UFS

Welcome! UFS, with campuses in Bloemfontein and Qwaqwa, hosts 39 000+ students across seven faculties.

[UFS @UFSweb]

𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮’𝘀 𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. During a UFS Business School masterclass, RUFORUM Executive Secretary Prof Patrick Okori highlighted how entrepreneurship, innovation, and collaboration can unlock opportunities across agricultural value chains, food systems, finance, and technology. He also called on African universities to play a stronger role in business incubation and enterprise development.

Read more here: https://t.co/tzEXZtopqV
@RUFORUM
#UniversityOfTheFreeState #UFSBusinessSchool #ResponsibleSocietalFutures

[UFS @UFSweb]

University of the Free State (UFS) Pharmacology of traditional medicine expert, Prof Motlalepula Matsabisa, has been appointed to an independent Steering Committee from the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) that will guide the implementation of the first phase of the encompassing African Bio-Innovation Institute (ABII).

Prof Matsabisa, Research Director of the African Medicines Innovations and Technologies Development (AMITD) Platform at UFS, is one of 11 members appointed to the committee by the DSTI. The committee brings together expertise from across the research and innovation sector. Eight members are drawn from universities and science councils, while the industry, Small, Medium and Micro Enterprise (SMME), and traditional healing sectors are each represented by one member.

Read more: https://t.co/pQD8Y050rL
#KnowledgeForChange #LeadingWithImpact #TransformingTomorrow

[UFS @UFSweb]

A working day can look ordinary. You wake up, come to work, do what needs to be done, and go home. Then, one day, you look back and realise you have done that for 25, 30, 35 or even 40 years.

That is what the University of the Free State’s 2026 Recognition of Service Awards celebrated on Wednesday, 7 October 2026. Together, the staff members honoured represent 1 610 years of service across academic, professional, support, and service roles. They have taught, researched, assisted, managed, maintained, cleaned, cared, and kept things moving, day after day. And when you add all those years together, you begin to appreciate just how much time, skill, and life have been given to this University. We celebrate them, recognise them, and, above all, thank them.

#ProudlyKovsies #KovsieCare #UniversityOfTheFreeState

[UFS @UFSweb]

He grew up herding cattle in the rural villages of the Eastern Cape. Today, Lizalise Jabe is studying agriculture at the UFS, running a small livestock enterprise, and creating work for two young people while he studies. Now nominated for Student of the Year in Agriculture at the 2026 South African Agricultural Awards,@agri_awards he has a bigger idea in mind: using agriculture to tackle food insecurity, create opportunities, and give young people a reason to believe in their future.

Read more: https://t.co/ASR9ILQyAR

#UniversityOfTheFreeState #StudentSuccess #ResponsibleSocietalFutures

[UFS @UFSweb]

The University of the Free State’s Prof Thuthukile Jita has called for South Africa to move beyond simply connecting learners and teachers to technology, arguing that meaningful digital transformation requires an education system that is equitable, resilient, and socially just.

In her Inaugural Lecture, ‘Beyond the Digital Divide: Reimagining Curriculum and Teacher Education for a Digital South Africa’, Prof Jita reflected on her personal and scholarly journey. Read more: https://t.co/csAFob5KbG

#UniversityofFreeState #ResponsibleSocietalFutures

[UFS @UFSweb]

Newly elected 2026/2027 student leaders at the University of the Free State have begun their leadership journey through a student governance induction programme. The programme focused on ethical leadership, accountability, fairness, responsibility, disclosure and transparency, while emphasising the importance of serving students with integrity and remaining guided by institutional values and policies. Read more: https://t.co/vmP3yP6P8k

#BeyondTheClassroom #LeadingWithImpact #UFS #StudentCentred

[UFS @UFSweb]

𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹!

The Allan Gray Postgraduate Fellowship Programme is designed to help you grow your ideas into something that can make a difference.

Through entrepreneurial development and mentorship, with access to a like-minded community and wider programme support, you can take your thinking further and start building towards the impact you want to make.

Could you be eligible?
• South African citizen under 35 years of age
• Minimum 60% undergraduate average
• Undergraduate degree from an eligible university, including UFS
• Evidence of entrepreneurial competence
• Enrolled in an eligible postgraduate programme
• Available to commit approximately 350 hours to the programme

Applications close: 23 October 2026.

