Bloemfontein Campus Multilingual Essay Writing Competition participants.

The Language Development and Support Unit (LDSU), in collaboration with the Writing Centre, hosted Multilingual Essay Writing Competition workshops for students at both the Welkom and Bloemfontein campuses. The workshops followed a call for essay submissions inviting registered students to write in the official languages of the institution. Essay topics were allocated across the university’s four faculties, encouraging students to engage creatively with language while developing their writing skills.

The workshops brought together students from all four faculties and focused on strengthening creative writing skills as part of CUT’s broader commitment to multilingualism, academic literacy and student success.

Speaking about the purpose of the initiative, Dr Lehlohonolo Motake, Deputy Director: LDSU, said the unit’s core mandate is to champion linguistic diversity, promote multilingualism and empower students through language development. “We strive to build an inclusive academic environment where language serves as a gateway, not a barrier, to learning and student achievement,” he said.

He emphasised that academic success extends beyond the acquisition of knowledge, requiring creativity, self-expression and critical thinking. Providing students with opportunities to think creatively, he said, helps them develop deeper analytical skills while building the confidence to express original ideas.

Welkom Campus Multilingual Essay Writing Competition participants.

The Multilingual Essay Writing Competition supports these objectives by connecting creative expression with academic literacy. Through drafting, feedback and structured workshops, students were given an opportunity to refine their writing skills while engaging meaningfully with language. Writing in multiple languages also encourages deeper comprehension, strengthens linguistic confidence and supports academic literacy across disciplines.

The initiative further seeks to transform writing from a routine academic requirement into an empowering tool for voice and identity, while advancing a stronger culture of writing among students.

The workshops demonstrated the university’s integrated approach to language development by bringing together curriculum support through the Writing Centre, language policy implementation through the LDSU, and student engagement through the multilingual competition.

Participants highlighted the practical value of the workshops, noting that they helped sharpen their creative writing abilities while showing them how to incorporate academic writing principles effectively into their essays.

This year’s competition saw a total of 88 submissions, with 60 essays from the Bloemfontein Campus and 28 from the Welkom Campus. The next stage of the competition will see the winners announced at both campuses later in September 2026.