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Student Affairs Week: A celebration of community and engagement

19 May 2025 | Story Teboho Mositi | Photo Simbongile Jojo

The Division of Student Affairs (DSA) recently hosted a vibrant Student Affairs Week on the Qwaqwa Campus, inviting staff and students to participate. This annual event aimed to foster a sense of community and engagement among students, staff, and the broader university community.

A key highlight of the week was the address by Zoleka Dotwana, Director of Student Affairs on the Qwaqwa Campus, who emphasised the importance of informing students about the services provided by Student Affairs. In her own words: “After four years of hosting the event, this year’s edition was particularly successful, with students enthusiastically participating and embracing support structures.” The event encouraged students to join organisations for additional support, both academically and personally. Staff members went above and beyond to ensure the success of the event, and it is heartening to see students embracing the new strategy and services. Eventually, Student Affairs Week achieved its goal of promoting support and inclusivity on campus.

Monday 5 May: DSA and students displayed their initiatives through engaging student exhibitions, highlighting their commitment to success. The displays provided valuable insights into the role of the Division of Student Affairs in fostering a thriving campus community. Through these exhibitions, students gained a deeper understanding of the support services that are available and offered on campus.

Tuesday 6 May: Introduction to student structure and organisations – On day two, students and staff witnessed a significant event when the Division of Student Affairs, in collaboration with the Centre for Graduate Support, hosted an introductory session for student associations and organisations under the Student Governance Office. The initiative aimed to provide a platform for understanding the structures and functions of student governance, fostering greater engagement and participation among the student body. The session emphasised the commitment of the university and Student Affairs to empower student leadership and cultivate a vibrant campus community.

Wednesday 7 May: Arts and culture performances – Mid-week brought forth a burst of creativity and talent, with captivating arts and culture performances. Students took to the stage to showcase their diverse artistic expressions, creating an atmosphere of celebration and cultural exchange that resonated throughout the campus.

Thursday 8 May: Food drive – On day four, students and staff presented a lively student food drive, requesting donations of non-perishable food items to support students in need through the No Student Hungry Programme and the Social Support Office. Students and staff members came together in solidarity to support those in need as they shared the powerful experience of giving back and leaving no one behind through the spirit of humanity. The event saw an overwhelming response from the university community, with students, staff, and faculty members generously donating food items. The DSA extends its gratitude to everyone who participated and donated.

Friday 9 May: Aerobics and fun walk – Students and staff members united for a fun-filled morning exercise and wellness at the aerobics and fun walk event. A scenic walk was followed by valuable primary health-care services, which prioritised their well-being. An invigorating aerobics session wrapped up the event, boosting energy and enthusiasm. This engaging activity strengthened bonds among participants, promoting a sense of community.

Nhlawuleko Mhlanga, a final-year Bachelor of Administration student in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, said: “Student Affairs Week was a valuable experience that provided students with valuable information that is often overlooked.” The event showcased student talents and celebrated cultural diversity through performances. “The food drive initiative stood out to me, as it demonstrated our community’s capacity for kindness and ubuntu, as many students were unfamiliar with different units within the Division of Student Affairs. It would be amazing to incorporate the initiative in both semesters.”

News Archive

UFS boasts with most advanced chemical research apparatus in Africa

2005-11-23

Celebrating the inauguration of the NMR were from the left Prof Frederick Fourie (Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS), Dr Detlef Müller (Development Scientist and Manager: Africa and Asia of Bruker in Germany, the supplier of the NMR), Prof Jannie Swarts (head of the head of the Division Physical Chemistry at the UFS) and Prof Herman van Schalkwyk (Dean: Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at the UFS). Photo: Lacea Loader

UFS boasts with most advanced chemical research apparatus in Africa

The University of the Free State’s (UFS) Department of Chemistry now boasts with some of the most advanced chemical research apparatus in Africa after the latest addition, a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer, was inaugurated today by the Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Frederick Fourie. The NMR is used to analyse molecular structures.

Last month the Department of Chemistry celebrated the installation of the most advanced single crystal X-ray diffractometer in Africa. The diffractometer provides an indispensable technique to investigate among others the solid state of compounds for medicinal application.

“Three years ago the UFS executive management realised that, if we want to build a university of excellence, we should invest in research. We started to think strategically about chemistry and decided to bring the apparatus at the Department of Chemistry on a more competitive standard. Strategic partnerships were therefore secured with companies like Sasol,” said Prof Fourie during the inauguration ceremony.

“The installation of the NMR symbolises the ability of the UFS to turn academic areas around. I hope that this is the beginning of a decade of excellence for chemistry at the UFS,” said Prof Fourie.

”The catalogue value of the Bruker 600 MHz NMR is approximately R11 million. With such an advanced apparatus we are now able to train much more post-graduate students,“ said Prof Jannie Swarts, head of the Division Physical Chemistry at the UFS.

”The NMR is the flagship apparatus of the UFS Department of Chemistry that enables chemists to look at compounds more easily at a molecular level. Research in chemistry is critically dependent on NMR, which is a technique that can determine the composition of reactants and products in complicated chemical reactions, with direct application is most focus areas in chemistry,“ said Prof Swarts.

”Parts of the spectrometer consists of non-commercial items that were specifically designed for the UFS Department of Chemistry to allow the study of unique interactions in e.g. rhodium and platinum compounds,” said Prof Swarts.

According to Prof Swarts the NMR enables chemists to conduct investigations on the following:

To evaluate for example the complex behaviour of DNA in proteins as well as the analysis of illegal drugs sometimes used by athletes.
It provides an indispensable technique to investigate compounds for medicinal application for example in breast, prostate and related bone cancer identification and therapy, which are currently synthesised in the Department of Chemistry.
It can also be applied to the area of homogeneous catalysis where new and improved compounds for industrial application are synthesized and characterised, whereby Sasol and even the international petrochemical industry could benefit. This analytical capacity is highly rated, especially in the current climate of increased oil prices.
The NMR can detect and identify small concentrations of impurities in feed streams in the petrochemical industry, e.g. at Sasol and also the international petrochemical industry. These minute amounts of impurities can result in metal catalyst deactivation or decomposition and can cause million of rands worth in product losses.
It is indispensable for studying the complexity of samples that is non-crystalline. These materials represent the vast majority of chemical compounds such as solvents, gasoline, cooking oil, cleaning agents and colorants as examples.

According to Prof Swarts the general medical technique of MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) in use at larger hospitals, is based on NMR technology.

”The NMR apparatus enabled the Department of Chemistry to characterise complex molecules that were synthesised for the multi-national company, FARMOFS-PAREXEL, and to negotiate research agreements with overseas universities,” said Prof Swarts.

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel: (051) 401-2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za
22 November 2005

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