Stellenbosch University (SU) has kicked off the process of implementing a new state-of-the-
art information system, to be called SUNStudent.
The IT system will be responsible for handling a large portion of the university’s information,
including all aspects of student administration.
According to the Senior Director of SU Institutional Research and Planning, Prof Ian Cloete,
“[SUNStudent] takes SU on its next step to digital transformation in education. The new
system will replace the current, outdated system and promises to be solid and reliable, yet
also flexible, modern and student-centric.”
The changes are a major part of the university’s System Renewal Project (SRP), which seeks to “unlock the opportunities offered by a new generation of information systems,” according to Cloete.
The SRP will be the largest digital overhaul in the university’s 100 year history.
SU is aiming for SUNStudent to help modernise and digitise its education. PHOTO: Byron Mühlberg
After a process of “rigorous procurement” through tenders, SU contracted Serosoft Solutions to spearhead the IT system’s transformation. This officially brought the project underway on 26 April.
According to SU Registrar and chair of the SUNStudent Steering Council Dr Ronel Retief, the process of implementation began on 6 May and is expected to take two years to complete.
“Implementation will be a phased process,” Dr Retief says, “with the expectation that the final go-live date will be during the course of 2021 — taking into account the normal student lifecycle activities and the availability of SU personnel.”
A two-year implementation period is largely due to the extensiveness of the project. SUNStudent is set to handle numerous and diverse aspects of the university’s administration, ranging from application and curricula management to graduating and examining.
SUNStudent is set to fully automate crucial administrative tasks at SU. PHOTO: Byron Mühlberg
CEO of Serosoft Solutions, Arpit Badjatya, reflected positively on the developments. He claims that the team at headquarters refers to SUNStudent as “Project Sunshine”. However, Badjatya did not elaborate further on the reasoning behind the term.
In spite of initial optimism, SUNStudent is expected to run into some challenges which will prevent an entirely smooth implementation.
“With projects such as these,” says Retief, “the biggest challenges often have less to do with the system, and more with the people, who have to adapt to the changes that the new system brings, and adopt and utilise the system optimally.”
In order to make the changes smoother, SRP implementation will include — according to Retief — a Change Management division which will be designed to “assist staff and students through the transition from the old system to the new one.”