TUTORSHIP SCHOLARSHIP INITIATIVE CONTINUES TO STRENGTHEN ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AT WSU

The Faculty of Education’s commitment to advancing the quality of teaching and learning continues to shine through its Tutorship Development Scholarship Programme, an initiative that has steadily evolved since the successful Tutorship Development Scholarship Webinar held in 2025.

The webinar, which brought together academics and experts to explore the evolving landscape of tutorship in higher education, laid a strong foundation for ongoing innovation in tutor development across the faculty.

Reflecting on the continued impact of the programme, Tutor Development Coordinator, Sabelo Peter, said the initiative remains central to WSU’s mission of academic excellence and inclusivity.

“The Tutorship Development Scholarship Webinar reflects our commitment to strengthening the scholarship of teaching and learning. It provided a valuable platform for academics to exchange ideas, share innovations, and collectively enhance the quality of tutoring within the Faculty of Education.”

“Our goal has always been to transform tutorship from a support function into a professional and scholarly practice, one that empowers tutors and enriches the learning experience for our students.

The faculty’s Tutorship Development Programme Unit continues to refine its Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) strategies, first introduced during the 2025 webinar.

These strategies have strengthened systems for tracking online tutorials, contact sessions, and overall programme effectiveness, ensuring that feedback and research continuously inform practice.

“This programme is more than a training platform; it’s a movement towards professionalising tutorship in our university. Through sustained collaboration and data-driven strategies, we’re empowering tutors to make meaningful contributions to student success,” he said.

A key outcome of the 2025 Writing Retreat, which preceded the webinar, was the development of academic papers based on 2024 tutorship data. The collaborative work of 10 academics and the unit’s leadership underpinned a growing culture of research-led improvement in teaching support.

Former Tutor Development Coordinator, Dr. Tarisai Mpofu, who delivered the keynote address at the 2025 event, emphasized the importance of building a research-informed tutorship model, one that nurtures reflective practice and continuous professional growth.

“Effective teaching and learning thrive when lecturers and tutors work in partnership. That collaboration strengthens communication, aligns learning goals, and ensures that every student receives consistent, meaningful support.”

She added, “Tutorship is no longer a peripheral function but has become a critical pillar in shaping responsive, innovative, and student-centred education in our universities.”

Today, the Faculty continues to build on this foundation through new research, writing collaborations, and mentorship initiatives that reinforce the academic mission of WSU.

According to Peter, the Tutorship Development Scholarship Programme stands as a living example of how strategic, sustained academic interventions can shape a culture of excellence and innovation in higher education.

By Ongezwa Sigodi