African collaborations contribute to food security on the continent
University of the Free State June 14, 2021
Prof Maryke Labuschagne, Professor of Plant Breeding in the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of the Free State (UFS), who is also heading the NRF-SARChI chair in disease resistance and quality in field crops, is working with a group of more than 20 PhD students and postdoctoral... Read more
Prof Melanie Walker elected as HDCA president: a first for the Global South
University of the Free State June 7, 2021
Prof Melanie Walker, Distinguished Professor in the Centre for Development Support at the University of the Free State (UFS), has been elected as President of the Human Development and Capability Association (HDCA). This is the first time that the HDCA president is from the Global South. The HDCA is... Read more
UFS assists Department of Health with COVID-19 vaccination process
Covid-19University of the Free State May 26, 2021
As a public institution, the University of the Free State (UFS) always wants to play a role in society through its expertise, facilities, and assets. It is for this reasons that the university is assisting the Free State Department of Health to equip the vaccination centre at the Universitas... Read more
Africa Day reflection – Africa’s crisis of leadership and lack of credible institutions
Latest newsUniversity of the Free State May 19, 2021
Opinion article by Dr Sunday Paul C. Onwuegbuchulam, Centre for Gender and Africa Studies, University of the Free State It is once again the month of May and there are many preparations being made for the celebration of Africa Day. I do not believe in or subscribe to the... Read more
Fungal infections might be dangerous to COVID-19 patients with severe symptoms in ICU
Free StateLatest newsResearchUniversity of the Free State May 17, 2021
COVID-19 patients with severe symptoms who end up in intensive care units in hospitals are at risk of contracting an invasive fungal infection that might influence their outcomes and hamper treatment efforts. These fungal co-infections in COVID-19 patients on ventilators may contribute to the high mortality rate of these... Read more
Indigenous South African oral cultures a potential environmental knowledge system
Latest newsResearchUniversity of the Free State May 14, 2021
Two researchers from the University of the Free State (UFS) aim with their research to examine the portrayal of environmental conservation in oral stories from indigenous South African cultures. They also hope to add the under-researched genres of oral cultures to mainstream inter-/cross-/multi-disciplinary inquiries on environmentalism, the climate crisis,... Read more
Specialisation needed to properly fight the corruption pandemic in South Africa
CareersFree StateLatest newsUniversity of the Free State May 7, 2021
South Africa does not have the specialisation to fight corruption. There is a need to determine what sort of specialisation is required in order to properly address the kind of corruption that is starting to look like it is endemic in South Africa. This is according to Adv Hermione... Read more
UFS Thought-Leader Webinar: Corruption in South Africa: the endemic pandemic
Free StateLatest newsUniversity of the Free State May 4, 2021
The scourge of corruption in South Africa has become endemic at all levels of the state and has rapidly accelerated the nation’s descent from the position of credibility that it once occupied during the era of Nelson Mandela. With billions of rands stolen, the economy damaged, many state-owned enterprises... Read more
The access funding challenge: A combined effort now needed
Latest newsUniversity of the Free State April 29, 2021
Opinion article by Prof Francis Petersen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Free State You should have seen it coming. In the wake of the recent student protests and resulting suspension of tuition on some higher education campuses throughout the country, management teams from public universities have... Read more
Safe houses and their role in the South African liberation struggle
University of the Free State April 23, 2021
Opinion article by Prof Chitja Twala, Department of History, University of the Free State In South Africa, the month of April is referred to as Freedom Month with 27 April known as Freedom Day. In celebrating and commemorating this day in 2021, it is important to acknowledge the role... Read more
