Unisa hosts impactful student service delivery roadshow

The Office of the Dean of Students, in collaboration with Unisa’s Eastern Cape Region, recently  hosted a student service delivery roadshow to provide a platform for students to give input on systems currently in place and being implemented by the university, which in turn will help the university understand and meet students' needs and improve service delivery. The event was held on 13 September 2023 at the East London Regional Hub.

The event aimed to identify and address areas that inhibit the delivery of quality services to students. Representatives from the various service departments started the event by introducing themselves and briefly explaining the department they were from and what their specific departments specialised in. The outgoing Deputy Secretary-General of the National Student Representative Council, Inga Ketwa, delivered a brief speech that highlighted the daily problems students faced and expressed how he hopes initiatives like these could draw positive outcomes that would benefit students and improve their overall experience with the university.

The Advocacy and Resource Centre for Students with Disabilities (ARCSWiD) engaging with students

Thereafter breakaway sessions commenced where students had the opportunity to engage on a one-on-one basis with a wide range of service departments.

A representative from Study Material Production and Delivery: Despatch, Florence Tshisevhe, said that students getting their study material immediately once registration had been finalised is of paramount importance. “Coming to the region will allow us to engage students and strive to deliver study materials to all students immediately once registration has been finalised,” she said. Tshisevhe also highlighted how the event will allow the department to address the issue of students not receiving study materials on time.

The Department of Student Assessment Administration (DSAA) engaging with students

A representative from Graduations, Lesego Masimong, noted how graduations are the highlight for all students, with some qualifications conferred in absentia. “Being here will give us a glance into how students would like us to meet them halfway in terms of them receiving their certificates,” Masimong went on say. “Students receiving their certificates is a visual representation of their hard work and resilience and we strive to fast track the process of students receiving their certificates after completing their qualifications.”

Nwabisa Ndongeni, a student doing her final year in BCom (Financial Management), shared how she received help from the student funding help desk, how all her queries were responded to and how satisfied she was. “Over and above my issues being resolved on-site, I wish the roadshow could visit other centres in the Eastern Cape, which will allow the roadshow team to engage with a broader audience.”

The event was impactful as the face-to-face engagement provided a platform for students to give input on systems currently in place and being implemented by the university, which in turn will help the university understand and meet students' needs and improve service delivery.

* By Ayanda Mdunge, Communication and Marketing Intern, Eastern Cape Region