Division for Postgraduate Studies

DASE is responsible for the cross-organisational alignment and co-curriculation of postgraduate programmes, support services, and initiatives. Central to this is ensuring alignment between the academic delivery of postgraduate programmes and the administrative systems in place to support them and their students. This necessitates a strong collaborative approach by the DPGS with all the relevant structures and offices that reports to the Deputy Vice-Chancellors for Student Development and Admin Support; Academic; as well as Research and Innovation. DASE functions as a turn-key postgraduate studies hub that promotes and facilitates excellence in high-quality postgraduate studies for prospective and current students and staff. DASE is also responsible (on occasion and when required) to assist with formal grievance procedures in collaboration with the relevant faculty and/or other parties. DASE also provides informal counselling or referrals if it appears that a specific issue of a student extends beyond that of academic matters. Informal support provided generally relates to confidential, impartial advice, and guidance on postgraduate study progress.

DDIO advocates an inclusive, multicultural, and holistic student development environment for all postgraduate and postdoctoral studies by making diversity, inclusion, engagement, and achievement integral elements for recruitment, retention, and excellence in achievement by postgraduate students and postdoctoral fellows. DDIO is responsible for the DPGS’s marketing of postgraduate programmes and recruitment of postgraduate students (in honours, postgraduate diploma, master’s, PhD and postdoctoral studies).

Marketing and recruitment are done in partnership with faculties and other relevant structures in the university, in line with the broader approach of strategic enrolment management measures of the UWC, designed to attract and retain postgraduate students. DDIO also plays an important role in ensuring that postgraduate programmes remain relevant and contextually responsive. Some of these key products by DDIO are:

• The bi-annual recruitment campaigns
• Retention initiatives throughout the year
• Collaboration with DPDER that presents capacity- building courses on postgraduate research and thesis writing for study completion within the required timeframe, and
• The presentation and coordination of funding opportunities, international exchange programmes, and fellowships throughout the year.

DPDER has two critical responsibilities which contribute to the successful completion of postgraduate studies and effectively portray the values and identity of the DPGS:

1. To develop, promote, and coordinate erudition opportunities for postgraduate students and staff through academic, professional, and life skills capacity-building courses, workshops, retreats, and seminars.
2. To establish and maintain external relationships through effective communication media such as platforms, social media, and newspapers to create public awareness and also through events, seminars, reunions, and volunteer activities with industry representatives, interested community members, postgraduate alumni, business partners, and donors.

DPDER learning opportunities have the following focus areas:

• Grant applications
• Responsible conduct of research
• Research capacity-building, e.g. proposal writing, literature reviews, research methodology, qualitative and quantitative data analyses, and thesis completion, and
• Professional development, e.g. writing for publication, strengthening supervision, leadership development, and entrepreneurial skills.