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More than 340 Monash South Africa students graduate

15 February 2010

More than 340 students were awarded undergraduate and postgraduate degrees at the Monash University Graduation Ceremony held at the Sandton Convention Centre, on Saturday, 14 February 2010.

In his address, Pro Vice-Chancellor of Monash South Africa, Professor Tyrone Pretorius said that the eight-year-old South African campus continues to grow and expects to enroll about 3200 students during 2010.

Prof Pretorius said that during 2009, Monash South Africa expanded its programme offerings and the SA Council for Higher Education approved a range of new programmes including a Bachelor of Public Health, a range of Honours degrees and a Masters programme in International Water Management. This year will see the establishment of the School of Health Sciences on the campus and the feasibility of opening a School of Architecture and a School of Science will be investigated.

An English Language Centre is in the process of being established on the Monash South Africa campus this year and it is expected that this pathway programme will attract students from French and other non-English speaking African countries.

Prof Pretorius said that almost 40 % of the students graduating on Saturday had entered Monash South Africa through the Foundation Programme which is designed as a pathway to enable students whose scores do not meet the requirements for direct entry into an undergraduate degree to bridge the gap between their highest education qualification and the academic qualifications accepted by Monash South Africa.

Research has shown that students entering the university through this Foundation Programme have the same success rate as those entering directly into the degree programmes. Last year during November the Monash South Africa Foundation Programme received a prestigious award from the Australian Learning and Teaching Council in Canberra.

Prof Pretorius also noted that Monash South Africa had hosted several international conferences on its campus during the past year and as part of its commitment to a quality campus-based student experience opened a newly constructed lecture facility in June 2009 and there are plans to begin construction of a new Health Sciences building in 2010.