Despite a challenging economy and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sol Plaatje University (SPU) registered 1 650 first-year students in 2022, an increase of 80% over 2021’s figure of 917 first-years. The 1 650 new first-year registrations also exceeds the target of 1 516 first-year registrations set for 2022.
The Office of the University Registrar reported that SPU also received the highest number of applications for enrolment in the University’s eight-year history, with a combined 19 420 applications received for undergraduate and postgraduate placements.
This 83% increase (against 2021’s figure of 10 606 applications) has had a further positive impact, with SPU meeting its enrolment targets for the first time in many years. The University is encouraged to see that 3 557 students (undergraduate and postgraduate) are enrolled so far for the current academic year. This figure is 29.5% higher than in the 2021 academic year, in which 2 746 students were enrolled.
As of Tuesday, 22 March 2022, 3 298 of the 3 557 students registered were undergraduate students, and 259 postgraduates (this number is likely to increase, as postgraduate registrations remain open until 31 March 2022).
“We are encouraged to see the demand for an SPU education continues to be strong, and this augurs well for the future of our young University,” SPU Vice-Chancellor and Principal Professor Andrew Crouch said. “What is even more encouraging is the diversity of the applicants – we now have students from all nine of South Africa’s provinces, and some international students from SADC countries. This can be attributed to our targeted marketing through school visits, and an increased social media presence.”
