They are the graduating class of 2023 – the 51 participants in the inaugural SASS (Student Affairs Student Success) programme which was conceptualised by a consortium of higher education and student affairs experts and coordinated by the Higher Education Leadership and Management (HELM) Programme of Universities South Africa (USAf).
SASS is a direct response to a national Training Needs Assessment (TNA) survey that HELM carried out among student support professionals working in Student Affairs, Student Development and Student Support services across the 26 public institutions in November 2021. The study found that 86% of the surveyed sample (N=362) were keen to take part in a capacity building intervention to enhance their impact on student success.