2025 | Story Tshepo Tsotetsi | Photo Kaleidoscope Studios
Global Student Well-being Summit 2025
Students from across South Africa and the continent gathered at the University of the Free State’s South Campus for the 2025 Global Student Well-Being Summit, engaging in three days of dialogue, learning, and collaboration.

The University of the Free State (UFS) recently hosted the 2025 Global Student Well-being Summit, bringing together more than 20 institutions from across South Africa and the African continent. The three-day event, which took place from 16 to 18 July at the UFS South Campus, was themed ‘Co-Creating Student Well-being Strategies from the Student’s Perspective’ and positioned students at the centre of the conversation on well-being in higher education.

Universities such as the University of Zambia, National University of Lesotho, University of Namibia, the international Limkokwing University of Creative Technology, and 15 South African universities were among those represented by students, academics, institutional leaders, and wellness experts. Together, they tackled pressing issues related to mental health, academic pressure, inclusion, identity, and care in university spaces.

 

Building a culture of well-being and collaboration

“We came here to address the critical issues that our students are facing, especially in relation to student well-being,” said Dr Temba Hlasho, Executive Director of Student Affairs at UFS, in his opening remarks. “In today’s fast-paced and demanding academic landscape, student well-being is essential for academic success, personal growth, and future career prospects.”

The summit’s programme included plenaries and parallel sessions covering a broad range of topics such as healthy masculinity, transactional sex, stigma and discrimination, and the struggles of minority groups in higher education. These sessions were led by a combination of students and staff, reflecting the summit’s commitment to co-creation.

In a recorded address, UFS Vice-Chancellor and Principal Prof Hester C. Klopper highlighted the need for a collective response to student well-being across institutions and national borders. “They are part of a shared human experience that demands a shared response,” she said. “Students are not merely receivers of academic knowledge – they are whole human beings… carrying hopes and fears, dreams and anxieties.”

Prof Klopper also pointed to the need for honesty and vulnerability in the sector. “We should not be scared to fail – as long as we fail forward,” she said, adding that innovation in student support comes not only from sharing best practices but from learning what doesn’t work.

Student participants described the summit as eye-opening and deeply personal. “I realised that mental health is crucial, serving as the driving force behind daily functioning,” said Olwethu Sigcu, a BCom in Economics and Finance (extended) student from the UFS Bloemfontein Campus. “I previously overlooked its significance, but the summit motivated me to adopt a more comprehensive approach to health – considering physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.”

Institutional Student Representative Council President Mpho Maloka said the experience offered both leadership growth and personal transformation. “As a young woman navigating complex spaces, I was given an opportunity to grow that I didn’t even know I needed,” she said. “This summit is not just another checkbox on a list of student initiatives – it represents a culture.”

Dr Hlasho also noted that the outcomes of the summit align with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, in particular SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 4 (Quality Education), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). He encouraged students to lead the shift towards healthier, more inclusive communities, stressing the need for long-term impact driven by young people.

The summit closed with a clear message: student well-being is not a side programme but is foundational to academic success and meaningful social change. And it must be co-created with students, not for them.

 

News Archive

New SRC: Records of support and a victory for women
2014-09-04


Ms Mosa Leteane and Ms Louzanne Coetzee
Photo: Johan Roux

While campuses across South Africa regularly report falling voter turnout in campus elections of student representatives, the University of the Free State, in its recently completed SRC elections, registered record levels of support across our campuses with a total voter turnout of 44%. At the Bloemfontein Campus 34,4% of students voted (5052 votes) and 53,3% (1583 votes) at the Qwaqwa Campus.

Also, for the first time under the new SRC constitution, students elected a woman to lead the student body – Ms Mosa Leteane was elected as President. Another first was the election of a blind woman to the SRC – Ms Louzanne Coetzee. She will be responsible for student accessibility of our Bloemfontein SRC. This marks a victory for women in student governance.

Mr Tulasizwe Sithole was elected as the President of the SRC at our Qwaqwa Campus.

The election of Ms Leteane as President underscores the progress achieved for gender equality with near half of her SRC consisting of women (48%).

These successes are all the more significant, since this is the 4th year of elections under newly adopted SRC constitutions that allow for broader participation of diverse student constituencies in student governance.

This means that the crucial 3-year mark to test a new approach and method in governance and elections was not only successfully reached, but also in its 4th year shows the constitution as one that sustains its impact to deepen democracy and citizenship among our 30,000-strong student body.

“The results of the SRC elections across campuses show that our students are not only ready to lead our campus communities on issues relating to justice, freedom and democracy beyond our societal legacies of race and gender, but do so also for the student movement nationally. We’re immensely proud of our students, who show courage and resilience to choose leaders not for expediency, but for significance, and to lead not for some, but for all”, the Dean of Student Affairs, Rudi Buys, said.

The Qwaqwa SRC was installed on 2 September 2014, while the Bloemfontein SRC will be installed on 5 September. The Central SRC will be established on 14 September by joint sitting of the two SRCs.

The SRC members 2014/15 at the Bloemfontein and Qwaqwa Campuses are as follows:

Bloemfontein Elective portfolios:
President: Ms Mosa Leteane
Vice Pres: Mr Waldo Staude
Secretary: Ms Dineo Motaung
Treasurer: Ms Maphenye Maditsi
Arts & Culture: Mr Stefan van der Westhuizen
Accessibility & Student Support: Ms Louzanne Coetzee
First Generation Students: Ms Mpho Khati
Media, Marketing & Liaison: Ms Lethabo Maebana
Legal & Constitutional Affairs: Mr Lindokuhle Ntuli
Sport: Ms Dominique de Gouveia
Student development & Environmental Affairs: Mr Victor Ngubeni
Transformation: Mr Tumelo Rapitsi

Bloemfontein Ex officio Portfolios
Dialogue & Ex officio: Associations Student Council: Mr Piet Thibane
Academic Affairs & Ex officio: Academic Affairs Student Council: Mr Jonathan Ruwanika
Residence Affairs & Ex officio: Campus Residences Student Council: Ms Melissa Taljaard
City student Affairs & Ex officio: Commuter Student Council: Ms Kerry-Beth Berry
Post graduate Affairs & Ex officio: Post Graduate Student Council: Ms Masabata Mokgesi
International Affairs & Ex officio: International Student Council: Mr Makate Maieane
Student Media Affairs & Ex officio: Student Media Council: Mr Samuel Phuti
RAG Community Service & Ex officio: RAG Fundraising Council: Mr Johan du Plessis
RAG Community Service & Ex officio: RAG Community Service Council: Mr Manfred Titus

Qwaqwa Elective portfolios:
President General: Mr Thulasizwe Sithole
Deputy President: Ms Zethu Mhlongo
Secretary General: Mr Vukani Ntuli
Treasurer General: Mr Langelihle Mbense
Media & Publicity: Ms Nongcebo Qwabe
Politics & Transformation: Ms Nkosiphile Zwane

Qwaqwa Ex officio Portfolios
Student Development & Environmental Affairs: Mr Ndumiso Memela
Academic Affairs: Mr Simon Mofekeng
Arts & Cultural Affairs: Ms Samkelo Mtshali
Off-Campus Students: Mr Khanyisani Mbatha
RAG, Community Service & Dialogue: Mr Njabulo Mabaso
Religious Affairs: Mr Mfundo Nxumalo
Residence & Catering Affairs: Ms Ntombifuthi Radebe
Sports Council: Mr Luvuno

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