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14 May 2025 | Story Tshepo Tsotetsi | Photo Supplied
Africa Month 2025
Africa: Our identity, our journey, our future.

Each May, countries across the continent mark Africa Month, reflecting on the formation of the Organisation of African Unity in 1963 (now the African Union) and the shared vision for a united, thriving Africa. In 2025, the AU draws attention to justice and reparations for Africans and people of African descent. At the University of the Free State (UFS), the commemorative period invites reflection on African identity, futures, and connectedness through learning, dialogue, and cultural expression.

Throughout the month, a range of campus events will celebrate African identity, highlight voices from within the UFS community, and foreground indigenous knowledge systems and the arts – all integral to the institution’s vision of shaping a future grounded in African values and global relevance.

Prof Lynette Jacobs, Acting Director of the Office for International Affairs, believes the continent’s greatest potential lies in its people, cultures, and ways of knowing. “Africa is the heart of humankind … What excites me most is the growing recognition that Africa’s richness lies not only in its resources but also in its people, cultures, and knowledges, both ancient and contemporary,” she says.

Prof Jacobs highlights the university’s role in fostering ethical leadership and driving innovation rooted in African priorities. “We need to produce locally grounded graduates who can hold their own amongst the world’s best; we need to foster ethical, service-oriented leadership; and to serve as hubs for interdisciplinary research. By nurturing innovation, collaboration, and critical thinking, institutions like UFS can help shape an Africa that is not only self-reliant but also a key contributor to global progress.”

Portia Mtawarira, the SRC representative for international students on the Bloemfontein Campus, echoes this belief. “I envision Africa as a continent where we embrace and celebrate diversity – a future where people come together for a common goal: to improve access to quality education, fight social injustice and corruption, reduce unemployment, and promote globalisation and internationalisation,” she says.

She adds that UFS provides a space where this kind of leadership can grow. “The university has created platforms where students can develop the skills needed to become ethical leaders, problem-solvers, and change-makers … It’s now our responsibility to go back into our communities and put into practice the knowledge we’ve acquired here.”

From international collaborations and mobility networks to the everyday spirit of mutual support on campus, Prof Jacobs says she sees interdependence as the African spirit embodied at UFS. “It reflects the deep awareness across African societies that our progress is bound together, and that solutions emerge from solidarity, not divisiveness.”

As UFS continues on its Vision 130 journey, Africa Month affirms the institution’s enduring commitment to connection, celebration, and co-creating a future shaped by African excellence.

 

Africa Month Events Calendar:

 

Intercultural Sports Day

The offices of SRC International Students and SRC Sports will host an Intercultural Sports Day that will celebrate cultural diversity through sports.

Date: 16 May 2025

Time: 13:00–17:00 

Location: Bloemfontein Campus

 

Africa Day Memorial Lecture

The Centre for Gender and Africa Studies will host its annual Africa Day Memorial Lecture presented by Prof Cyril Obi, Program Director at the Social Science Research Council, New York. The theme of the lecture is ‘Caught between De-Democratisation and Re-Democratisation: Grappling with Africa’s Complex Conjunctures through the Lens of Political Dialectics’.

Date: 21 May 2025

Time: 18:00

Venue: Equitas, Bloemfontein Campus


 

Africa Day commemoration podcast panel discussion

The Office for International Affairs will host its annual Africa Day commemoration podcast panel discussion featuring UFS Chancellor Prof Bonang Mohale and the former Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr Naledi Pandor. The theme is ‘Africa’s Future: Higher Education and Global Impact’. 

Date: 22 May 2025 

Time: 19:00–20:30 

Venue: Albert Wessels Auditorium, Bloemfontein

Click to view document Click here to RSVP

News Archive

Keys to good time management
2016-10-28

Description: Keys to good time management Tags: Keys to good time management

Photo: Pixabay

“If the first thing you do each morning is to eat a live frog, you can go through the day with the satisfaction of knowing that that is probably the worst thing that is going to happen to you all day long.” – Mark Twain

Tackling your most important task first
The biggest, most important task which you tend to avoid because you do not know how to start, is known as your ‘frog’. As a student, it is vital that you get into the habit of tackling your most important task first thing in the morning to achieve high performance and productivity levels.

As exercise is to a diet, so is ‘eating your frog’ to your daily routine. Make it a priority without spending too much time thinking about it.

Time management apps
The Academic Reboot Pack 2.0 is aimed at helping students take control and get them moving towards successfully completing the 2016 academic year. The pack builds on Academic Reboot Pack 1.0 and provides helpful time management apps to help students manage their time more effectively.

The Any.do App allows you to organise your day by allowing you to create reminders, to-do lists, and notes which is saved on Any.do’s user-friendly interface. MyHomework, with its reliability and simplicity, helps you manage your academic life through its modern design and easy use.

Get your copy of the Academic Reboot Pack 2.0 on Blackboard under announcements or click here to download it

Also see the first Academic Reboot Pack.

If students have any question or queries regarding the Academic Reboot Pack, they can send an email to: advising@ufs.ac.za.

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