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Council approves revised Admissions Policy
Author: Korporatiewe Kommunikasie / Corporate Communication
Published: 16/02/2017

Communication from Council, 11 February 2017

The Council of Stellenbosch University (SU) Saturday afternoon adopted a revised Admissions Policy for the institution, which will come into force on 1 March 2017 when applications open for the 2018 academic year.

The revised policy gives effect to the University's obligations arising from the Constitutional right of access to further education, and the legislative duty to ensure that the institution's admissions policy provides appropriate measures for the redress of past inequalities without unfairly discriminating in any way. The long-term objective of the policy is to contribute to a non-racial and equal society no longer requiring race-based redress.

"It creates an equitable, transparent and reasonable process for admission to undergraduate and postgraduate programmes at SU. This is in line with the University's commitment to becoming more inclusive by broadening access to the institution and deepening its transformation, as contained in SU's guiding policy document, its Institutional Intent and Strategy," Council Chair Mr George Steyn said.

The ISS was adopted in 2013, and in the same year, SU's Rectorate requested an investigation into appropriate admission and selection mechanisms, with the aim to reasonably and holistically address socio-economic disadvantage in South Africa. A task team was commissioned to review the previous Admissions Policy through a process of investigation, research and consultation.

After more than two and a half years of intensive consultation with stakeholders, the task team proposed a draft in which three considerations for the admission of prospective students to SU study programmes are blended:

  • Proven academic merit at school level.
  • Transforming the racial demography of SU's student body.
  • Redressing the socio-economic disadvantage experienced by some students.

"This represents a nuanced set of indicators with which the University can admit a diverse group of newcomer students with the potential for success. The three considerations complement one another through SU's strategy of excellence though diversity," SU's Vice-Rector: Learning and Teaching, Prof Arnold Schoonwinkel, said.

The fundamental objective is to maintain the University's culture of academic excellence by attracting the best applicants, and facilitating the transformation of SU so that it has a more inclusive and representative student body. The University's reputation as a centre of excellence depends on attracting and maintaining a diverse student body, for it enriches the learning environment.

The University takes heed of the multifaceted and complex nature of disadvantage in the South African context. The University recognises the need to reserve places for socio-economically disadvantaged students, regardless of racial classification, who achieve the minimum requirements for a chosen course of study but who would not otherwise be admitted to that course of study.

The policy, and the targets set in each year, will be adapted to reflect the progress made at the University and in the wider community, at eradicating the effects of historical racial divisions.

The policy has gone the full route of institutional approval, with inputs from all 10 of SU's faculties, its Senate and its Institutional Forum. It was also open for public input – the University community at large, as well as the broad public were invited to comment during the month of October 2016. The final draft was comprehensively discussed at a special Council meeting on 11 February 2017, where the Policy was approved.

"We have revised our Admission Policy as a leading national higher-education institution, a national asset serving the national interest and the nation as a whole. The policy promotes access and success for students from diverse communities. Stellenbosch is a university for all South Africans," SU Rector Prof Wim de Villiers said.

  • The revised Admission Policy will be placed on the University's website (www.sun.ac.za) once the changes made by Council to the final draft has been incorporated.