The growing concern about the mental health and psychological distress of first-year students warrants a greater understanding of their well-being. This study explored the insights of 16 staff and service providers who engage with first-year students at a South African peri-urban campus and built on quantitative studies using the Job…

The transition from high school to university is often a challenge for many students, as they face numerous academic and social adjustments during this time. For the 2020 cohort, these challenges were compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic which further exacerbated the existing concerns and uncertainties. This study reports on the perceptions of a…

This article sets out to understand what the views of Ruvimbo, a Black female student teacher, are on the role of the university, and how and why these views emerged. The social philosophy of higher education of Ronald Barnett was used as a theoretical framework, and arts-informed methods such as drawings and photovoice, were used for data…

This study aimed to critically assess the current state of transgender student inclusion in South African universities, highlighting the challenges, progress and potential areas for improvements that exist. This article highlights the complexities of legal identity, self-determined identity and the recognition of transgender identity in South…

Since the dismantling of apartheid in South Africa, increasing numbers of black students have been enrolling at historically whites-only universities. This situation has been paralleled by a resurgence of racialising discourses that represent black students as lacking in competencies, lowering academic standards and undeserving of their places at…

The article explores student responses to institutional changes to accommodate increasingly diverse students into a cohesive community. It deals with student perceptions of current campus practices, social interaction, their interpretations of these, and how these relate to their experiences. It argues that, while the university has excelled in…