Partnership for first-year students in innovative programme

Abstract

Over the past few years, much emphasis at higher education institutions in South Africa has been placed on constructing higher education in a more collaborative manner. The #RhodesMustFall movement followed by #FeesMustFall protests in 2015-16 signalled that transformation at higher education institutions was moving at a very slow pace, and students’ voices and engagement were absent. The Fallist movement called for the opening up of the higher education space to involve a more inclusive society. This meant that it was time for universities to redefine the students’ relationship with the institution. The shift was from viewing our students as clients to viewing our students as partners in learning, teaching and student success. According to Paul Ramsden (2008), the success of higher education institutions is dependent on meticulous, deliberate and strategic participation of students in partnership with academics to improve teaching and learning and in this way also promote a sense of ownership.