UKZN student support services manager wins global award

The University of KwaZulu Natal’s student support services manager has won a prestigious global award.

Dr Saloschini Pillay, the dynamic Student Support Services (SSS) manager at the university’s College of Health Sciences (CHS), has garnered international recognition by winning a prestigious award from Hyland UK.

She was celebrated for her development and successful implementation of the innovative Student Wellness and Academic Transformation (SWAT) assessment and intervention system at UKZN.

This accolade, which honours the “best implementation of a digital solution for student support and wellness”, underscores the system's significant impact on student engagement and wellness.

In response to the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, UKZN’s SSS and the CHS Dean of Teaching and Learning, Professor Sinegugu Duma, launched a cutting-edge digital strategy to enhance student engagement and promote holistic wellness.

Collaborating with the university’s Information and Communication Division and the Academic Computing Division, they developed the SWAT system. Initially piloted in 2021, the system was fully rolled out to the entire CHS first-year cohort by 2023, seamlessly integrating with the university’s Learning Management System.

The SWAT Assessment is based on a student-centred wellness model and evaluates wellness across seven domains: emotional, psychosocial, intellectual and academic, occupational and career, environmental, spiritual and cultural, physical and biological, and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

This automated system promptly identifies at-risk students and provides immediate referrals for appropriate interventions.

Dr Pillay highlighted the system's transformative potential, saying, “We anticipate that this technology-enhanced model will be invaluable in facilitating student engagement with Student Support Services and will significantly benefit our CHS students’ academic success.”

The innovative system has received widespread acclaim from the international academic community.

Professor Victor Borden of Indiana University Bloomington praised Dr Pillay’s work, stating, “I applaud the work you are doing and greatly appreciate your efforts to create a more accessible and effective hybrid system with automation serving more students effectively.”

The automated system includes features such as push notifications for students and their counsellors, escalation and referral capabilities, and comprehensive reporting options. It prioritizes student needs, ensuring timely and effective support for those at higher risk.

Dr Pillay has presented this model to higher education institutions in Germany, South Korea, and has upcoming presentations in Malta and New Orleans. Her work has set a new benchmark for digital solutions in student support and wellness.

Dr Pillay’s extensive qualifications and professional affiliations reflect her dedication to student support. She holds an Honours degree in Social Work, a Master’s in Medical Science (Social Work), and a Doctorate in Public Administration and Development Management. She completed the Senior Leadership Development Programme through the University of Stellenbosch and won a bursary to pursue postgraduate studies at the International Business School at the University of Lincoln, UK.

Her leadership roles include serving as the inaugural President of the Southern African Federation for Student Affairs and Services and the Southern African Association for Counselling and Development in Higher Education. She is a Global Divisional Board member of NASPA and a member of the International Association of Student Affairs and Services.

Dr Pillay has contributed significantly to the field, including a chapter in the Handbook on Student Affairs and Services in Higher Education: Global Foundations, Issues and Best Practices. In 2019, she was nominated to the Global Divisional Board of NASPA, representing Student Affairs in South Africa and Africa.