College of Business and Economics | Annual Report 2023 24 In 2023, CBE had a total of 1 383 postgraduate graduates. The postgraduate cohort consisted of 793 for honours and other postgraduate studies, 216 master’s (an increase from the former year’s 180), and 58 doctoral graduates (also an increase from the former year’s 44). From the doctoral graduates, 17 are South African black candidates (almost 30%, which increased from last year’s 23%). Of the 2023 master’s degrees, 30,1% were completed in two years (the number has increased from 28,3% in the previous year). However, 43,3% of the doctoral degrees were completed in four years (a decline from 59,1% in 2022). This drop was investigated and seems to be attributed mainly to personal well-being and time management of doctoral candidates as these were reasons that were shared in focus groups by doctoral candidates in 2023. STUDENT ACCESS, SUCCESS, AND SUPPORT Promoting student performance and providing opportunities for the holistic development of potential graduates lies at the heart of the CBE’s academic project. Supporting students’ mental health also remains a priority. Beyond the specific school initiatives, the CBE as an active and enterprising peer mentorship programme, which has indicated that efforts to support students in various practical ways, particularly about how to go about being a student, proved to be beneficial to both the peer mentors and mentees. Initiatives to support student success involved: Supporting and taking part of the first year and senior student experience programme at UJ. Experience programmes aimed at supporting undergraduate student learning such as the CBE’s own Personal Development Programme for first year students to prepare them for university life and academia. CBE participation in the Integrated Student Success Initiative (ISSI) primarily supports student learning in priority modules. Free access to e-textbooks for five 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. A shift in teaching pedagogy aimed at introducing more practical or real-world experiences into the classroom through especially case studies and project-based learning. The employability survey provides insight into CBE’s graduates’ employment readiness and preparedness for the workplace. In terms of employability, 87,3% of national students and 81,3% of international students work at least within 12 months of graduation. Another aspect that should not be discounted is the students who start up their own businesses and 46 CBE students reported their new businesses in 2023. Readiness for the workplace is also supported by voluntary service and 7 432 students volunteered their service to communities or industries on a quest to make a positive impact in 2023. Peer Mentor Acknowledgement Ceremony
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