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SciMahtUS
A successful university access programme for underserved
students in South Africa:
the journey and beyond.
Elza Lourens
Stellenbosch University, South Africa
Presentation at Open Network Event on Diversity
12 November 2019
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Structure
1. Why SciMathUS?
2. The selection process
3. The academic programme
4. Support structures
5. Our strengths
6. Our challenges
7. Our successes
8. A student’s voice
9. The HE journey
10. The transition into first-time employment
11. Questions and discussion
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Why SciMathUS?
• Since 2001
• Contributes to redress and transformation of country
after apartheid
• Focus on underserved groups
• Only 9,1% black African people in HE
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The selection process
• Online application
• Short period for selection
• Intense time
• 1000 applications for 100 spots
• Academic requirements
• 60% average
• 45% for Mathematics
• 45% for Physical Sciences
• 50% for Afrikaans or English
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The selection process
• Underserved status
• Socio-economic status
• Education of parents
• Type of school attended
• Points awarded according to criteria
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The academic programme
• Two streams
• Sciences or Commerce
• NSC exam improved Gr 12
• Academic Literacy
• Computer Literacy
• Weekly structure
• 15 hours Mathematics
• 14 hours Physical Sciences
• 5 hours Academic Literacy
• 3 hours Computer Literacy
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The academic programme
• Pedagogical approach
• Interactive
• Flipped classroom
• Problem Based Learning
• Research project
• ICT integration
• SUNlearn
• Collaboration with faculties
• Laboratories
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Support structures
• Residence
• Mentors
• Food/Clothes/Bedding
• Emotional support
• SciMathUS Graduate
Employability Initiative (SGEI)
• Psychometric tests
• Career presentations
• Faculty presentations
• Support with applications for HE and bursaries
• Collaboration with student counseling and health services
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Our strenghts
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• Holistic programme
• Strong team
• Dedicated
• Small turnover of staff
• Relatively small number of students
• We know our students
• Privately funded
• Open doors to underserved students
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Our challenges
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• Marketing and recruitment
• Students only need us after they have received their final
Gr 12 marks
• Selection
• Very intense
• Many applicants whom do not qualify
• Students drop out
• Difficult circumstances
• Better/other opportunities
• Cannot follow students in other HEIs
• Funding
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Our successes
• 1415 successfully completed SciMathUS
• 78% of SciMathUS students enroll at SU
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Our successes
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• 367 first degrees awarded at SU
• 94 post-graduate qualifications
• 3 PhD’s, 2 PhD’s in process
• 316 students currently in the SU system
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The HE journey
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The HE journey
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The journey into first-time employment
Challenges
• Difficult and challenging
• Time to employment
• Lack of planning
• Limited scope
• Random internet searches
• On-line applications
• In-service training and internships
• CV’s and graduate profiles
• Career services and institutional support
• Social networks emerged as main method to secure
employment
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The journey into first-time employment
• Graduates do not think about future careers when they enter
HE
• Students and parents believe that a HE qualification guarantees
good employment
• Students believe postgraduate studies provide a positional
advantage in the labour market
• There is little or no focus on graduate employability during HE
• A gap exists between graduation day and first-time employment
• Students from disadvantaged backgrounds still struggle more to
capitalise on the benefits of HE for employability than their
peers.
• There is little or no support from HE or employers
during the transition into employment
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Findings
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The journey into first-time employment
• The study highlighted the complexity of graduate
employability, particularly in a highly unequal
society such as South Africa
• The study demonstrated how important
networking and the strengthening of social capital
are for graduates with a view to employability
• The study revealed the importance of a graduate
profile in seeking and finding employment
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Implications
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A student’s voice
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Thank you for your attention!
Contact particulars:
Questions and discussion
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