The Centre for Quality Promotion and Assurance (CQPA) at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) hosted its first-ever Class Representative Workshop under the theme Student Engagement: Enriching Learning through Student Voice. The event took place on Friday, 22 August 2022 at the Coastlands Hotel and Conference Centre, bringing together class representatives, CQPA staff, and a guest facilitator for a dynamic half-day programme.
The purpose of the workshop was to provide a platform for students to engage directly with the university, voicing their concerns while also contributing possible solutions. It was aimed to make students aware of the different ways their voices can influence decision-making at DUT, not only in raising challenges but also in shaping improvements across areas such as teaching, learning, and assessment.
Opening the workshop on behalf of the CQPA, Quality Assurance Specialist: Mr JER Vooght extended a warm welcome to participants, noting the importance of empowering class representatives to contribute meaningfully to DUT’s quality processes. He emphasised that the workshop was not simply about raising complaints but about enabling students to share experiences constructively and collaborate on solutions.
Special guest and facilitator Dr Madoda Makola, a DUT alumnus and current Director of Programme Accreditation and Registration at UNISA, delivered a thought-provoking session that emphasised the importance of the student voice in quality assurance. He highlighted that students’ feedback is not simply a compliance exercise, but a powerful tool that informs change, drives innovation, and strengthens accountability in higher education. He reminded the audience that without students there is no higher education, and that their lived experiences must shape the quality and relevance of teaching, learning, and assessment.
The workshop provided several interactive sessions which permitted students to openly discuss challenges they face and worked collectively to organise these into broader themes affecting the DUT student experience. This exercise enabled both staff and students to clearly identify recurring issues whilst also brainstorming practical solutions.
Another highlight was the student quality literacy activity, which used interactive and online tools to deepen students’ understanding of quality assurance processes. This session helped class representatives see themselves not only as voices of concern but as active participants in monitoring improvements and strengthening accountability at DUT.
In a forward-looking session on reimagining engagement, students reflected on current feedback mechanisms and proposed new ways of ensuring that their voices are continuously heard. The discussions made it clear that students, value being part of the process, but also want greater responsiveness and communication on how their input is used. The final interactive session focused on action planning and feedback mechanisms, where students worked with facilitators to explore practical methods of ensuring accountability and stronger follow-up on issues raised.
Alongside these sessions, Mr Bongumusa Ngcobo, a CQPA administrator, shared how student feedback had already resulted in meaningful interventions. These included curriculum reviews of key modules, the introduction of work-readiness initiatives, enhanced teaching strategies, and targeted academic support for at-risk students. He reminded students that quality assurance at DUT is a continuous, collaborative process aimed at academic excellence.
Students expressed appreciation for the platform, describing the workshop as engaging, empowering, and constructive. One student representative captured the mood of the day by said, “We had an opportunity as students to voice our concerns and offer solutions as well. Most importantly, we realised that DUT is willing to make a change. We understand that change does not happen overnight, but our hope is that by next year, some of the issues we raised will already have been addressed,” he explained.
In his closing remarks, Mr Norman Ronald, Acting Senior Director of CQPA, expressed gratitude to both students and facilitators for their contributions to the success of the workshop. He emphasised that the initiative was only the beginning of a broader journey towards embedding student voice in the culture of quality at DUT. He assured students that their feedback would not only be documented but also acted upon, and the CQPA committed to ensuring that follow-up mechanisms are strengthened so that the impact of student engagement is visible and lasting.
The inaugural Class Representative Workshop marked a milestone in strengthening student participation in quality assurance at DUT, laying the foundation for a more collaborative and responsive approach to enhancing the overall student experience.
Pictured: CQPA staff members and Class Representatives at Student Engagement Workshop.
Photography: Multimedia
Sinamile Sithole
