Universities In South Africa Research Articles

Investigating the Pedagogical Potential of Entrepreneurial Projects in Higher Education

The current rate of technological advancement across the globe underlines the importance of higher education institutions incorporating project-based learning into their teaching approaches. This article investigates the capacity of entrepreneurial projects to address the skills gap in the Sub-Saharan African higher education sector. This study was conducted in two rural universities in South Africa and Nigeria. Data were collected from student participants from the two institutions using semi-structured questionnaires. The authors discovered that, despite the involvement of student participants in entrepreneurial projects over a considerable period of time, most participants from both universities still exhibit inadequate skill levels. This result suggests that certain conditions should be met for entrepreneurial projects to be considered effective for teaching and learning in the higher education context. It is imperative to include enabling factors such as high-quality mentoring from industry professionals and an unwavering university support system for student entrepreneurs. These enabling factors are cornerstones that strengthen a university's entrepreneurial standing.
 
 Received: 8 January 2023 / Accepted: 2 April 2023 / Published: 5 May 2023

Challenges of First-Year Extended Curriculum Programme Students at a University in South Africa

The Extended Curriculum Programme (ECP) is an academic foundation programme established and supported by South Africa’s Department of Higher Education and Training as a route and an enabling environment for educationally disadvantaged, underprepared, unprepared, and at-risk students to access and succeed in higher education. However, beyond the academic concerns for students enrolled on this programme, there are social issues that could hinder the success of the enrolled students. This study examines the challenges of students enrolled in Extended Curriculum Programme in a selected university in South Africa. Using a qualitative research method, data was collected following a focus group discussion comprising twelve groups in the Faculty of Management and Commerce ECP first-year students. This study found that students face a number of challenges including information asymmetry, mismatch between high school subjects and university courses, transitioning from high school to university setting, inadequate and unequal academic support, and stigmatization. The findings imply a need for guidance and counselling in the choice of a future career at high school level, an awareness about ECP, and strengthened support beyond academic support by improving social integration and boosting ECP students’ self-confidence. Government and institutions need to introduce educational anti-stigma interventions to correct individuals’ and society’s misinformed perceptions about ECP programmes and to promote awareness about the potential and possibilities of the programme.

Effectiveness of technology in Open Distance Learning

Technology was gradually embraced by distance education institutions to interact and instruct their diverse student body. To reach students in far-flung locations, the University of South Africa (Unisa) has embraced the Open Distance and E-learning (ODeL) paradigm. The digital gap is a problem as technology advances because it makes it difficult for pupils to access the Internet. The study went over the literature with a particular emphasis on the usefulness of technology in ODeL. To thoroughly examine the case, the study has chosen a qualitative research methodology. To analyze the data acquired from students enrolled in ODeL courses, the study has utilized a community of inquiry structure. The study made use of the interpretative paradigm, which holds that reality is a multi-layered, complicated phenomena that may be interpreted in several ways. The study is comprehensive in character since a qualitative research technique using a case study design method was chosen most appropriate for it. Twelve individuals were chosen by the researchers from two Unisa regional offices in the Eastern Cape Province using a purposive sample technique. The participants were questioned about their opinions and experiences with using technology during semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis, a method of finding themes within qualitative data, was used to analyze the acquired data. The results showed that students who used technology well were better communicators, had better grades on their assignments, and fared well on tests

Challenges Faced by Multi-Campus Institutions with Online Teaching during the COVID-19 Lockdown

In December 2019, the COVID-19 virus was first detected in Wuhan, Hebei Province, China. On 11 March 2020, the World Health Organisation declared the COVID-19 virus a world pandemic. Even though the physical closure of tertiary institutions had proven to be an effective strategy in breaking the transmission chain in the pandemic, the closure still had various negative effects on students’ academic endeavours. In an attempt to keep the disruption of studies to a minimum, higher education institutions across the world implemented online learning programmes by converting face-to-face programmes, thereby creating various challenges for students and lecturers on different levels. The purpose of this article was to determine how challenges faced by multi-campus universities in South Africa during this time would compare to challenges faced by other countries. This study focused on two specific multi-campus universities in South Africa with similar student bodies that offered various accounting courses on different campuses. These courses ranged from diplomas to CTA degrees.

