The Stellenbosch University Unit for International Credentialling (SU-UIC) participated in the 15th Southern Africa Association for Educational Assessment (SAAEA) Conference, hosted by the Examinations Council of Lesotho (ECoL) in Maseru, Lesotho. The biennial gathering from 15th to 18th June brought together scholars, practitioners, policymakers, and development partners from across Southern Africa and beyond.

Held under the theme, “Advancing Responsive Educational Assessment(s) for Diverse Learners’ Needs in the Digital Era,” the conference explored how assessment systems can better respond to the opportunities and challenges presented by an increasingly digital educational landscape.

Demonstrating Innovative Approaches to Quality Assurance

Representing the SU-UIC, Mr Kamogelo Matenchi presented a paper titled “From Compliance to Collective Sensemaking: Leadership and Management Approaches for Effective Quality Assurance in Assessment.” Drawing on a review of 83 peer-reviewed studies, the paper challenged traditional compliance-driven approaches to quality assurance and argued that quality assurance bodies should move beyond merely verifying standards to fostering collaborative interpretation, professional judgement, and continuous improvement.

The paper also illustrated how SU-UIC incorporates these principles into its quality assurance practices, demonstrating the value of collaborative approaches to maintaining standards while promoting organisational learning.

Leading for Quality

The conference programme also featured a panel discussion entitled “Leading for Quality: Governance, Assurance and Resource Stewardship in Effective Assessment Systems,” where Professor Sarah Howie, the Director of the SU-UIC participated as a panellist with colleagues from other Southern African examination bodies. 

Addressing the consequences of leadership and governance failures, Professor Howie emphasised that qualifications are far more than just certificates, describing them as “gateways to opportunity, mobility and trust”. She noted that when credibility falters, students are disadvantaged, institutions lose legitimacy, and confidence in qualifications along with the systems that issue them, is weakened.

Strengthening Regional Collaboration

Participation in the conference provided SU-UIC with an opportunity to contribute to important regional conversations on the future of educational assessment while engaging with leading assessment professionals from across Southern Africa. As educational systems continue to navigate rapid technological change, such engagements reinforce SU-UIC's commitment to promoting high-quality, contextually relevant, and internationally credible qualifications that support learners and institutions across the region. Through its work, SU-UIC seeks to strengthen trust in qualifications and expand access to higher education by contributing towards equipping learners with qualifications that are recognised, portable, and responsive to the needs of a changing world.