Experiences of Student Affairs Professionals in Facilitating Co-Curricular Leadership Development Programmes in South African Universities

Abstract

Despite the important role that student affairs practitioners play in supportinguniversities to produce well-rounded graduates, few studies have beenconducted on their lived experiences. This article examines the challengesconfronted by these professionals in interacting with student leadersand facilitating leadership programmes in South African universities. Aqualitative methodology was adopted and semi-structured interviews wereconducted with 20 student affairs practitioners responsible for facilitatingstudent leadership development programmes. A focus group discussionwas also held with six student affairs experts. The findings point to a lackof seamlessness in the structure, staffing, and operation of these programmes,as well as a lack of university support to professionalise student affairs.Furthermore, student leadership development programmes werefound to lack proper theoretical grounding.
 Key words: Student leadership development programmes, students,student affairs professionals

Unlocking the Potential of Hybrid Learning: Tourism Student Voices in South African Universities of Technology

“…As a result, the learning environment for HE students was then delineated within two categories: first, the academic environment which consists of university buildings and spaces in which to socialise and learn. The second, the home environment, which is considered as the support basis for learning outside of the confines of the university space, the brick-and-mortar definitions (Xaba, 2021).…”