Hybrid and virtual work settings; the interaction between technostress, perceived organisational support, work-family conflict and the impact on work engagement

PurposeThe study assessed the impact of technostress creators, work–family conflict and perceived organisational support (POS) on work engagement for employees operating within the virtual and hybrid work settings. The idea is to redefine the antecedents of work engagement in work settings that are characterised by excessive technology and work–family conflict.Design/methodology/approachData gathered from 302 academics and support staff employees at a selected university in South Africa were utilised to assess the abovementioned relationships via variance-based structural equation modelling.FindingsThe combined effect of technostress, work–family conflict and POS on work engagement indicates that work–family conflict is a critical component in the relationship between technostress and work engagement. Although POS is seen as a job resource that lessens stress, the study found that the influence of work–family conflict is stronger than that of POS; hence, a negative influence is reported on work engagement. Despite the presence of support, overwhelming technostress creators and work–family conflict issues increase demands and influence work engagement negatively.Research limitations/implicationsThe results noted that, in hybrid and virtual work settings, managers can drive employee engagement by focussing on designing more favourable work–life balance (WLB) policies, providing adequate information communication technology (ICT) support, fostering aspects of positive technology and defining the boundaries between work life and family time.Practical implicationsThe managers need to realise the detrimental effects of both technostress and work–family conflict on work engagement in virtual and hybrid work settings. Expanding the personal and job resources of individuals in hybrid and virtual settings is critical to enable them to meet the additional work demands and to manage the strain imposed by technostress. Instituting relevant organisation support has proved to be inadequate to address the challenges relating to technostress and work–family conflict. Therefore, introducing WLB policies that assist employees to set clear boundaries between work and family time to avoid burn out and spillover is critical. This is especially important when dealing with technostress creators in the remote work setting. Additionally, providing adequate ICT support as well as training related to use of different devices and software should be part of the organisational culture.Social implicationsA manageable and reasonable workload should be maintained bearing in mind the complexity and ambiguity associated with the hybrid work setting. Managers should make allowances for employees to adjust managers' schedules to accommodate personal obligations, as well as adjust employees' workloads to accommodate family responsibilities. As for the coping strategy of technostress and work–family conflict, considering the positive effects of the supportive work environment is important.Originality/valueThis study provides a model on the interaction of the redefined antecedents (technostress and work–family conflict) of work engagement in high-tech environments such as virtual and hybrid work settings.

Black women academics in the United States of America and South Africa deploying principles of Feminist Decoloniality as Care (FEMDAC) to confront experiences with microaggressions

abstract While several studies detail the experiences of university students with racial and gender harassment, bullying, and microaggressions, few explore these phenomena among Black women faculty members in higher education transnationally. This article makes a novel contribution by examining Black women’s agentic responses to marginalising experiences in higher education. Black women’s extraordinary efforts to succeed in westernised universities built on the subjugation of and from the labour of their ancestors, awareness-raising about their negative experiences, and strategies to change colleagues’ behaviours defy ‘business as usual’ in higher education. Neoliberalism, Gender and Curriculum Transformation in Higher Education is a multi-site project led by Professor Relebohile Moletsane (Moletsane & Mabokela 2019), who partners with Black women to support their academic and scholarly success. This article reviews results of a survey administered to participants to document their experiences and explore the interventions designed by Moletsane’s Feminist Decoloniality as Care (FEMDAC) investigators at universities in South Africa and America. This article describes four ways in which researchers effectively operationalise feminist decoloniality as care, by: 1) truth-telling about the impact of neoliberal institutions on the daily lives of Black women academics; 2) locating the source of academic woundedness not solely in the individual behaviours of bad actors but in systemic oppression; 3) creating opportunities for women to see the similarities in their experiences transnationally and to recognise ways in which institutional structures marginalise them; and 4) mutual support, a team mentoring approach, and reproducing Black excellence.

