---

The role of funders and donors, as well as collaboration within and between sectors for the benefit of higher education institutions – and for student success – were key discussions at a recent engagement session hosted by the University of the Free State (UFS) Department of Institutional Advancement.  The event convened UFS funding partners and donors with a keen interest in the developments of the university at the Naval Hill Planetarium, providing insight into an array of UFS projects involving donors, the impact of their contribution on the success of the university and on student success, and the accomplishments of the university in teaching and learning on all three campuses.

Prof Francis Petersen, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the UFS, and Prof Francois Strydom, Senior Director of the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL), engaged in a robust discussion on the accomplishments of the UFS, illustrating the fundamental socio-economic and demographic shifts that the UFS has gone through, while bringing together access and success – an achievement not many universities in South Africa have been able to attain.

In his introductory remarks, Dr Russell Ally, Senior Director: Institutional Advancement (UFS), highlighted that success is not possible without the contribution of funders and donors who play a pivotal role in the success of students and higher education institutions.

Understanding the profile of students

Prof Petersen reflected on the higher education sector prior to 1994 when the focus was always on student success, while in1994, the emphasis shifted to access and getting more students into the higher education system. “The focus on access has failed to look at how to get students out of the system – that is student success – and whether it is done in a socially just manner,” Prof Petersen remarked. He highlighted that at the UFS, through the Centre for Teaching and Learning, a firm foundation has been established that focuses both on access and the success of a student. 

“To achieve student success, one must understand the students of the UFS – their profile in terms of their background, where they come from, their challenges, among other aspects,” stated Prof Strydom. 

“The UFS understands the challenges that first-generation students experience once they enter the university, and leadership is key for student success to happen.” Prof Strydom emphasised that understanding the profile of students allowed the UFS to put interventions in place that contributed significantly to improved student success, to bridge racial achievement gaps, and to successfully implement high-impact practices to support its students. 

At the UFS, 83% of students are first-generation students, the majority of whom are from quintile 1-3 under-resourced schools. According to Prof Strydom, what sets the UFS apart from other institutions and has led to among the highest academic success rates in the country, are its strategies around student support.

Donors key to student success interventions at the UFS 

In his deliberations, Prof Strydom added that the Siyaphumelela Network, a project funded by the Kresge Foundation – of which the UFS has been a beneficiary since 2014 – has empowered the UFS to harness data analytics to promote student success. It has also enabled the implementation of high-impact practices (HIPs) and innovative initiatives, ranging from academic support in the form of tutorial programmes, writing and language support, to providing for students’ most basic needs through the No Student Hungry Bursary Programme. “Moreover, the UFS is the only institution in South Africa that offers the UFSS transitional module, which is a course that helps students have the best possible chance of passing,” said Prof Strydom.

He also emphasised that the CTL’s Central Advising Office is a sectoral lead; it is the only provider of training for academic advisers nationally and provides support to 15 000 students per year. According to Prof Strydom, its scholarship-driven approach is built on research and evidence-based practice in all its work. “CTL projects are informed by research and continuous needs analysis to ensure that the needs of academics and students are met,” he added.

“These HIPs are leading examples of how to scale support for all students,” said Prof Strydom.

He added that funders and donors are vital for transformation; this journey is not possible without people who work with the UFS, especially in an environment where state funding is diminishing.

Collaboration within and between sectors key for impact in higher education

Prof Petersen continued by emphasising the necessity to work together as a sector and between sectors.  “There is the need for seamless engagement with all sectors, where there is collaboration and working together on programmes. A shift must take place where the collaboration between various sectors must lead to impact in the higher education sector.” A dire need also exists for donors to contribute to undergraduates in higher education and the success of students. “It is also important to examine the graduating class to understand student success in all higher education institutions,” he stated.

Prof Strydom added that the systematic mapping of graduate attributes in curricular and co-curricular offerings plays a major role in enhancing the employability of students, ensuring that graduates exhibit the relevant skills and competencies to achieve success in the workplace.