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INTRODUCTION
I am grateful for the invitation to give this address on the
First Year Experience at this SANRC-FYE conference.
It comes at a time when the higher education sector is highly
concerned about students and the FYE transitions.
Are they able to cope with the transitions and settle down to
productive learning in a new life?
Will they stay the first year and thrive, performing well in their
studies and not drop out and abandon their studies?
Will they not fall victim to vulnerabilities of the new life; drugs,
HIV, pregnancy, crime, hunger, prostitution and yes, death?
Death because between 0.001 and 0.002 % of students lose their
life during their university tenure per annum in South Africa.