Click on this link to explore the requirements and apply:
https://t.co/UxHkNeSIws

#AllanGrayOrbisFoundation #Entrepreneurship #PostgraduateFellowship #UFSEMS #FutureLeaders

[UFS @UFSweb]

The Free State Centre for Human Rights at the University of the Free State invites you to the annual Bram Fischer Memorial Lecture, taking place as part of the centre’s 10th anniversary celebration.

The lecture honours the legacy of Bram Fischer, a UFS alumnus and lawyer whose commitment to justice and opposition to apartheid remain an important part of South Africa’s legal history. This year’s topic, The Global Pulse of Justice: Bram Fischer’s Legacy Across Time and Space, will explore how Fischer’s legacy continues to speak to questions of justice and the law today.

Justice Mahube Molemela, President of the Supreme Court of Appeal, will deliver the lecture, with Adv Anna-Marié de Vos SC, a constitutional litigator and former High Court judge, responding to the discussion.

Date: Tuesday 13 October 2026
Time: 18:00–21:00
Venue: Centenary Complex, Bloemfontein Campus
RSVP: By 9 October 2026 via the RSVP link : https://t.co/hSyVUH3N1u

#UFSLaw #BramFischerMemorialLecture #UniversityOfTheFreeState

[UFS @UFSweb]

Congratulations to the inaugural UFS Millennium Fellows Class of 2026! Eighteen student leaders have been selected for this prestigious fellowship, joining a global network of changemakers working towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

We look forward to seeing the impact their projects will make on campus and beyond.

#GlobalGradUFS #LeadingWithImpact #StudentSuccessUFS

[UFS @UFSweb]

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝙚𝙪𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙝𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣, 𝙤𝙥𝙝𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙡𝙢𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙮, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝙈𝙢𝙖𝙢𝙤𝙣𝙤𝙢𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙚 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀?

At the University of the Free State’s (UFS) 2026 Words Without Borders Spelling Bee, students from three campuses, six faculties, and four language groups took on words drawn from different academic fields and languages.

The first UFS spelling bee to combine multilingual and multidisciplinary categories brought together students from Afrikaans, English, Sesotho, and isiZulu, with disciplines ranging from Law and Health Sciences to The Humanities and Natural and Agricultural Sciences.

More than a spelling challenge, it gave students the chance to step outside their usual classrooms and compete alongside peers with different academic and language experiences.

Read the full story: https://t.co/9KLQTK1cTw

#UniversityOfTheFreeState #ProudlyKovsies #ResponsibleSocietalFutures

[UFS @UFSweb]

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱?

The University of the Free State hosted the third WoRiTH Conference, bringing together women scholars to explore academic agency, mentorship, leadership, resilience, and the power of lifting others as we climb.

Read the full story here: https://t.co/HiHtdBBLTq

#UniversityOfTheFreeState #InclusiveExcellence #FutureFocused

[UFS @UFSweb]

During a recent gala dinner in Beijing, China, Prof John Carranza received the Silver Medal from the Association of Applied Geochemists (AAG) for 17 years of dedicated service. His journey includes early exploration work in the Philippines, advanced study and academic work abroad, and a long commitment to teaching and research. He has spent decades helping others understand mineral systems more clearly.

Read more here: https://t.co/T9N9OOQbON

#UniversityOfTheFreeState #ResearchLed #ResponsibleSocietalFutures

[UFS @UFSweb]

Today, we celebrate the heritage that shapes us – from the languages we speak and the stories we inherit, to the food we share, the music we make, and the traditions that bring us together. In South Africa, our cultures are part of the everyday, passed down through generations and continually shaped by the people who carry them forward.

#HeritageDay #InclusiveExcellence #UniversityOfTheFreeState

[UFS @UFSweb]

A call for the preservation and protection of indigenous healing knowledge emerged from the University of the Free State’s 2026 Heritage Day Lecture on the Qwaqwa Campus, which brought academics, students, traditional practitioners, and community representatives together to examine the role of indigenous medicines and healing practices in Southern African heritage.

