Under the leadership of Vice-Chancellor and Principal Prof. Pamela Dube, CUT has successfully secured substantial funding of over R4.3 million from the esteemed Kresge Foundation. This grant will empower the university to elevate student success and retention rates. The three-year Grant Agreement, scheduled to commence on 31 July 2024, holds enormous potential to transform a change in our student support services.

“Our active engagement with Siyaphumelela demonstrates our commitment to a more comprehensive approach to student support at CUT.  We are actively adopting best practices from other institutions and benefiting from invaluable coaching from Siyaphumelela. This collaborative effort has already yielded significant improvements in our student services,” said Prof. Dube, underlining the importance of every stakeholder's role in this journey. 

At CUT, a range of interventions has been strategically implemented to align with the university’s goals. These encompass the creation of a supportive environment for teaching and learning, fostering an innovative and entrepreneurial culture, and promoting diversity and inclusion. The interventions span various areas such as academic support, mental health, wellness, disability, residences, finances, and the development of graduate attributes. Each of these areas is designed to enrich the student experience and foster success.

Prof Dube has played a crucial role in overseeing the execution and effectiveness of these support services, ensuring their alignment with the university's strategic goals.  She brings with her extensive experience from her involvement with the Siyaphumelela network at its inception at the University of the Witwatersrand, where she was Dean of Students, as well as at the University of the Western Cape, where she was the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Student Development and Support, and co-chairing the Student Success Steering Committee.

Since assuming the Vice-Chancellor position at CUT, the Institutional Planning and Quality Enhancement Unit (IPQE) has been relocated to her office for direct oversight of student performance and success, institutional planning, data management and quality enhancement. This move highlights the university's business intelligence to locate IPQE in the Office of the Vice-Chancellor to strengthenr coordination and collaboration between all stakeholders involved in student support initiatives and ensure adequate resourcing for the project's sustainability.