SDS Departments
Student Development and Support (SDS) delivers an integrated service to our students, with our work being guided by our clear strategy and informed by the University of the Western Cape’s (UWC) Institutional Operation Plan 2021-2025.
Student development and support should essentially be everyone's business in higher education. The growth and the increasing demand for this function over the last few decades in the higher education landscape has been propelled by the need in the world for multi-skilled, adaptable, innovative global citizens to tackle the challenges of the 21st Century.
As a central institutional function or Division, whether you call it student affairs, as in the United States, or student development and support, as in Europe, this field in higher education has seen the development of an essential service in the education of students worldwide, including developing countries such as South Africa by dedicated professionals.
At UWC, the work that SDS does is guided by our IOP's Goal Area 1 which states: "To facilitate a meaningful and stimulating university experience for students, from initial registration to graduation, by building co-curricular opportunities, responsive support services and institutional cultures that allow for growth and development, and that lay the foundation for lifelong learning; and efficient and effective enrolment management geared towards enhancing the university’s overall mission and long-term ambitions."
Our services are delivered through the following six departments:
Support Services Manager: Mr Glen Bentley
Tel: 021 959 2017
Brand and Projects Coordinator: Mr Sikhulule Nkomphela
Tel: 021 959 2023
Email: sport@uwc.ac.za
READ MORE ABOUT UWC SPORT
Student development and support should essentially be everyone's business in higher education. The growth and the increasing demand for this function over the last few decades in the higher education landscape has been propelled by the need in the world for multi-skilled, adaptable, innovative global citizens to tackle the challenges of the 21st Century.
As a central institutional function or Division, whether you call it student affairs, as in the United States, or student development and support, as in Europe, this field in higher education has seen the development of an essential service in the education of students worldwide, including developing countries such as South Africa by dedicated professionals.
At UWC, the work that SDS does is guided by our IOP's Goal Area 1 which states: "To facilitate a meaningful and stimulating university experience for students, from initial registration to graduation, by building co-curricular opportunities, responsive support services and institutional cultures that allow for growth and development, and that lay the foundation for lifelong learning; and efficient and effective enrolment management geared towards enhancing the university’s overall mission and long-term ambitions."
Our services are delivered through the following six departments:
The Centre for Student Support Services seeks to develop an exciting, stimulating and supportive campus environment which enhances student learning on multiple levels. The focus is to engage students' potential in order to assist them in achieving personal and academic goals, and to develop responsible and responsive citizens for the future.
The CSSS provides broad student-centred development and professional services, programmes, training opportunities and resources aimed at enhancing students' academic experiences, graduate attributes and quality of life. We conduct research and engage with national and international issues and debates to provide a cutting edge student development and support. We have dynamic professionals who provide high quality, free and confidential services.
Director: Ms Laetitia Permall
Manager of Therapeutic Services: Ms Rone Gerber
Manager of Office for Academic Support: Ms Dorothea Hendriks
Manager for Leadership and Social Responsibility: Mr Garth van Rooyen
Manager of Office for Students with Disability: Ms Verushka Daniels
LSR provides leadership development programmes in partnerships with internal and external stakeholders.
Through its transformative projects, the Office facilitates the development of effective leaders, socially responsible and responsive global citizens and ambassadors.
The range of co-curricular opportunities enhances the potential for internal and external community, stakeholder engagement and capacity building. The Office also provides faculty-specific academic success initiatives.
Location: 3rd Floor, Student Centre
Tel: (021) 959 9755
Email: sla@uwc.ac.za
To do so, OAS offers initiatives that are effective, flexible, creative and student-centered. The Office works re-actively and proactively; it responds to student requests while effectively collaborating with on-campus stakeholders.
The Office offers individual coaching that includes learning skills, career guidance and personal mastery. Its Graduate Development Programme (GDP) supports first-year students and it's integrated into the curriculum. The flagship, university-wide Peer Mentoring Programme promotes relationships between highly performing senior students (mentors) and first-year students (mentees).
Location: 2nd Floor, Community and Health Sciences (CHS) Building
Tel: (021) 959 2299/3484
Email: csss@uwc.ac.za
The Office does so with short-term and solution focused counselling interventions that address multiple layers of psychosocial traumas or challenges that impair optimal academic functioning.
Additionally, the Office also provides group counselling interventions, psychoeducational workshops, mental health awareness talks and campaigns with students and staff members.
Location: 2nd Floor, Community and Health Sciences (CHS) Building
Tel: (021) 959 2299
Email: csss@uwc.ac.za
In 2019 the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSwD) acquired the first universal design disability venue at UWC. This project, funded by the DHET, was a key strategic initiative by the Student Development and Support Division (SDS) and the institution.
