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SUNStudent functionalities to go live later in 2023

The SUNStudent Registration functionality, as well as the related curriculum management, student fees, service fees, residence management and financial aid functionalities, will only go live towards the end of 2023 and will continue in 2024. As in the past, the Legacy student information system will be used for all these functionalities during the 2023 registration period

​The SUNStudent Steering Committee took the decision to defer the launch of the Registration and related functionalities to the next registration cycle after an assessment of the go-live readiness of these functionalities. 

Dr Ronel Retief, Registrar and SUNStudent project owner, said that although there was still a month before the original planned Registration go-live date, the institutional risk of a sub-optimal experience leading to user and client frustration, or even a system failure, and the potential reputational impact, was simply too high. The pressure related to cyclical business-as-usual activities during the year-end period, which includes preparations for the December graduation and 2023 registration period, is high even without the additional SUNStudent workload. 

Although the SUNStudent system can enable student registration already, it requires a robust testing phase to ensure that the system and processes can adequately support the day-to-day business activities. Another requirement is sufficient training time which is essential for end-user readiness and confidence.  

The decision to defer the implementation of the Registration and other functionalities does not imply a respite from the SUNStudent project. Two processes will run in parallel. Registration 2023 and the other functionalities will take place as it has in the past, while work on the SUNStudent project will retain its momentum and proceed as per an adapted project plan.