Unisa, through its Directorate for Institutional Advancement (DIA) in collaboration with the Gauteng Regional Service Centre, recently participated in a series of career guidance engagements aimed at empowering high school learners with information about their future study options.

The engagements, attended by DIA’s Ellen Mofokeng, Anna Huma, Thembeka Mpapama, Sewela Kapa, Kagiso Moroatsehla, and Ayanda Hokwana, formed part of the Perfect Life SA Career Expos 2026, where Unisa representatives interacted with Grade 11 and Grade 12 learners, as well as educators, across several schools in Gauteng.

The Department of Institutional Advancement’s Thembeka Mpapama and Annah Huma engaging learners and sharing information about study opportunities at Unisa

These visits provided learners with first-hand information about Unisa’s diverse undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, admission requirements and the institution’s flexible open and distance eLearning model. Perfect Life SA Career Expos 2026 delivered a strong impact for Unisa, with eleven expos hosted across Gauteng between January and March 2026, reaching eighty schools and exceeding the initial target. An estimated 17 415 learners, mainly from Grades 11 and 12, along with teachers, were engaged, averaging about 1 580 learners per expo. This significantly strengthened Unisa’s visibility and expanded its recruitment footprint across participating schools across the province.

During these engagements, Unisa officials provided learners with guidance on study choices, explained the university’s application and registration processes, and highlighted the advantages of studying through Unisa’s open distance learning model. Learners were also given the opportunity to ask questions about various qualifications and career pathways aligned with their interests.

These visits form part of Unisa’s ongoing efforts to recruit potential students for 2027 enrolments. The engagement created valuable awareness around Unisa’s undergraduate and postgraduate offerings, admissions processes, and distance-learning model, strengthening Unisa’s footprint in the school sector and supporting learners in making informed post-school choices.

* By Election Hlawulani Mbekwa, Communication and Marketing Intern, Gauteng region