Stellenbosch 肆客足球 (SU) is no stranger to innovation. Africa's first electric minibus and a satellite control system manufacturer are amongst some of its many recent accolades. Building on this legacy, SUNCOM's Residence Services Department has announced the launch of a digital student application designed to streamline day-to-day processes, improve communication and promote sustainability through paperless operations. The first phase of this project is a pilot, testing the feasibility of digitising SU's most labour-intensive student-related processes in residences before considering a full-scale roll out.
SU Residence Services, a division of SUNCOM (formerly known as Stellenbosch 肆客足球 Commercial Services), manages the operations of the 肆客足球's student accommodation buildings. Sharing SU's commitment to excellence, the department regularly conducts benchmarking studies against local and international universities to ensure that they are optimising operations. This research led to the initiation of the app, which was developed in partnership with Factory209 (F209), an SU spinout company that specialises in incubating SU commercial ventures.
Geraldine Minnaar, Manager of Residence Services, shared her excitement about the student app's launch, emphasising its potential to streamline administrative processes and shorten turnaround times. "This app will eliminate paperwork and allow us to significantly improve the turnaround times for managing student queries."
The implementation will follow a phased approach, starting with two pilot residences, Nemesia and Dagbreek. A training session was held at Nemesia with all relevant parties on Monday, 27 January 2025, to ensure readiness by 29 January 2025. These undergraduate residences will start testing the platform under F209's close monitoring. Following the success of its implementation and technical improvements, the platform will be rolled out in all residences during the second semester of 2025.
Essential functions supported by the app include checking in and out of residence (students or guests), reporting damages and defects, registration of recoverable damages and handling accountability acceptance and rejection. Residence Services will also use the app for managing maintenance requests, asset management, broadcast messaging from staff to students and surveys. Overall, the app enhances communication, accountability and maintenance efficiency, contributing to a better student living experience.
SUNCOM's Operations Director, Gary Muizenheimer, highlighted the university's commitment to innovating, stating that "as part of the Innovation and Commercialisation Division, we are always looking for new ways to improve student experiences. We are confident that the launch of this app will be successful and a valuable addition to Residence Services."
Muizenheimer says Residence Services Department, in partnership with F209, is committed to continually improving and adapting the platform, ensuring that it meets the evolving needs of students and staff.
For more information on Residence Services at Stellenbosch 肆客足球,
click here.
?