The discussion considered questions of community ownership, informed consent, and the responsible sharing of culturally sensitive knowledge, while Profs Grey Magaiza and Prince Ngobeni reflected on how universities can engage more meaningfully with communities and knowledge systems beyond formal academic institutions.

Read more: https://t.co/QMwa4LtIvm

##UniversityOfTheFreeState #ResponsibleSocietalFutures #SocialJustice #HeritageDay

[UFS @UFSweb]

Qwaqwa housekeeping staff demonstrate Ubuntu through food parcels for students

Qwaqwa Campus housekeeping staff have demonstrated care and Ubuntu by donating food parcels to students facing food insecurity.

Inspired by their close relationships with students, the team says the gesture is about more than food- it offers hope, dignity and reassurance that students are not alone.

Student Representative Council Deputy President Mokgadi Sathekge welcomed the initiative, highlighting its meaningful contribution to student wellbeing and helping students remain focused on their studies.

Read more: https://t.co/NxBOQrKrM7

#UFSImpact #KovsieCare #WellBeingAtUFS

[UFS @UFSweb]

𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗱𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘆𝗲𝘁 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁.

This was the focus of the latest EMS Debate Series at the University of the Free State, where students, academics and industry voices came together to explore graduate employability, practical experience, digital skills and the realities of South Africa’s formal and informal economies.

The discussion highlighted the evolving role of universities in preparing students for a changing world of work - one where adaptability, practical experience and digital skills are becoming increasingly important alongside academic knowledge.

At the heart of the conversation was the need to ensure that students are not only prepared for the jobs of today, but equipped with the knowledge, skills and resilience to navigate the opportunities and challenges of tomorrow.

Read more: https://t.co/N09dAsNyHj
#UniversityOfTheFreeState #FutureReady #ResponsibleSocietalFutures

[UFS @UFSweb]

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘀 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀.

At the 2026 Future of Education Summit, UFS Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Prof Hester C. Klopper, joined higher education leaders to explore what this means for African universities.

Her contribution placed students at the centre of the conversation by connecting ‘access with success’ to the development of graduates who are capable, skilled, and able to exercise judgement in changing environments.

Read more: https://t.co/nNzwK45l0V

#UniversityOfTheFreeState #ResponsibleSocietalFutures #StudentSuccess

[UFS @UFSweb]

Across the country, and right here at the UFS, women and men have been showing up at vigils, marches, and moments of silence – to say that gender-based violence and femicide have to stop. Recently, that solidarity reached our Bloemfontein, South, and Qwaqwa Campuses, where staff and students gathered to honour the lives lost and to stand with survivors.

But a single day of protest, however powerful, is not where this work ends. Nine women have been found dead across Ekurhuleni since mid-July. More than a third of South African women have experienced physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. And ten months after GBVF was declared a national disaster, the question is not whether we are angry enough; it is whether that anger is translating into real accountability, especially among men.

This is the conversation we are opening: what does meaningful, sustained change actually look like once the candles are out and the placards come down?

Read more: https://t.co/Aft1jRjZl4

#UFSUbuntu #GBVF #TransformingTomorrow

[UFS @UFSweb]

UFS gamer Kananelo Mohlabane is through to the EAFC semi-finals of Varsity Esports and will represent the university in Pretoria in October.

The Varsity Esports competition brings universities from across South Africa together, with more than 18 universities competing for a place in the Grand Final and a share of the R90 000 prize pool. Read also about the growth of esports at the UFS since it became an official sporting code in 2025, and the growing interest among students.

Read more here: https://t.co/Bwngl0Bnlo

#UniversityOfTheFreeState #ResponsibleSocietalFutures #UFSStudentLife #Impact #FutureReady

[UFS @UFSweb]

Learners from Bartimea School for the Deaf and Blind spent a day exploring science, healthcare and university life at the University of the Free State (UFS).

Through hands-on activities, meaningful engagement, and exciting discoveries, the 2026 Deaf Awareness Initiative gave learners the chance to experience university life, explore new possibilities, and imagine themselves pursuing their future aspirations.

Read more: https://t.co/4EsdxT3m9T

#DiverseByDesign #DeafAwarenessMonth #InclusiveExcellence