Extended Curriculum Programmes and Student Trajectories in South African Higher Education. Evidence from Linked Administrative Data, 2012–2022

dc.contributor.author	Branson, Nicola
dc.contributor.author	Whitelaw, Emma
dc.date.accessioned	2026-04-28T13:28:54Z
dc.date.available	2026-04-28T13:28:54Z
dc.date.issued	2026-04
dc.identifier.citation	Branson, N. Whitelaw, E. (2026). Extended Curriculum Programmes and Student Trajectories in South African Higher Education: Evidence from Linked Administrative Data, 2012–2022. Report prepared for the Council on Higher Education.
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/11090/1060
dc.description	This report was prepared with financial support from the Council on Higher Education (CHE). The authors gratefully acknowledge this support. Mercy Alaso provided valuable research assistance in compiling and synthesising the historical and policy context of Extended Curriculum Programmes. Kauthar Hoossen’s literature review, originally prepared as part of her honours thesis, informed the construction and organisation of the literature review section of this report. Any remaining errors or interpretations are the responsibility of the authors alone.	en_US
dc.description.abstract	Extended Curriculum Programmes (ECPs) form a central pillar of South Africa’s strategy to promote equity and improve student success in higher education. By embedding foundational provision within extended qualification pathways, ECPs aim to support students from disadvantaged schooling backgrounds while maintaining academic standards. Since the 2012 Foundation Provision reforms, ECPs have expanded system-wide and now represent a substantial and ongoing fiscal commitment. This report evaluates whether ECP enrolment improves student outcomes relative to mainstream pathways under the contemporary policy framework. Using system-wide linked administrative data from the Higher Education Management Information System (HEMIS), National Senior Certificate (NSC) records, and National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) data, the analysis follows first-time entering students between 2012 and 2022 to assess their outcomes in the public higher education system in South Africa.	en_US
dc.description.sponsorship	This report forms part of the collaborative research project Student Access, Support and Mobility in Higher Education in South Africa, undertaken jointly by the Council on Higher Education (CHE) and the Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit (SALDRU) at the University of Cape Town (UCT). The collaboration is established under Memorandum of Agreement UCT00040229, which mandates the joint analysis of linked administrative datasets (NSC–HEMIS–NSFAS)to advance understanding of higher education’s role in promoting equitable access, student success, and social mobility in South Africa.	en_US
dc.language.iso	en	en_US
dc.relation.ispartofseries	Saldru Report;26/01
dc.title	Extended Curriculum Programmes and Student Trajectories in South African Higher Education. Evidence from Linked Administrative Data, 2012–2022	en_US
dc.type	Other	en_US