Emerging Methods and Challenges Associated With Teaching and Learning Media Studies During the COVID-19 Pandemic Induced Lockdowns in Zimbabwe and South Africa.

COVID-19's arrival in Zimbabwe and South Africa in early 2020 caused disruptions to all facets of life including education. It disrupted traditional notions of media studies' teaching and learning. In the contexts of these disruptions, the present study interrogates how selected universities in Zimbabwe and South Africa adjusted to the new normal in so far as teaching and learning of media studies is concerned. It is a comparative analysis of selected Zimbabwean and South African universities. In-depth interviews with students and lecturers and participant observations were used to gather data whilst thematic analysis was utilized to analyze the data. The study found out South African universities adjusted far much better and easily than their Zimbabwean counterparts. This is because both lecturers and students were capacitated as opposed to the scenario in Zimbabwe where lecturers and students alike were not given gadgets to smoothen the transition to online learning. The data that was given to lecturers was too little whereas the data for e-learning was too exorbitant for the students. Furthermore, both lecturers and students noted that it is difficult to teach and learn practical modules online. However, universities in both countries utilized platforms such as Google classroom though students from rural areas in both countries were affected by the digital divide.

Comparative Study of the Antibacterial and Cytotoxic Activity of Leaves, Trunk and Roots of Schumanniophyton Magnificum

Aims: Schumanniophyton magnificum is a plant reputed traditionally to treat numerous urogenital infections linked to several germs, notably: Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Neisseria gonhorhea, Treponema palidum, Candida albican. This study aims to evaluate and compare the in vitro antibacterial and cytotoxic activities of the leaves, trunk and roots of S. magnificum in order to determine the parts displaying the best activity.
 Study Design: This is an experimental study.
 Location and Duration of the Study: The work was conducted at the Pharmacochemistry and Natural Substances Laboratories of the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Douala for the extraction and at the Medical Analysis Laboratory of the Douala General Hospital for antibacterial test as well as Biomedical Chemistry Research Center of Rhodes University in South Africa for cytotoxic essay. All the experiments were carried out from the 15th November 2020 to the 31th May 2021.
 Methodology: The in vitro Antibacterial activity essay was conducted on two strains, one Gram+ bacteria: Staphylococcus aureus and one Gram- bacteria: Escherichia coli, while cytotoxicity was evaluated on HeLa cell line.
 Results: The root wood extract and the root bark extract presented a good antibacterial activity (MIC = 195.31 µg/mL) and average activity (MIC = 390.63 µg/mL) respectively with E. coli. The different extracts were found to be bactericidal against the tested micro-organisms. At the concentration of 20 µg/mL, all extracts tested did not significantly reduce HeLa cells, with an inhibition rate ranging from 13.5 to 37.6%, suggesting a low cytotoxicity of S. magnificum extracts towards these human cells line.
 Conclusion: This is the first comparative report on the antibacterial and cytotoxic study conducted on the different parts of S. magnificum. It appears from this study that these results could justify the use of the stem bark of S. magnificum in the traditional pharmacopeia for the treatment of urogenital infections. However, the roots wood having presented the best antibacterial activity (MIC = 195.31 µg/mL), it would be beneficial to suggest this plant part to the local populations for the treatment of bacterial diseases specific to E. coli and S. aureus, after the preclinical and clinical tests are carried out.

