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WSU's commitment to fostering and applying innovative strategies to improve student learning and development resulted in being awarded a $240 000 grant from the Siyaphumelela Partnership in June.
This achievement comes after WSU's dedicated efforts since 2020 as a participant institution in the Siyaphumelela project.
Siyaphumelela Network is an initiative dedicated to enhancing student outcomes in South Africa's higher education sector through sharing best practices and benchmarking with other universities.
The Directorate of Learning and Teaching (DLT) Acting Director, Professor Clever Ndebele, said: “The project is centred around 4 goals: To institutionalise and professionalise a student-centred institutional culture, to accelerate the use of Open Educational Resources (OERs), to create a university data-driven culture where all interventions are evidence-based and adaptation challenges that come with university life.”
Ndebele said that each goal will be allocated the funds as follows; Goal 1 $63080, goal 2 $61200, goal 3 $53120, goal 4 $62600 with a total of $240000 which is R4 402 776.
“In addition to the benefits already mentioned, the partnership will result in the development of an enhanced culture of data-driven practices, increased usage of data for decision-making, positive shift in student success metrics, increased use of Open Educational Resources (OERs), increased uptake of OERs, improved student success rate and improved public speaking, critical thinking, and writing skills among students,” said Ndebele.
Ndebele asserted that the development of the student success framework and the establishment of the student success committee in the university will enable a more collaborative ecosystem on student success- where everyone is at the centre of driving student success across different divisions.
“The students will benefit greatly from this Siyaphumelela partnership because it will provide maximised student engagement and improved levels of tolerance and appreciation of diverse cultures, reduced cases of cultural intolerance and increased social cohesion among students,” said Ndebele.
Ndebele said the partnership will also decrease rates of hate crimes targeting LGBTQIA+ students and improved retention of first-generation students. It will also put student voice at the centre of student success strategic initiatives.
By Anita Roji
