Experiential Learning for a Complex World
As higher education looks toward the future, experiential learning offers a powerful framework for cultivating capable, engaged graduates.
Experiential Learning That Transforms Futures
Learning as Relational Reflective and Responsive
Igniting Agency in Students and Communities
Remerta Basson
- Experiential Educator
- Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences
Remerta Basson, an experiential educator, designed the Citizenship and Intercultural Competence initiative, As a structured community engagement process. students build intercultural competence and civic responsibility while supporting school learners’ confidence, academic progress, and positive attitudes toward learning beyond the classroom.
Experiential Learning and Human Connection
Abigail Stuart
- Shared Humanity Learning Coach
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences
Abigail Stuart reflects on her experience as a Shared Humanity Learning Coach, Learning coaches develop reflective leadership through experiential learning, peer coaching, and learning circles that foster social justice, citizenship, critical thinking, and inclusive dialogue across difference within the Shared Humanity framework.
Experiential Learning in Focus
Purposeful Partnerships and Student-centered Initiatives
Acknowledging the heart of experiential learning at Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch University marked a historic milestone on 21 October 2025 with the inaugural Experiential Educator Appreciation Lunch & Ubuntu Awards: a transformative gathering honoring the experiential educators, partners, and student leaders who sustain the university’s experiential learning ecosystem.
Experiential learning reimagined: Designing education for the future of work
Danny Bielik, President of Digital Education Council and Ruth Andrews discuss how the Stellenbosch University integrates experiential learning within its institutional strategy.
LIV: Local and Global Goals Project SU VUC Storstrøm Partnership
The Local and Global Goals Project (LIV), is a collaborative experiential learning initiative between Stellenbosch University (South Africa) and VUC Storstrøm (Denmark). Students reflect on learning that takes place beyond the classroom, learning shaped by culture, community engagement, and real-world experiences.
Recognising Learning Beyond the Classroom
Recognising learning beyond the classroom, 2017–2025
How to navigate the Sunburst Chart
The interactive Sunburst Chart provides a visual overview of recognised experiential learning initiatives at Stellenbosch University from 2017 to 2025. It is designed to help users explore the data from a broad institutional view down to specific categories, units, and recognised initiatives.
Hover over any segment to view details. Click on a year to drill down into that year’s recognition data, then continue clicking through categories, units, and specific initiatives. The centre of the chart updates to show either the overall total or the selected year’s summary statistics.
At the centre of the chart is the full institutional total. Each ring moving outward adds another level of detail. The first ring shows the year, the next ring shows the recognition category, followed by the faculty, centre, division, or unit, and finally the specific initiative or programme.
What each level shows
- Centre of the chart: the overall total number of recognitions across the full period.
- First ring: individual years from 2017 to 2025.
- Second ring: broad recognition categories such as Student Leadership, Academic Leadership, Social Impact, Intercultural Engagement, Personal Leadership, Recognition Award, and Award for Excellence.
- Third ring: the faculty, centre, division, or unit responsible for the recognised initiative.
- Outer ring: the specific recognised initiative, programme, or activity.
How to use the chart
Hover over any segment to view more information.
The hover display shows the name of the segment and the number of recognitions attached to it. At year level, the hover also shows summary statistics for that year, including:
- Approved experiential learning initiatives,
- Students participating in approved experiential learning initiatives
- Students receiving academic transcript recognition, including awards.
Click on a year to focus on that year only.
When a year is selected, the chart drills down and the centre updates to display that year’s summary statistics. This makes it easier to compare annual activity and understand the scale of recognised participation in a particular year.
Continue clicking outward to explore more detail.
Navigate from year, to category, to faculty or support unit, and then to the named initiative itself. This allows the chart to be read both as a high-level institutional overview and as a detailed exploration tool.
Move back outward by clicking back toward the inner levels.
This allows for the return from a detailed view to the year view, to the full institutional overview. The chart is intended to support both quick scanning and more focused investigation.
What the chart helps make visible:
The chart makes it possible to identify:
- The growth of experiential learning recognition over time,
- Which categories of experiential learning are most prominent each year,
- Which faculties, centres, divisions, and support environments are represented,
- Which recognised initiatives contribute to the broader experiential learning landscape at Stellenbosch University.