MHealth and e-Learning in health sciences curricula: a South African study of health sciences staff perspectives on utilisation, constraints and future possibilities

BackgroundOver the last decade, developments in e-Learning and technologies are creating the groundwork for health sciences and medical education. Literature demonstrates that we have yet to reach any form of consensus about which indicators are needed to assess and teach quality health sciences and medical education through technology or innovation. There is, therefore, a greater need for a tool or platform that is properly constructed, validated and tested within health sciences.MethodsThis paper presents a study, which is part of a larger research project assessing staff and students’ perceptions of the importance and relevance of different aspects of e-Learning and mHealth in health sciences curricula at four universities in South Africa. The specific objectives of this study were to: (i) assess health sciences staffs’ perceptions and understanding of these two applications; and (ii) establish challenges and opportunities of e-Learning and mHealth applications in the health sector, as well as perceptions on the importance and relevance of these applications to their curricula and future practices. A combination of Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and a key-informant interview was used. A total of 19 staff from four universities participated. Atlast.ti was used for the data analysis and the findings were coded using a primarily deductive thematic coding framework.ResultsThe findings revealed that not all staff members are equipped or trained with new applications or technologies, such as mHealth. Most participants believed that diverse technologies and tools could be integrated with mHealth and e-Learning. Furthermore, participants agree that a new multi-modal platform, in the form of a learning management system (LMS) with relevant applications (and possible plugins) integrated, tailored towards health sciences will benefit all stakeholders, and be valuable to higher education and health sectors.ConclusionsDigitalisation as well as digital citizenship is gradually being integrated into teaching and learning. It is imperative to adapt the health sciences curricula through constructive alignments and promote health sciences education in the current 4IR. This would allow graduates to be better prepared for digitalised practice environments.

Motives for Participating in Study-Abroad Programmes and the Impact of the Pandemic on Selected Universities in South Africa

The article explores the motivations of students participating in study-abroad programmes and the effects of pandemic-related travel restrictions and associated regulations at three universities in South Africa. The author analyses the policies of universities in the Western Cape province regarding study-abroad programmes when pandemic restrictions were in place and once they were lifted. The discussion is based on quantitative data collected during a survey involving 75 foreign students and qualitative data obtained during interviews with 5 programme coordinators at the international offices of the selected universities. The majority of foreign students surveyed were from Europe. While anxieties and uncertainties exist, university representatives were found to be hopeful about the future of study-abroad programmes.

Pocket Consultant Occupational Health

The five authors of this edition are all authorities in occupational hygiene and occupational health and are affiliated with universities in South Africa, Canada, the USA and the UK. Two of them are emeritus. According to previous editions this book is intended for use by occupational health professionals, including occupational physicians, anywhere in the world. From its long-standing history (first edition published in 1983), I infer that this book was first meant to be kept in your pocket to have it at hand when you encounter a problem in practice. With the current edition with almost 500 pages this is not possible anymore. The book counts 20 chapters covering occupational health topics that vary from sampling strategies for exposure measurement to ethical aspects of occupational health. It deals both with topics of occupational medicine such as the diagnosis of occupational disease and of occupational hygiene such as risk assessment. The range of topics makes the book valuable for all occupational health professionals.

4th Industrial Revolution skills in the current South African accountancy curricula: A systematic literature review

The business environment has seen rapid changes due to the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and the influence of exponential technological advancements. The enhancement of technology-based work environments has changed the skill set needed by graduates entering the workforce. In this regard, higher education institutions have shown signs of struggling to adapt curricula to prepare graduates with the skills needed by the fast-changing workforce environment. The South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) developed a framework with competencies aimed to address the needed graduate skills, and for institutions to use as guiding documents in the amendment of their curricula. In this regard, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the top universities in South Africa’s accountancy module documents to determine whether the curricula are addressing the 4IR workforce needs. The SAICA-proposed competency framework (2025CF) was used as a conceptual framework for the evaluation of the university’s curricula documents, and findings indicate that universities still need to make substantial changes in order to include newly-added pervasive skills as prescribed by 2025CF. Findings from the systematic literature review indicate that universities adequately address business acumen skills; however, the categories of digital-, relational and decision-making acumen were insufficiently evident within the current curricula of the top five South African universities. The apparent lack of specific skills development for graduates needs urgent attention considering the technological changes brought on by the 4IR within the accountancy domain.