The new location ensures inclusive access through its universal design and an improved experience for students with disabilities, providing them with the basic right to a conducive educational space.
The new office space is an important landmark for students with disabilities on campus; through its detailed facilities, it communicates the university’s commitment towards inclusivity. Moreover, the universally designed venue promotes awareness and advocacy for persons.
Location: Ground Floor, Community and Health Sciences (CHS) Building
Tel: (021) 959 4170
Email: oswd@uwc.ac.za
READ MORE ABOUT CSSS
The CSSS provides broad student-centred development and professional services, programmes, training opportunities and resources aimed at enhancing students' academic experiences, graduate attributes and quality of life. We conduct research and engage with national and international issues and debates to provide a cutting edge student development and support. We have dynamic professionals who provide high quality, free and confidential services.
Director: Ms Laetitia Permall
Manager of Therapeutic Services: Ms Rone Gerber
Manager of Office for Academic Support: Ms Dorothea Hendriks
Manager for Leadership and Social Responsibility: Mr Garth van Rooyen
Manager of Office for Students with Disability: Ms Verushka Daniels
CSSS has four Units:
Leadership and Social Responsibility (LSR)
The Office for Leadership and Social Responsibility (LSR) is undergirded by the principles of “Creating, Leading and Sustaining the Change”. These principles in turn inform the programmes, volunteerism and engagement opportunities.LSR provides leadership development programmes in partnerships with internal and external stakeholders.
Through its transformative projects, the Office facilitates the development of effective leaders, socially responsible and responsive global citizens and ambassadors.
The range of co-curricular opportunities enhances the potential for internal and external community, stakeholder engagement and capacity building. The Office also provides faculty-specific academic success initiatives.
Location: 3rd Floor, Student Centre
Tel: (021) 959 9755
Email: sla@uwc.ac.za
Office for Academic Support (OAS)
The Office for Academic Support (OAS) aims to be a leader in optimising students’ potential for academic success and holistic development, to facilitate their employability and engagement as global citizens.To do so, OAS offers initiatives that are effective, flexible, creative and student-centered. The Office works re-actively and proactively; it responds to student requests while effectively collaborating with on-campus stakeholders.
The Office offers individual coaching that includes learning skills, career guidance and personal mastery. Its Graduate Development Programme (GDP) supports first-year students and it's integrated into the curriculum. The flagship, university-wide Peer Mentoring Programme promotes relationships between highly performing senior students (mentors) and first-year students (mentees).
Location: 2nd Floor, Community and Health Sciences (CHS) Building
Tel: (021) 959 2299/3484
Email: csss@uwc.ac.za
Therapeutic Services (TS)
The Office for Therapeutic Services (TS) provides counselling interventions, with the aims of restoring and/or enhancing academic functioning of registered UWC students.The Office does so with short-term and solution focused counselling interventions that address multiple layers of psychosocial traumas or challenges that impair optimal academic functioning.
Additionally, the Office also provides group counselling interventions, psychoeducational workshops, mental health awareness talks and campaigns with students and staff members.
Location: 2nd Floor, Community and Health Sciences (CHS) Building
Tel: (021) 959 2299
Email: csss@uwc.ac.za
Office for Students with Disabilities (OSwD)
The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSwD) facilitates universal access to higher education for students with disabilities at UWC. As the Office strives to ensure that all its registered students receive the same opportunities as the wider student population, the services are broadly targeted at three levels:- supporting prospective students in their pre-university phase
- facilitating a successful transition into UWC;
- enhancing the employability profile of students and graduates.
In 2019 the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSwD) acquired the first universal design disability venue at UWC. This project, funded by the DHET, was a key strategic initiative by the Student Development and Support Division (SDS) and the institution.
The new location ensures inclusive access through its universal design and an improved experience for students with disabilities, providing them with the basic right to a conducive educational space.
The new office space is an important landmark for students with disabilities on campus; through its detailed facilities, it communicates the university’s commitment towards inclusivity. Moreover, the universally designed venue promotes awareness and advocacy for persons.
Location: Ground Floor, Community and Health Sciences (CHS) Building
Tel: (021) 959 4170
Email: oswd@uwc.ac.za
READ MORE ABOUT CSSS
The UWC Career Services department will offer UWC students with a meaningful and stimulating career preparation experience from orientation until graduation.
