Advertorial: University of The Free State
University of the Free State – How to produce graduates that are not just surviving, but thriving in the new world of work At the University of the Free State (UFS), the adaptability we focus on fostering in our graduates has become a vital part of their skills set to weather the latest workplace storms. For several years now, our graduate attributes have moved away from an exclusive focus on academics, incorporating aspects of local and international workplace requirements to stay relevant. With academic competence remaining at the centre of our vision, aspects like critical thinking, problem solving, oral and written communication, ethical reasoning, civic engagement, and entrepreneurship currently make up the rest of our envisaged graduate attributes.
1. Holistic student support initiatives
Research conducted a few years ago by our Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, indicated that close to 60% of our student population suffered from food insecurity. Our No Student Hungry Bursary Programme was subsequently implemented, ensuring that this very basic need is taken care of, and that affected students receive much needed psycho-social support. The academic success initiatives developed by our Centre for Teaching and Learning have earned us international recognition. These include language and literacy development and well-supported tutorial programmes. We also play a leading role amongst South African universities in the field of academic advising, where students’ educational paths are aligned with their career dreams. Our Student Counselling and Development department gives psychological support in the form of individual sessions and workshops addressing a variety of issues students often grapple with, like time management, self-acceptance, and relationships. Our Academy for Multilingualism is doing ground-breaking work to develop unique multi-lingual pedagogic strategies. On top of that, we have various peer support initiatives, focusing on developing leadership qualities and fostering involvement in different spheres of university life amongst our students.
Prof Francis Petersen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor, UFS.
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By focusing not only on academic success, but also on personal growth and development, we help students gain confidence in their own abilities and find their purpose. This means that they are a whole lot closer to acquiring the skills identified by the World Economic Forum (WEF) as those most in demand in the workplace – skills such as emotional intelligence, creativity and judgement and decision making.
www.futuresa.co.za