Modeling and Simulating Student Protests Through Agent-Based Framework

This paper presents an agent-based model to study the effect of grievance, net risk, social, sympathy, and political influence on the likelihood of student protests emerging in South Africa universities. Studies of student protests in several fields have been conducted, but no ABM has been used to explore factors contributing to student protests. Student protests have proved to be disorderly, frequently leading to property damage, academic program cancellations, and injuries. Simulation experiments demonstrated that inequality level, number of activists, activist's influential size, number of friendship ties, suspend delay, and sympathy are elements that determine the model of social conflicts, since there are statistically significant in the logistic regression. For university administration to effectively handle disruptive student protest actions, risk management policies should focus on understanding network structures that integrate students' interactions to monitor the spread of opinions that initiate protest mobilization.

Prevalence and correlates of 30-day suicidal ideation and intent: Results of the South African National Student Mental Health Survey.

Although suicide prevention is recognised as a priority among university students in South Africa (SA), it is unclear what proportion of students require urgent indicated interventions and what the characteristics are of these students. To assess the prevalence and sociodemographic correlates of 30-day suicidal ideation, frequency of ideation and self-reported intention to act on ideation in the next year among a national sample of SA university students. Self-report cross-sectional data were collected online from students (N=28 268) at 17 universities across SA as part of the national student mental health survey. Students reported suicidal ideation in the past 30 days, frequency of ideation and intention to act on ideation in the next year. Data were weighted within institutions by gender and population group, and across the four main types of universities (historically white, historically disadvantaged, technical and distance learning) to correct for response rate discrepancies. Prevalence was estimated with these weighted in the total sample and across types of universities. Poisson regression with robust error variances was used to investigate associations of sociodemographic characteristics with ideation and intention to act on suicidal ideation.Results are reported as relative risks (RRs) with design-based 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Thirty-day prevalence of suicidal ideation was 24.4% (standard error (SE) 0.3), with 2.1% (SE 0.1) and 4.1% (SE 0.1), respectively, reporting suicidal ideation all/almost all the time, or most of the time. A total of 1.5% (SE 0.1) of respondents reported being very likely to act on their suicidal ideation, while 3.9% (SE 0.2) were somewhat likely, 8.7% (SE 0.2) were not very likely and 85.8 (SE 0.5) either reported no suicidal ideation or that they were not at all likely to act on this ideation. Risk of suicidal ideation with high intent in the total sample was elevated among females (RR 1.9, 95% CI 1.3 - 2.7) and gender non-conforming students (RR 4.3, 95% CI 1.4 - 13.0) relative to males, black African students compared with white students (RR 3.6, 95% CI 1.9 - 7.1), students whose parents did not progress to secondary school compared with students whose parents had a university education (RR 1.6, 95% CI 1.0 - 2.5) and sexual minority students compared with heterosexual students (RR 1.9, 95% CI 1.3 - 2.6). Among students with 30-day ideation (controlling for frequency of ideation), only two of these predictors of high intent remained significant: identifying as black African (RR 2.7, 95% CI 1.4 - 5.1), and having parents with less than secondary education (RR 1.5, 95% CI 1.0 - 2.1). Scalable suicide prevention interventions are needed to reach the large number of SA students who report suicidal ideation with intent.

Assessment of Strategies for Preparing Graduates for the Disruptive Workplace: Evidence from Nigeria and South Africa

The emergence of the 4th industrial revolution workplace and its accompanied disruptions across all industries require that Higher Education (HE) strategically aim at equipping graduates with transferable skills to navigate the disruptive workplace. This study aims at assessing the extent by which two identified strategies (experiential learning and career guidance activities) of equipping students with transferable skills are being used by HE in preparing graduates for the disruptive workplace. The study analysed perceptions of students (n=865) from six universities in two African countries, Nigeria and South Africa; on their level of engagements with the two strategies of experiential learning and career guidance activities. Mann–Whitney U tests of comparisons was used to compare the findings from the two countries while hierarchical regression analysis was employed to control for influence of gender and type of university on students’ perceived level of preparedness for work. Findings reveal gaps in students’ engagements with the two strategies; differences in employability perceptions between students in the two countries and; the role of contextual factors on the development of employability. This paper contributes to existing debate on employability by highlighting the extent at which the two identified strategies are adopted in universities in Nigeria and South Africa and, by interrogating the extent to which institutional strategic approaches to employability differ across different regional contexts. More importantly, suggestions on how to address the identified gaps in the provision of these strategies were made.