Tel: 021 959 2436
Email: careerxplora@uwc.ac.za
READ MORE ABOUT CAREER SERVICES
UWC Career Services Key Performance Areas;
- Career Services
- Student Orientation Programme
- Graduate Competency Development Programme
Contact Information
Location: Level 1, Student CentreTel: 021 959 2436
Email: careerxplora@uwc.ac.za
READ MORE ABOUT CAREER SERVICES
Residential Services (RS) endeavours to enculturate an authentic student-centred approach that is value driven and that seeks to innovatively optimise living-learning experiences for all its community members. It manages physical infrastructure, services, maintenance and assets. And it has three focus areas namely;
This section also deals with billing and software systems used by the department Is responsible for maintaining a conducive living-learning environment for all students and deals with all the operational aspects relating to the residence clusters. Services include facilities maintenance, security services, access control, gardens and grounds services, cleaning services, and health & safety.
Student Housing manager: Ms Zimkitha Mdekazi
Placement and Administration manager: Mrs Neliswa Majola
ResLife Services manager: Ms Gretna Andipatin
Contact person: Ms Bianca Daniels
Contact person: Ms Faith Makhaluza
Email: resservices1@uwc.ac.za
READ MORE ABOUT RESIDENTIAL SERVICES
-
The RS Placement and Administration;
-
The RS Housing Section
This section also deals with billing and software systems used by the department Is responsible for maintaining a conducive living-learning environment for all students and deals with all the operational aspects relating to the residence clusters. Services include facilities maintenance, security services, access control, gardens and grounds services, cleaning services, and health & safety.
-
RS ResLife
RESIDENTIAL SERVICES
- Counselling and other modes of support have moved to telephonic, WhatsApp, Google Meets, and Zoom
- Academic Support has moved to telephonic, WhatsApp and Google Meets
- Movement of Residential Services on to the IKAMVA platform. RS went live on IKAMVA in August 2020 and has all its students on the project site. RS uses the project site for: all RS communications/announcements; all psychoeducation resources shared either through webinars, online facilitation or simply value; add reading materials during this time.
Student Housing manager: Ms Zimkitha Mdekazi
Placement and Administration manager: Mrs Neliswa Majola
ResLife Services manager: Ms Gretna Andipatin
Contact Information
RESLIFE
Tel: 021 959 3557PLACEMENT & ADMINISTRATION
Tel: 021 959 2569Contact person: Ms Bianca Daniels
STUDENT HOUSING
Tel: 021 959 2766Contact person: Ms Faith Makhaluza
Email: resservices1@uwc.ac.za
READ MORE ABOUT RESIDENTIAL SERVICES
The department operates from a Central Office that coordinates student funding across the university. The Office works closely with the faculties and departments across the university to assist students that are financially needy.
The Department of Student Funding administers NSFAS funding as well as bursaries and scholarships. As such, we can assist students with information on funding from NSFAS, bursary sponsors, or scholarship opportunities.
Manager: Mr Michael Kwatsha
Office Coordinator: Ms Colleen Arendse
Secretary: Ms Melanie Mitchell
click here for all Financial Aid Office staff
Tel: 021 959 2737
Tel: 021 959 9753
Email: finaid@uwc.ac.za
FAQS FORMS AND TEMPLATES
The Department of Student Funding administers NSFAS funding as well as bursaries and scholarships. As such, we can assist students with information on funding from NSFAS, bursary sponsors, or scholarship opportunities.
Manager: Mr Michael Kwatsha
Office Coordinator: Ms Colleen Arendse
Secretary: Ms Melanie Mitchell
click here for all Financial Aid Office staff
Contact Information:
Location: Financial Aid OfficeTel: 021 959 2737
Tel: 021 959 9753
Email: finaid@uwc.ac.za
FAQS FORMS AND TEMPLATES
The UWC Campus Health & Wellness Centre is operated by Dr D H Bagwandeen and Associates Inc. (the Company), a private Company that provides essential primary health / medical services in support of the UWC Campus community and especially the UWC student population. The relationship between UWC and the Company is largely governed by a service level agreement which was reviewed and renewed since January 2018.
Director: Dr Manoj Bagwandeen
Operational Manager: Ms Mariam Adams
Tel: 021 959 2875/6
Email: health@uwc.ac.za
Director: Dr Manoj Bagwandeen
Operational Manager: Ms Mariam Adams
Contact Information
Location: 1st Floor, Community Health Science (CHS) Building, Block BTel: 021 959 2875/6
Email: health@uwc.ac.za
Sports Administration is divided into three priority areas:
- Sports Development - its primary focus is managing sports clubs and recreation programmes.
- Support Services - focuses on facilities and Infrastructure
- High Performance - focuses on scientific support for high performance teams.
Support Services Manager: Mr Glen Bentley
Contact Information:
Support Services Manager: Mr Glen BentleyTel: 021 959 2017
Brand and Projects Coordinator: Mr Sikhulule Nkomphela
Tel: 021 959 2023
Email: sport@uwc.ac.za
READ MORE ABOUT UWC SPORT
