Page 28 - Transformation Report 2023

4 TRANSFORMATION

GOAL

ENSURE THE IMPROVEMENT OF HOLISTIC STUDENT SUPPORT and qualifications to better serve society. The programme Some faculties have embraced internationalisation at
(ACADEMIC, PSYCHOSOCIAL, FINANCIAL, INFRASTRUCTURE) TO aims to create a platform where students are exposed to home. The Faculties of BES and Education have estab-
ENABLE INCREASED STUDENT SUCCESS/THROUGHPUT, PARTICULARLY an interdisciplinary approach to education, grounded in lished partnerships with student cultural and academic
THOSE FROM HISTORICALLY DISADVANTAGED GROUPS humanising pedagogy and a decolonial approach, which exchanges that are conducted through both online and
thus provides an opportunity for students to think about in-person visits. These take place in collaboration with the
new ways of being and knowing in HEIs, and open pos- International Office. Other Faculties are working on ex-
student housing, sports, academic grievances, student sibilities for different pedagogical approaches that are panding individual research and teaching collaborations
Holistic Student Development governance and societies, and equality promotion. The emancipatory. to benefit students.
processes associated with these varied types of mis-
conduct and/or complaints differ across the University. Some of the questions that the module seeks to interro- Within the context of resource constraints, increasingly
Student Representative Council Role players committed to working towards integrating gate include: fewer UG and PG students will be exposed to internation-
student complaints and misconducts into a streamlined al travels, be it via exchange programmes, conference
process that continues to reference the relevant policies.
Student Representative Council (SRC) elections were suc- • Nature of being - what makes human beings hu- attendance, or the like. It is therefore imperative that
cessfully conducted in 2023. The Student Services Coun- man? when the University enters into agreements with African
cil serves as the statutory platform through which the SRC Living and Learning Initiative • How do we build a science for society, with society and other international HE partners, COIL-type initiatives
and Management engage on issues related to catering, in mind? should be included, to ensure that our students and staff
transport services, safety and security. The University positions its intellectual capital through • How do we better understand the constitution as a are exposed to a broad range of intercultural experienc-
promoting African knowledge, and this is also expect- body that protects our rights and values as citizens? es and globally relevant pedagogical methodologies and
Student Leadership, Training and ed to be delivered in all spaces of learning. In further- • How do we engage technological innovations in practices.
ing this initiative from the preceding year, the living and
Development learning policy was promoted through various dialogues ways that do not undermine our humanity and ways
of communal living?
within residences to promote the intellectual culture of
The University is regarded as a transformative environ- the University. This was made possible in collaboration The questions ultimately focus the connections between Student Support
ment in which human capital is developed for the future with Madibaz YouthLab, which drives intellectual engage- uluntu (society), abantu (people) and the collective re-
of work. In line with this, the University, through the Divi- ments and catalytic projects that support innovation. Al- sponsibility towards nurturing the co-existence of life,
sion of Student Life and Development, trained approx- most 16 000 students benefited from the various activities social inclusion and social cohesion. Financial Aid
imately 1800 students through the established training on offer, creating a vibrant environment for residences to
programmes, such as Beyond the Classroom (BtC), Lead- flourish as spaces for learning. The total number of students funded via the National Stu-
ers for Change (LfC), LeadHer Women Empowerment Collaborative Online International Learning dent Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) amounted to 17 138
and Ebuhlanti Men Leadership Programme. Social Consciousness and Sustainable The collaborative online international learning (COIL) students. A total of 836 were defunded by NSFAS for
These initiatives indicate a transforming human capital Futures model provides online learning spaces for students various reasons, including the combined family income
exceeding the R350 000 threshold and outstanding sup-
landscape – one which is highly valued in society and from different countries to equitably share team-taught porting documents.
where leadership acumen is shaped through Mandela The Social Consciousness and Sustainable Futures (SCSF) learning environments. It is a new teaching and learning
University’s graduate philosophy. module was piloted in 2023. In 2024 the Faculties of Hu- paradigm that promotes the development of intercultur- A total of 3 536 students were financially supported via
manities, Education and Law will implement the module al competence across shared mutual learning environ- bursaries and merit awards at UG and PG levels including
Student Complaint Mechanisms as part of their curricula. Other Faculties are looking at ments, where the academics work together to develop a Certificates, Diplomas, BTech and Advanced Diplomas
how this module can be accommodated in their own cur- shared syllabus, emphasising experiential and collabora- qualifications. Table 13 provides an overview of the distri-
ricula. tive student learning.
The review of the Student Disciplinary Code of Conduct bution of the funding in 2023, excluding PGRS.
commenced in 2023 and will be completed in 2024, fo- Furthermore, a SCSF Short Learning Programme was
cusing on:
launched in October 2023 for both staff and students. A
• closer alignment between sanctions and the seri- cohort of 25 participants completed the programme.
ousness of the misconduct;
• inclusion of misconduct relating to academic integ- The Faculty of Humanities played a prominent role in the
conceptual framing of the SCSF. This transformative mod-
rity and the use of AI; and
• replacing the current review process with a more ule is offered to all first-year students at Mandela Univer-
inclusive and transparent appeals process. sity and is guided and informed by the vision of the Uni-
versity “to be a dynamic African university, recognised for
its leadership in generating cutting-edge knowledge for
It should be noted that concerns were raised by the Na- a sustainable future”. It also aims to facilitate an environ-
tional Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) regarding the lack ment for students to interrogate and be part of defining
of a single integrated student complaints mechanism. and understanding the dynamic African and Sustainable
Consultations were held between the Dean of Students, University as its core mandate.
the Dean of LT, the Transformation Office, and members
NTEU. It was highlighted that various forms of student As part of the greater community, the SCSF module aims
misconduct were linked to the institutional rules, the stu- to provide students with a better understanding of their Table 13: Overview of the Categories of Funding from which UG and PG Students benefited in 2023.
dent code of conduct and institutional policies linked to
social responsibility, and challenges them to use their skills

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