On 8 February 2024, more than 5 000 new Matie students will participate in the annual Social Impact Community Morning at Stellenbosch University (SU) during the official Welcoming Week Programme for newcomers. The Division for Social Impact offers students an opportunity to engage in activities that encourage active citizenship, by sharing their academic knowledge with other organisations and partners throughout the Stellenbosch community, including the Tygerberg Campus and surrounding areas.
The Division for Social Impact in collaboration with the Centre for Student Life and Learning in the Division for Student Affairs is excited about the possibilities of being relevant to the critical issues and challenges facing South African societies and communities. Students plan to participate in an array of engaged activities, arranged in collaboration with community partners and student leaders. The Social Impact Community Morning also links well with the University's vision of, among other things, advancing knowledge in service of society, the University's mission of enriching local communities, and its strategic theme of building purposeful partnerships and inclusive networks in the surrounding communities of SU.
The theme of the Morning is captured in enabling students to engage with:
- Stellenbosch University's commitment towards enabling Social Impact
- Why and how the University connects with the surrounding communities
- Creating a greater awareness around how critical real-life challenges can be addressed through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“The mandate of the Division for Social Impact is to support, enhance, and enable volunteer opportunities for students at SU, while expanding the footprint of SU in the surrounding communities. Most importantly, to commit to the University's Vision 2040, by positioning ourselves for the future and developing students into 21st century citizens. Enabling a transformative student experience in order to transform the world," says Renee Hector‑Kannemeyer, Deputy Director: Social Impact.
Click here to view the Social Impact Community Morning programme.
