Free State Business 2019 edition

OVERVIEW
Education and training
The University of the Free State is a research leader.
That the University of the Free State (UFS) should have increased
its research output since 2010 should not be a surprise, but
the percentage by which it has upped its work-rate is an
eye-opener – 221%.
The UFS has 158 researchers rated by the National Research
Foundation (NRF), two A-rated scientists and five tier-one SARChi
research chairs. The university has 18 international research partnerships
and produces an average of 240 postgraduate research
degrees every year.
Twelve new buildings have appeared on one of the university’s
three campuses (or satellites) since 2012 and a further 157 have been
renovated. The Faculty of Health Sciences building is pictured. Others
include a high-performance gymnasium and new buildings for the
Education and Health faculties. On the Qwaqwa campus, a new Physics
and Geography complex has been constructed. A total of 40 000
students study under 2 521 permanent staff members in 114 departments
in seven faculties.
Central University of Technology (CUT) has a main campus in
Bloemfontein and branches in Welkom and Kimberley. There are
three faculties: Engineering and Information and Communication
Technology, Health and Environmental Sciences, and Management
Sciences. Researchers at units such as the Centre for Community,
Environmental and Industrial Development tackle important
regional issues.
The Centre for Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing (CRPM)
does research into manufacturing processes. It specialises in Additive
Manufacturing (AM), also known as 3D printing. CRPM works in the
commercial field as well as doing research in Rapid Prototyping, Rapid
Manufacturing, Rapid Tooling and Medical Product Development
technologies. Manufacturers can make prototypes more easily (in
sand, metal or plastic) with the support of the CRPM.
Basic education and training statistics show that access to schooling
and training has increased markedly in recent years. Enrolment in Grade
R (reception year) is increasing rapidly. There are 663 public schools and
263 other community sites offering schooling in the Free State. The
number of hostels has increased from 12 in 2009 to 33 in 2016. School
transport is provided to more than 10 000 pupils.
Mamello Secondary School in the Lejweleputswa Municipality
received a maths laboratory in 2017 from Sibanye-Stillwater mining
company. Education is central to many corporate social investment
initiatives in the Free State. The school has more than 1 300 pupils.
SECTOR INSIGHT
Sasol needs 16 artisans for
every engineer it employs.
The lab is fitted with an electronic
board and laptops (for teachers)
and tablets have also been
supplied.
The Free State Provincial
Government is implementing
South Africa’s largest global skills
development programme in support
of implementation of the
National Development Plan (NDP).
The free overseas training programme
entails about 905 students
studying in leading universities in
China, India, Germany, Portugal,
Russia, Turkey and Belarus.
Fields of study range from all
kinds of engineering, to computer
science, medicine and pharmacy.
India is hosting 32 students in the
health sciences sector. Germany is
hosting 68 students in sustainable
mining and remediation, computer
engineering, international trade
economics, electrical chemicals
engineering, molecular biology
and genetics, and civil engineering.
Belarus has 17 students in the field
of informatics, applied chemistry
and radio electronics. Turkey hosts
206 students.
Russia is hosting 230 students
in the fields of medicine, agriprocessing,
veterinary medicine,
agronomy and agriculture. Portugal
is hosting 119 students in tourism
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