College of Business and Economics | Annual Report 2022 10 Teaching & Learning ENROLMENT AND STUDENT PROFILE CBE serves over 18200 students and thus makes up 36% of the University’s student headcount. In the light of the increasing prominence given to ensuring equality, diversity, and inclusion, CBE remains committed to attracting and admitting students from all backgrounds. Undergraduate (UG) students constitute the majority at 83%, with an increasing proportion of students from under-resourced schools. Simultaneously, the number of students with an Admission Point Score (APS) of at least 35 increased significantly. The student profile in terms of demographics was black (91%), coloured (2%), Indian (4%), and white (3%). The increasing participation of female students in our programmes at undergraduate and postgraduate (PG) levels is a testament to CBE’s commitment to ensuring equitable access to tertiary education for women. The University’s strong international reputation, commitment to academic excellence, and global orientation attract students from across the globe. CBE enrolled over 1360 international students. UNDERGRADUATE AND POSTGRADUATE GRADUATES Most of those that graduated also suffered s evere disruption to their education journey due to Covid and are to be congratulated for doing so well in difficult circumstances. The College has graduated a total of 4430 students. Graduation numbers constitute a 13.8% decline in the graduate output from the previous year. The trend, as mentioned above, mirrors the movement in enrolment numbers. The most significant decrease was at the undergraduate level, mainly in Marketing Management, Information and Knowledge Management, and Business Management qualifications. In 2022, CBE had 1270 graduates at the postgraduate level: a total of 110 for honours and other postgraduate studies, 130 master’s, and 30 doctorates. Over 23% of doctorates were awarded to South African black candidates. Of the master’s degrees, 23.1% were completed in two years (the number has declined from 28.3% in the previous year). A percentage of 43,3 of the doctoral degrees were completed in four years (a decline from 59.1% in 2021). This drop is undoubtedly due to the societal, professional, economic, and personal impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic since most of our students at this level are in full-time senior-level employment. STUDENT ACCESS AND SUCCESS AND STUDENT SUPPORT Promoting student performance and providing opportunities for the holistic development of potential graduates lies at the heart of the CBE’s academic project. Mental health support will remain a priority in the coming years. Through its schools and departments, the CBE engaged in several measures to provide a holistic learning experience for students. Apart from specific school/ departmental initiatives, critical efforts, mainly aimed at UG students, included: • The significant role played by the CBE in the institutional First year and Senior Student Experience programmes aimed at supporting undergraduate student learning. • CBE participation in the Integrated Student Success Initiative (ISSI) primarily supports student learning in priority modules. • An investment of just over R10 million for operational and strategic tutor funding. • Free access to e-textbooks for eight priority modules in the CBE as part of the UJ-funded e-textbook initiative for undergraduate students. • The CBE Student Peer Mentoring Programme supported first-year students transitioning into a university environment. • The CBE Student Personal Development Programme aimed at inculcating critical pervasive skills and attributes in first-year students. • A shift in teaching pedagogy aimed at introducing more practical or real-world experiences into the classroom through scenarios, case studies, and projects. Moreover, Work-integrated Education (WIE) features programmes with a strong practical orientation, such as marketing, tourism and hospitality, accounting, and business management.
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