In keeping with the intent of Stellenbosch University (SU) of producing thought leaders for the future, students are now able to receive recognition for accredited co-curricular learning on their academic transcript at their graduation ceremony.
SU is committed to producing leaders with deep insight into world issues, students who are able to engage across cultures and disciplines, students with courage to take meaningful action to serve society, to find solutions for complex problems thereby creating economic and social value.
Learning and leadership formation therefore takes place inside as well as outside the classroom with experiential education positioned in such a way as to allow and encourage students to engage critically with knowledge and its application in society and to be accredited for the roles that they play as volunteers, leaders and mentors. Students therefore receive an education that not only gives them a sound knowledge skill-set, they are also able to navigate the complexities of the 21st century.
The Co-Curriculum Office, under the leadership of Ms Ruth Andrews, will therefore hosts writing workshops throughout the year for students to who wish to develop learning opportunities within the co-curricular space or to accredit existing learning opportunities to the academic transcript
Accreditation for co-curricular experiential learning at university is likely to give students an advantage over their peers in the world of work and therefore make them more impactful after university.
Speaking to Corporate Communication, Ms Andrews said that “the goal is to cultivate graduates who can think effectively and critically", who have “achieved depth in some field of knowledge" and who have a “critical appreciation of the ways in which we gain knowledge and understanding of the universe, of society and of ourselves". Our graduates should also have “a broad knowledge of other cultures and other times" and they should be “able to make decisions based on reference to the wider world and to the historical forces that have shaped it".
