From traversing the inspiring keynotes to the sharing – ‘generous’ sharing, as one delegate remarked in our feedback survey - of the partner institutions’ student success interventions along with the concurrent paper sessions which showcased a plethora of related evidence-based research and promising practices, the conference enabled a fecund space for the heartfelt and thoughtful musings on these critical student offerings.

We will be sharing a series of articles that emerged from this space that spawned many stimulating discussions and insights on student success interventions. For now, take a look at some of the highlights of the Siyaphumelela institutions.

DUT

In a recorded video presentation, Prof Sibiya, DVC Teaching and Learning at Durban University of Technology (DUT) highlighted DUT’s strategic plan viz. Envision 2030 which describes how the  Siyaphumelela project is aligned to DUT’s  identified student success challenges (see Table 1 below). 

Promoting the notion of adaptive graduates, is a key intent of DUT’s strategy and vision. To demonstrate this commitment, a collage of student and academic voices bore testimony to this vision by showcasing their involvement in co-curricular activities, aimed at developing adaptive graduate attributes.

Table 1: DUT student success challenges

Watch this inspiring presentation titled Success beyond the classroom: Developing adaptive graduates at DUT 

UWC

The University of the Western Cape (UWC) followed in a similar vein with their DVC Academicoutlining their Phumelela @UWC initiative followed by  very moving student reflections on their first-year experience as well as their encounters with the mentorship programmes. Prof Sue Parker then described UWC’s engagement as a partner in the Siyaphumelela programme and shared their  five step approach that was used to address challenges in the  sphere of student success. See the rest of their Data-informed actions to support year 2 of Phumelela@UWC Siyaphumelela 2.0 project. 

  Figure 1: Structure of the student success -  Pumelela@UWC - initiative

Both these presentations were very well received by delegates and set the tone for the quality input that was to follow in the rest of the conference sessions.

UFS

The Day Three plenary session provided delegates with further  inspiration. The University of the Free State (UFS) presented  highlights from their 'Staying the course: Lessons from the UFS journey'   The presentation title is borrowed from student success literature and reflects the sustained commitment to social justice that is required in such interventions. This included the task of  transforming institutions as generators of ‘equity, opportunity, and social mobility’’ to realise student success. The presentation described UFS services to the Siyaphumelela Network and their flagship projects which included the No Student Left Behind project – an initiative that utilised a vulnerability assessment algorithm to ensure better responsiveness to student challenges. The use of chatbots enjoyed substantive discussion in the plenary and was suggested as a possible undertaking for the Siya programme to explore as a broader system-wide initiative.

Figure 2:  Slide from the UFS presentation highlighting services offered and student success flagship project

UKZN

The use of artificial intelligence and algorithms found further resonance in the University of KwaZulu- Natal’s (UKZN’s) presentation which featured their early tracking system called the Auto Scholar Advisor platform. Delegates were informed about their Cum Laude Tracking project, their First Year Experience (FYE) programme as well as the establishment of the Access and Success Advisory forum (ASAF) which incorporates the student voice as a critical determinant of progress as they deliberate on student success themes. Learn more about their work on Advising for access and success: Perspectives from UKZN.

Figure 3: Slide from UKZN's presentation highlighting the Access and Success Advisory forum projects   

UCT

Despite the technical glitches that beset the beginning of UCT’s presentation, delegates were more than appeased by the rich sharing of the institution's trajectory of efforts engaged in during this past challenging year. Focussing on how system thinking had influenced their various initiatives, Dr. Riashna Sithaldeen, Deputy Director of UCT's  Academic Development programme expounded on the ICAT recommendations tool and the Component Mapping tool - baseline tools used for reflections in building data analytics and student support systems. Watch UCT’s presentation on Further towards designing a system for student success.

Figure 4 Slides from UCT's presentation depicting ICAT Recommendations and Component Mapping 

WITS

Highlights of the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) presentation included the discussion of eight student success indicators which are reviewed by Wits student success committee twice a year as well as the four artificial intelligence models developed by the university. Their Gateway to Success programme , a joint initiative of student and academic affairs was also elaborated upon. This compulsory programme for all new first-year students comprised a mix of online and on-campus academic, personal development, and student life components. Learn more about Student success at Wits in 2022

Figure 5: Slide on Wits Artificial Intelligence Models  

NMU

Delegates were honoured to have a live presentation by Prof Cheryl Foxcroft, DVC teaching and Learning on Nelson Mandela University’s (NMU) progress/ performance, titled Promoting student success @Mandela University  Prof Foxcroft reflected on faculty’s heightened focus on student success and support as a heartening development as they embraced the notion of leaving no student behind- the principle brought to the fore in the pivot to online learning during the Covid pandemic. Success Coaching as well as the First Year Success programme as part of the Learning and Teaching Collaborative For Success ( LT Collab) and alternate access routes that enable higher retention rates were also shared. See graphic depiction of NMU’s Student Support initiative (Figure 6 below).

Figure 6: Slide from presentation highlighting NMU's Student Support and Development initiatives  

In conclusion, we can’t do better than to quote what one of the conference  delegates stated in their  evaluation form,  :  

On the whole, there was a thread of “can do, must do, and here’s how to do” student success work…

The partner highlights certainly attest to this appraisal.

***Lead image commissioned by UCT. Artist :  CAILEIGH PENTZ