Page 31 - Transformation Report

rate associated with the total cohort of registered students who were not completing their studies in their following year of
study showed that of the 29 490 registered students for the 2019 academic year, in 2020, 3 547 (12 percent) dropped out and
did not return.

Contributing factors for student dropout in the 2020 academic year are diverse. As such, mitigating measures to retain the
students and assist them in successfully completing their qualifications in minimum time are still being developed.

3. Targeted Student Success Interventions

As previously indicted under Transformation Goal 3, various targeted interventions (Annexure 3) were implemented which
contributed to the improvement in the overall success rates from 2019 to 2020, despite the challenges associated with the rapid
transition from contact to blended learning during the COVID-19 lockdown. Some of these initiatives include the following::
• Tracking student progress to facilitate the early identification of learners who are experiencing learning challenges
and need to be referred to student success coaches (and academic advisors).
• Expanding peer mentoring, tutorials, and Supplemental Instruction, especially in high-risk or gateway modules,
which have historically proven to be a barrier to student success.
• Implementing a first-year success (FYS) programme and various forms of extended curricula/foundation
provisioning to assist vulnerable students with the transition to university studies.
• Providing psychosocial and nutritional support to promote holistic student wellness.
• Developing the pedagogical, curriculum development, and assessment skills of lecturers, particularly with the
massive shift to blended learning.

3.1 First Year Success (FYS) programme
A critical factor that fosters academic success is that students are able to transition from school to university studies. Several
mechanisms were implemented to broaden access and enhance success as part of our overall “access for success” approach
which finds its expression in the programmes associated with the student life cycle. The First-Year Success (FYS) programme
is part of this approach and aims to assist students to transition effectively from schooling into university studies. The FYS
programme introduces first-year students to opportunities for personal growth by making them aware of resources available
on campus and equipping them with skills to cope with new challenges. There are five phases to the First-year Orientation
programme, namely:

• Phase 1: Pre-Uni Connect, where senior students connect with, welcome, and increase first-year students’
excitement about university life before arriving, via WhatsApp.
• Phase 2: The How2@Mandela programme covers topics that are helpful for first-year students to bridge the gap
from school to university and thrive academically. This is facilitated by How2@Mandela Buddies who are senior
students that act as ‘buddies’ for a small group of first-year students. A condensed How2 programme is offered for
those who register late, and this is complemented by online materials.
• Phase 3: Activities such as Connect with Your Lecturers (staff-student fun event), Library Tour, Rock and Roll and
Bulges, City Bus Tour, and the First-year Picnic.
• Phase 4: Takes place later in February, when first-years are oriented to the social and cultural events offered at
Nelson Mandela University.
• Phase 5: How2@Mandela Buddies ‘buddy’ and support their group of first-year students during the 1st semester,
mainly via social media such as WhatsApp, Facebook groups, or email.

In 2018, 3 479 first-year students (about 60%) attended the How2@Mandela sessions. In 2019 the attendance increased to 4
261 but decreased in 2020 to 3 210. The decrease could, in part, be explained by the fact that orientation was held before
registration in 2020 and many first-year students may have waited for registration to start before coming to the campus. In
addition, several first-year students may still have been unsure of their acceptance and financial support and were waiting for

31 TRANSFORMATION REPORT