Continuities or Change?: A Synchronic and Diachronic Analysis of Documented Language Policies of Selected Universities in South Africa

In line with the requirements of Department of Higher Education and Training’s language policy framework, universities in South Africa have crafted language policies that commit to promote multilingualism and contribute to the transformation of higher education. This article is an analysis of previous and current revised language policies of North-West University and Stellenbosch University in South Africa. By focusing on the wording and framing of language policy provisions in the past and present policy documents, we show that language policies of the two institutions have been characterised by continuities than change. Through a theorisation of language policy as a function of ideologies, practices and management, the article exposes how the institutions’ language policies perpetuate the marginalisation and exclusion of indigenous language as languages of instruction and continue to legitimatise Afrikaans and English in varying degrees. While the language policies of the two institutions are full of promise to foster inclusive multilingual education, the wording of the policy provisions betrays the fallacy of this promise by the inclusion of caveats and conditions to be met for indigenous African languages to be used in teaching and learning. The article however notes the positive steps taken by the two historically Afrikaans medium universities to commit to multilingual education by the inclusion of African languages as potential languages of instruction. We conclude that further policy revisions are imperative to eliminate vague and escapist terminology that militates against the implementation and realisation of multilingualism as envisaged in the language policies of the two universities.

The Right to Development in Africa: Issues, Constraints, and Prospects by Serges Djoyou Kamga

Reviewed by: The Right to Development in Africa: Issues, Constraints, and Prospects by Serges Djoyou Kamga Chinekwu Obidoa Kamga, Serges Djoyou. The Right to Development in Africa: Issues, Constraints, and Prospects. New York: Routledge, 2020. Countries in Africa have made important and, in many cases, what can be considered context-defying progress in the area of development, but many gaps remain. This text provides a much-needed look at a dimension of the development discourse that has not received sufficient attention, the Right to Development (RTD). RTD is conceptualized as a multidimensional, composite, and intricately interconnected set of rights of which every person and all peoples are entitled. Grounded on the tenets of the 1986 Declaration on the Right to Development, RTD is an inalienable human right. The text is an edited volume drawn from papers presented at the International Colloquium on "Actualizing the Right to Development in Africa," organized in 2018 by the Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute (TMALI) housed in the University of South Africa. The two main goals of this text are (1) to explore the issues and constraints that pose as barriers to RTD in Africa and (2) to examine how the hindrances can be addressed for the actualization of RTD in Africa. The text is divided into five major sections. Part I focuses on governance and RTD. Emphasis is placed on the governance structures (including legal instruments, constitutions, and institutions) required and responsible for achieving RTD. The absence of such elements will undermine the possibility of achieving RTD. The idea that it will take a well-governed society to achieve RTD is evident from the papers discussed in this section. Additionally, the role of international law in supporting governance in African countries is explored. Part II looks at corruption as a major barrier to RTD. A key concept presented and explored here is the role of social and ethical principles in achieving RTD and the implication of corruption on development in Africa. Part III addresses the pertinent issue of the place of African cultures in development in Africa. Emphasis is placed on how the failure to take African worldviews, philosophies, values, ideologies, and cultures into consideration [End Page 213] starting from the partitioning of Africa and the colonial era to the present day has hurt the continent. The marginalization of African cultures in the development process and even in development discourse has had devastating implications. The idea that development cannot occur in a vacuum has been reiterated by development Africanists. Dr. Toyin Falola rightly asserts that development cannot be divorced from culture, and Chika Ezeanya-Esiobu has repeatedly alluded to the fact that "Africa cannot rise with something borrowed." The idea of leveraging the African intellectual capital of Ubuntu and Letsema for RTD was explored. However, the challenge of legitimizing and operationalizing these ideologies remains. I found the issues raised in this chapter most pertinent among the many barriers and constraints of RTD in Africa discussed in this text. The neglect of cultural systems not only has consequences for the development process but may be a major reason for the unsustainability of development in many parts of Africa. The paper on the role of inter-Africa trade in achieving RTD is especially interesting. Central to development is collaboration with your neighbors. The reality that African countries were deprived of the freedom and structures to trade and interact commercially with each other in favor of economic interaction with colonial nations is one of the root factors for the epileptic nature of development on the continent, a clear violation of the right to development. This is aptly captured in the words of the author Siphamandla Zondi: "The inter-African trade illustrates the persisting and hunting demon of coloniality of being, power, and knowledge, and why the decolonization of the African political economy is a precondition for economic renaissance hoped for and the achievement of the right to development as envisaged" (401). Section IV on gender and RTD provided invaluable insight into another critical barrier to RTD. The violation of women's rights to RTD and the exclusion of women in the development process are linked to epileptic and unsustainable development. Some of the authors highlighted the fact...

