Wits University Strengthens Collaborative Efforts on Student Success Through Data Analytics

Universities across Gauteng gathered at the University of the Witwatersrand in late May to advance evidence-based approaches to supporting learners. The Analytics and Institutional Research Unit hosted the fourth annual Siyaphumelela Regional Network Meeting, bringing together institutional leads focused on improving outcomes in South African higher education.

The two-day programme emphasised practical strategies for using institutional data to identify barriers and design targeted interventions. Delegates explored how analytics can inform everything from curriculum design to support services, ensuring that every student has the resources needed to complete their studies.

Background on the Siyaphumelela Initiative and Its Role in South African Higher Education

Launched in 2014, the Siyaphumelela Initiative promotes the systematic use of student data to boost success rates and close equity gaps across the post-school education and training sector. Led by the South African Institute for Distance Education, the network encourages participating institutions to collect, analyse and act on information about enrolment, progression and completion.

Wits University has been an active member since the initiative’s early days, serving as regional convenor for Gauteng institutions. The recent meeting continued a tradition of annual gatherings that began in 2022, with previous events co-hosted alongside partners such as the University of Mpumalanga and Vaal University of Technology.

By fostering sector-wide learning, Siyaphumelela supports the broader goal of transforming institutional culture so that student success becomes everyone’s responsibility rather than the sole domain of support units.

Key Discussions and Workshops at the 2026 Regional Meeting

The first day opened with a keynote from Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Garth Stevens, who underscored the human element behind every data point. He reminded participants that statistics represent real individuals, their families and the support networks that have invested in their educational journeys.

Institutional leads then shared updates on their own data-informed projects. Topics ranged from early-alert systems that flag students at risk of disengaging to dashboards tracking module-level performance. The emphasis remained on translating insights into actionable changes that respect institutional contexts and available resources.

Day two shifted to monitoring and evaluation frameworks. A workshop led by Dr Braimoh Bello from the Centre for Statistical Analysis and Research introduced participants to core M&E principles tailored to student-success programmes. Facilitators demonstrated how robust evaluation can demonstrate impact to funders and internal stakeholders alike.

Photo by Brian Wegman 🎃 on Unsplash

Participating Institutions and Their Contributions

Twenty-five delegates represented four Gauteng and neighbouring universities. The University of Johannesburg contributed perspectives on academic development and support structures. North-West University highlighted technology-enabled teaching and learning innovations. The University of Venda shared experiences from a more rural campus setting, while Vaal University of Technology focused on centre-led initiatives for academic development.

These diverse institutional profiles enriched discussions, revealing both common challenges and context-specific solutions. Participants noted that smaller or historically disadvantaged institutions often face greater constraints in data infrastructure yet can achieve significant gains through targeted, low-cost interventions.

The Importance of Data-Informed Practices for Student Throughput and Equity

South African universities continue to grapple with throughput and graduation rates that lag behind enrolment growth. Data analytics offer a pathway to understand where students encounter obstacles—whether in the transition from secondary school, during high-stakes assessments or when balancing financial and personal pressures.

By disaggregating data by race, gender, socioeconomic status and entry qualifications, institutions can design interventions that address systemic inequities rather than treating all learners identically. The Siyaphumelela approach explicitly aims to reduce achievement gaps while raising overall completion rates.

Professor Nicole De Wet-Billings, Senior Director of Academic Affairs at Wits, facilitated sessions that reinforced the need for ethical data governance. Participants discussed consent protocols, privacy safeguards and the responsible use of predictive models to avoid unintended bias.

Challenges Identified and Collaborative Solutions Explored

Common hurdles included fragmented data systems across faculties, limited analytical capacity among academic staff and the difficulty of sustaining momentum after initial pilot projects. Delegates also noted the challenge of aligning institutional priorities with national policy directives from the Department of Higher Education and Training.

Proposed solutions centred on peer learning networks, shared training resources and joint grant applications for data-capacity building. The meeting highlighted the value of regional convenors like Wits in coordinating these efforts and preventing duplication of work.

Thabang Kaneli closed the programme by thanking Ashton Murray from Saide for ongoing organisational support. The commitment to continued collaboration was evident, with participants agreeing to maintain momentum through virtual check-ins and shared documentation.

Photo by Hermes Rivera on Unsplash

Future Outlook for Regional Collaboration and Sector-Wide Impact

Regional meetings have evolved into a cornerstone of the Siyaphumelela Network’s strategy. The 2026 gathering demonstrated growing maturity in how institutions approach data use, moving beyond basic reporting toward sophisticated monitoring and evaluation that informs continuous improvement.

Looking ahead, Wits and its partners aim to expand participation to additional Gauteng institutions and deepen engagement with the national Siyaphumelela community. Plans include developing joint case studies and exploring cross-institutional benchmarking exercises.

Ultimately, the success of these efforts will be measured by improved student outcomes—higher retention, faster progression and more equitable graduation rates across participating universities.

Implications for Broader South African Higher Education Policy and Practice

The discussions at Wits underscore the alignment between institutional initiatives and national priorities for a skilled, transformed workforce. Data-informed student success strategies contribute directly to goals articulated in the National Development Plan and the White Paper on Post-School Education and Training.

By strengthening internal capacity, universities position themselves to respond more effectively to funding mechanisms such as the National Student Financial Aid Scheme and to demonstrate value for public investment.

The regional model also offers a template for other provinces seeking to replicate Gauteng’s collaborative approach, potentially accelerating sector-wide progress toward improved throughput and reduced dropout rates.