Building on the momentum of three successive Nelson Mandela University Annual Enrolment Indabas, the 2025 conference aims to deepen sector-wide collaboration, innovation and shared learning on enrolment strategies that promote sustainable universities.
This year’s theme, “Defining Student Enrolment Management Strategies for Sustainable Universities”, reflects the urgency and complexity of issues facing the higher education sector – from access and equity to retention and success – especially amid shifting policy landscapes and technological advancement.
Over two days, the Conference will bring together university leaders to critically reflect on best practices, policy trends and future-focused solutions across both undergraduate and postgraduate spaces.
Day one of the conference will officially open with a welcome by Mandela University Registrar, Mr Edgar De Koker, followed by opening remarks from Vice-Chancellor Professor Sibongile Muthwa.
Rhodes University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sizwe Mabizela, will deliver the keynote address, unpacking key policy shifts and strategic enrolment priorities within the South African higher education context.
The second, and last, day of the conference will shift the spotlight to postgraduate and international enrolment strategies, with a presentation by Mandela University’s DVC: Research, Innovation and Internationalisation, Professor Azwinndini Muronga, in which he explores access models and process enhancements grounded in global best practices.
Structured panel discussions after each set of presentations will provide space for robust dialogue and collective reflection among participating institutions.
The Conference represents a rare yet necessary space for regional universities to align efforts in shaping future-fit, student-centred enrolment models. It reinforces the importance of collaboration in tackling shared challenges – from capacity and funding constraints to data-informed planning and inclusive access.
As the higher education sector continues to evolve, particularly in response to new national imperatives and the digital shift, the Eastern Cape’s collaborative model could serve as a blueprint for broader national strategies.