“I’m Not Asking for Special Treatment, I’m Asking for Access”: Experiences of University Students with Disabilities in Ghana, Ethiopia and South Africa

It is often challenging for youth with disabilities to access university education in Africa, and for those who manage to make it to university, while there, their experiences are still not barrier-free. The purpose of this study was to uncover the experiences of the barriers and facilitators to inclusion for youth with disabilities in universities in South Africa, Ghana and Ethiopia. This qualitative project applied a critical, participatory research approach to exploring youth experiences. Youth with disabilities and their colleagues conducted seven focus group discussions, with an average of five students in each focus group, and we used a qualitative descriptive method to analyze data. The findings uncovered similarities and differences in the barriers and facilitators to inclusive education among students with disabilities across all sites. Participants noted limited financial support and university services, and how inaccessible spaces and harmful attitudes are all barriers that hinder their access to education and inclusion. The identified facilitators include support systems and self-directed facilitation. Although the students self-advocated and reported some support to assist in their inclusion in university, it was still insufficient. Notably, some universities are making a concerted effort toward inclusion and accessibility, but more work needs to be done.

Connection, desperation and disillusionment: Exploring student wellbeing at a university in South Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic

University students’ mental health and wellbeing has been a global public health issue of increasing concern in recent years, with a growing body of empirical evidence suggesting university students are a ‘very high-risk population’ for mental disorders and psychological distress. Pre-existing mental health challenges among university students have consequently been compounded by the global COVID-19 pandemic. A sample of 20 students registered in the education faculty at a large urban university in South Africa participated in a Photovoice study. The research required them to capture three photos or images of their experiences of wellbeing during the pandemic. The findings showed that studentsexperienced mental health concerns and disillusionment with higher education. Their wellbeing was associated with a sense of connection with themselves, their peers and the campus space, and the cultivation of resilience.

Exploring the Mental Health Challenges and Coping Behaviour of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Students at an Institution of Higher Learning

The South African university community is predominantly heterosexual, which fosters stigmatisation and discrimination against LGBTQI students despite the efforts to create conditions where LGBTQI students can succeed academically, socially, and personally. The study aimed to explore and describe the challenges experienced by LGBTQI students and their mental well-being as well as the coping behaviours adopted in a university in South Africa. This was accomplished using a descriptive phenomenological approach. A snowballing sampling method was used to select ten students who identified themselves as gay, lesbian, and bisexual (LGB). Semi-structured one-on-one interviews were conducted, and data were analysed thematically. The students perceived character defects stigma from fellow students and lecturers in and out of class. The mental health challenges experienced included a diminished sense of safety, lack of a sense of belonging, low self-esteem, and acting out of character. As a result, confrontation, passive withdrawal, and active dependent behaviour were utilised as different types of coping behaviour. The LGB students were subjected to stigma that negatively affected their mental health. Therefore, creating awareness about the rights of LGBTQI students to education, safety, and self-determination is recommended.