University of the Free State

University of the Free State

public university, open-access publisher

Year dem found am	1904
Official name	University of the Free State, Universiteit van die Vrystaat, Yunivesithi ya Freistata
Motto text	In Veritate Sapientiae Lux
Country	South Africa
Edey de administrative territorial entity insyd	Bloemfontein
Coordinate location	29°6′16″S 26°10′31″E
Member of	South African National Library and Information Consortium, ORCID, Inc., African Library and Information Associations and Institutions, Association of African Universities
IPv4 routing prefix	196.254.0.0/15
Dema official website	https://www.ufs.ac.za/

De University of the Free State (Sesotho: Yunivesithi ya Freistata, Afrikaans: Universiteit van die Vrystaat) be multi-campus public university insyd Bloemfontein, de capital of de Free State den de judicial capital of South Africa. Na dem first establish am as institution of higher learning insyd 1904 as tertiary section of Grey College. Na dem declare am independent Afrikaans-language university insyd 1950 wey de name change go de University of the Orange Free State. De university get two satellite campuses. Initially whites-only precinct, na dem fully de-segregate de university insyd 1996. Na dem appoint de first black university vice-chancellor for 2010 insyd.

History

De long-held dream of institution of higher education insyd de Free State cam turn reality for 1904 insyd wen na de Grey College first accept matriculants for full B.A. course. Insyd 1906 dem know de tertiary part of Grey College as de Grey University College (GUC), buh shortly thereafter de school den college cam part ways. Insyd 1910, de Parliament of de Orange River Colony pass legislation wey dey declare de GUC official educational institution insyd de fields of de Arts den Sciences. For terms of de modern South African university system, de University of the Free State dey owe ein formal emergence to de University of South Africa (UNISA), ein body establish as autonomous university by legislation insyd 1916. UNISA, for de time, na ebe "umbrella" anaa federal institution plus ein seat insyd Pretoria, wey dey play academic trusteeship role give several colleges wey eventually cam turn autonomous universities. Na one of de colleges wey dey under UNISA ein trusteeship na ebe Grey University College, Bloemfontein. UNISA ein trusteeship end insyd 1949 wen de Orange Free State University receive charter as university.

Initially, na de medium of instruction be English, buh later dis change to be bilingual wey dem include Afrikaans. Na dem change de name to de University College of de Orange Free State—de Afrikaans version of dis name change be de source of de word dem use to dis day make e refer to students of de university ("Kovsies"). For de late 1940s insyd, na dem change de medium of instruction go Afrikaans. Dem declare de university full-fledged, independent university insyd 1950, wey na dem san change de name go de University of de Orange Free State.

Insyd 1993, e adopt system of parallel-medium tuition. However, de university decide make e make English de primary medium of instruction insyd 2016. Subsequent to de adoption insyd 1999 of fresh university statute, de UFS enter significant growth period. Today, de University of the Free State dey boast more students dan ever for ein history insyd.

Insyd February 2001, de university ein name change go de University of the Free State, wich na dem adopt make e reflect de real character of de institution den ein environment. Insyd 2004, de university celebrate ein centenary.

Language policy

After de defeat of de Boers by de British insyd 1902 den cam knw de Orange Free State as de Orange River Colony during wich time na dem change de official language from Dutch go English. Therefore, wen dem found de Grey University College insyd 1904, na de language medium be English. However, na Dutch be one of de subjects dem dey teach for de college from de very beginning. Language activists in favor of Afrikaans make am possible give de language make dem accept am as one of de subjects for de college as "supplementary subject to Dutch" insyd 1919 wen Afrikaans cam turn popular subject. Insyd 1950 na dem establish de University of the Orange Free State (UOFS) den de official medium language be Afrikaans. Na dem sanso change de name of de university in 2001 go de University of the Free State as dem know am today. Although na dem introduce bilingual language policy (Afrikaans & English) since 1993 na dem formalize am insyd 2003. However, de university decide make dem make English de primary medium of instruction insyd 2016. Na dem jointly challenge dis decision by civil rights group AfriForum den Solidarity (South African trade union) buh na dem uphold de decision make dem remove Afrikaans by de Constitutional Court of South Africa insyd 2017; wen de judgment favor de university ein fresh language policy wich na dem implement am since then.

Campuses

De university ein Bloemfontein Campus dey near de city centre. De university sanso get two satellite campuses. One dey situate insyd Bloemfontein, dem refer to am as South Campus, den de oda insyd de former homeland QwaQwa wey na ebe, til 2003, part of de University of the North.

De university sports facilities dey cater for more dan 20 sports, medical facilities den cultural activities, wey dey range from de political arena go outdoor life den de creative arts. E get student centre, student newspaper, de IRAWA den campus radio station KovsieFm. For addition, students get access to library, De Sasol Library, as well as de Frik Scott medical library, career den guidance centre, student theatre den computer centre.

Academic divisions

• Economic den Management Sciences
• Education
• Health Sciences
• Law
• Natural den Agricultural Sciences
• De Humanities
• Theology den Religion
• University of de Free State

Ranking

Insyd 2010 Webometrics rank de university de nineth best insyd South Africa den 2095th for de world insyd.

UWC Times Higher Education Ranking 2023 to 2024
Year	World Rank
2024	801–1000
2023	801–1000

Notable alumni

• P. W. Botha (1916–2006): Prime Minister of South Africa from 1978 to 1984 den de first executive state presido from 1984 to 1989

• Heinrich Brüssow (1986–): Springbok rugby player
• Hansie Cronje (1969–2002): cricketer den captain of de South African national cricket team insyd de 1990s
• Winkie Direko (1929–2012): Premier of de Free State 1999–2004
• Bram Fischer (1908–1975): Grandson of Abraham Fischer, lawyer, den notable anti-apartheid activist, wey dey include legal defence of anti-apartheid figures, such as Nelson Mandela
• Maye Musk (1948–): Model den dietitian
• Rassie Erasmus (1972–): International rugby player, Springbok coach
• Neil Powell (1978–): Coach of South Africa national rugby sevens team, 2016 Olympic Bronze medalist team coach
• Colin Ingram (1985–): Cricketer den member of de South African national cricket team
• Wayde van Niekerk (1992–): 400m world den Olympic record holder
• Antjie Krog (1952–): poet
• Deon Meyer (1958–): novelist
• Elzabe Rockman (1967–): Member of de Executive Council for Finance 2013–2019
• Karel Schoeman (1939–2017): Historian, translator, den author
• Leon Schuster (1951–): filmmaker, comedian, actor, presenter, den singer
• Rolene Strauss (1992–): Miss World 2014
• C. R. Swart (1894–1982): First State Presido of de Republic of South Africa 1961–1967
• Jamba Ulengo (born 1990): rugby union player give de Tel Aviv Heat

External links

Wikimedia Commons get media wey dey relate to University of the Free State.

• Official website
• Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the University of the Free State, interviewed on Conversations from Penn State