The Services Centre team. Front: Deon Pietersen and Linda Uys. Middle: from left; Nickey Carstens, Carmien Snyman, Carmelita Talmarkes and Sue-Vicky Brandt. Back: from left; Yigael Powrie, Grant Leukes and Angelo Jephtha
Upon arrival at Stellenbosch University (SU), all international students start their journey at the SU International office. For most, the Services Centre, a division within the SU International office, is their first introduction to life in Stellenbosch and South Africa. One of the core duties of the Centre is to provide an excellent service to all international students and to ensure that their stay in Stellenbosch will be the best experience away from home.
The Services Centre, spearheaded by Division Manager Mrs Carmien Snyman, is responsible for a vast array of services that caters for the international students of SU. Often regarded as the behind-the-scenes division of SU International, the Centre is its lifeblood and heartbeat.
Services offered by the Centre include reception and client services, international student finances, student housing for international students, visiting academics and delegations, immigration services, undergraduate full-degree evaluation and the administering of English foreign-language training in conjunction with the SU Language Centre, says Carmien.
“We strive to serve our students in an efficient and respectable manner,” Carmien explains the role of her unit, which is made up of 11 staff members (nine permanent staff members and two interns).
“While the aforementioned services provide an overview of the services the SU International Services Centre provides, it is merely the tip of the iceberg. The processes that are undertaken each day to ensure that a student receives excellent client service from the SU International Services Centre is much more detailed. At times, the processes require you to think on your feet, make a plan or go the extra mile in assisting students.”
The Services Centre is also the division that is responsible for integrating international students into the greater SU community. It does this by coordinating a variety of programmes, events and bodies focused on fostering the integration of the international student, the greater SU community and South Africa as whole. These include the following:
“The goal of our projects is twofold: they aim to introduce the international students to their new home environment and to build the cultural competencies that will help them adjust to Stellenbosch and South Africa with relative ease. This is particularly prevalent in projects such as the Welcome and Orientation, the Matie Buddy and the ISOS,” Carmien says.
Students such as Aline Lersmacher from Munich in Germany attest to this idea. Aline highlights how projects such as the Welcome and Orientation Programme helped to eradicate some of her study-abroad frustrations and anxieties.
“It was raining on the day I arrived. I remember because I was frustrated and I wanted to be indoors. It was amazing to be greeted by the Stellenbosch University International Services Centre, who paid attention to what I needed. They made my arrival and settling in easy. This showed good organisation from the whole team.”
Carmien also adds that projects such as the IFE and ICC allow international students to impart some of their cultural knowledge and highlight their way of life to the greater SU community.
Carmien has the last word: “I am aware that the landscape of higher education in South Africa is one that is constantly evolving and, as a result, this means that the processes and services that our team are involved in would also have to evolve and be refined according to the day and age we find ourselves in. My hope is that, as the landscape of higher education changes, I am able to enhance client service experience through efficiency. Furthermore, I believe that maintaining a successful student experience means transcending the academic experience and making the process more holistic and integrated in nature.”
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