Page 52 - Transformation Indaba Report

We have learned our lessons in terms of how best to manage Then projections for 2022-2023 to 2025 you say that it’s
undergraduate enrollment numbers which is why last year going to hit us with another R90 million decline in revenue
2021 we formally established a structure, enrollment man- in respect to postgraduate numbers. Estimated R90 million.
agement committee. With postgraduate and International What lessons are we learning and what are we doing to try to
students, we’re losing progressively and its getting worse. deal with it? is there nothing that can be done? (L Hashatse)

I don’t think we’ve uprooted the problems. It’s always said that Finance has made available (huge increase in 2020)
but I don’t know whether it’s still the case that first stu- but why didn’t it also reflect in an increase in enrollment?
dents wait too long to get feedback. Does it mean students don’t take up the money?

There are always problems with funding postgraduate So, is it a problem that postgraduate students don’t want to
students but what amazes me if you look at the money come to us anymore? (Charles)

MANCO has made a strong move to fund our postgraduate postgraduates. That was a response to where we found our-
students. This year we’ve added more bursary funding and selves at the time. R10 million was added to postgraduates
we’ve also changed the postgraduate policy on bursaries. bursaries for this year, which can also be kept/moved for
It keeps postgraduate students in the system and attracts the future, as a response to losing those students. (Wayne)

It’s not entirely clear what the root cause is. So, there’s a problem with the diagnosis of this challenge. There seems
to be a variety of issues that we have raised regarding what the likely problems could be and one of those could be
funding which is what MANCO responded to. (Charles)

I agree we probably do need a proper diagnosis. Part of the dents to want to pursue postgraduate studies? This should
challenge is the throughput-rate and the present cohort of be incumbent on all sections of the university, so it becomes
PGs that we’re attracting. It’s the same at undergraduate almost a conscious drive. As we’re starting to pitch our-
level - mainly people from Quintile 1 schools. It requires a selves around V2030 there seems to be a good appetite to
different type of support in the PG level. How do we make want to see the university as a preferred destination. (Bruce)
the institution attractive for international as well as local stu-

Does additional funding for PGs cover tuition fees or does comes to postgraduate admissions. I’ve heard some anec-
it cover other costs like accommodation? Is it just the normal dotes about challenges there. Not having a good frontline
postgraduate bursary? Does the postgrad funding from the service may be an element. People are not encouraged to
university also cover project running costs? It seems there’s come to the university because it seems difficult to get
is a challenge within Admissions to some degree when it through the admission process. (Jenny)

NelsoN MaNdela UNiversity • traNsforMatioN iNdaba • 2022 46