In a significant boost for South Africa’s higher education sector, a third cohort of 47 senior managers from 17 universities has successfully completed a national Student Affairs and Student Success (SASS) leadership programme, offered by HELM USAf for the third year, achieving a remarkable 100% completion rate. The milestone was celebrated at a capstone colloquium in Johannesburg, marking a major achievement in strengthening the leadership capacity for Student Affairs and Student Success across the nation. This achievement marks the creation of a powerful new network of SAS leaders, now equipped to spearhead a more integrated and just approach to student success nationwide.
The USAf HELM Student Affairs and Student Success (SASS) programme was strategically developed to confront the multifaceted issues that impact student persistence and success. These challenges are not merely operational hurdles but manifestations of the historic, systemic inequalities that continue to shape the country’s universities. The programme directly addresses systemic issues around student success, including rising levels of student mental health distress, the widening gap between student under-preparedness and academic demands, financial pressures that compromise student persistence, and the risk of digital transformation deepening exclusion. By framing these issues within a broader social justice imperative, the HELM SASS initiative aims to break down the institutional silos that prevent integrated, holistic student support. Student Affairs is at the heart of the national humanising project, and this SASS programme contributed significantly to this outcome.
To achieve this ambitious goal, the programme was structured as a powerful national collaboration between USAf HELM and the University of the Free State. As a certified short learning programme of the University of the Free State (UFS), the SASS initiative is driven by the Higher Education Leadership and Management (HELM) division of Universities South Africa (USAf). Crucially, its national impact is supported by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) through its University Capacity Development Programme (UCDP). The initiative garnered high-level support from its inception, with the opening session featuring well wishes from Mahlubi Chief Mabizela and Professor Peter Mbati from USAf HELM and Professor Vasu Reddy, DVC UFS: Research and Internationalisation.
Under the expert conceptualistion and facilitation from Professor Birgit Schreiber and Professor Matete Madiba, both from the University of the Western Cape, this 2025 cohort engaged with a rigorous curriculum designed to embolden transformative leadership. Participants explored complex modules on student development theory, models of leadership and managing change, and the intricate policy and financial contexts of higher education and how to accelerate student success through addressing systemic issues in higher education.
In his welcome address, Professor Peter Mbati underscored the lasting value of the relationships forged during the programme. “The networks you have formed across the sector, the insights exchanged, and the collaborative spirit demonstrated in your Peer Learning Groups represent a powerful resource,” he stated, emphasizing that such collaboration is what makes sustainable change possible.
A foundational principle of the SASS programme is its unwavering commitment to social justice. Programme facilitator Professor Birgit Schreiber emphasized this core mission during the 2025 Colloquium, highlighting the “urgent need to advance social justice in South Africa.” She framed the work of the participants as central to this goal, presenting student success as a primary “avenue to advance social justice for all.” This philosophy positions student support professionals as pivotal agents of change, tasked with creating equitable living and learning environments for every student.
The graduation of these 47 Student Affairs leaders signifies that a newly empowered professional network is being deployed back into the higher education system. Equipped with the essential “conceptual, strategic, and relational tools,” as Prof Mbati emphasised, they are now positioned to lead meaningful institutional transformations. As they return to their universities, their true impact will be measured in their ability to enhance student support, break down systemic barriers, and champion a more just and successful future for a new generation of South African students.