TUT pilots MASSTER graduate tracking project to boost alumni engagement

The Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) will pilot an Erasmus+-funded system to track 2 000 graduates over a three-year period, aimed at strengthening alumni connections and improving data-driven planning.

Prof Grany Mmatsatsi Senyolo The Faculty of Science, in collaboration with the Alumni Relations Office and the Internationalisation Office, will implement the system. The pilot will track graduates from Animal Sciences, Crop Sciences, Horticulture and Nature Conservation over the three years from 2026 to 2028. The cohort includes participants from the MASSTER project survey, aligned to monitoring and evaluation requirements, with a focus on agricultural students.

An investment of €5 000 (approximately R100 000) has been allocated through the Managing (South) Africa and Senegal Sustainability Targets through Economic-Diversification of Rural Areas (MASSTER) project toward the procurement of the Alumni Tracking Software as part of the project’s equipment acquisition component. The system is designed to enhance graduate data management, improve communication and provide insights into alumni career paths and industry impact.

Providing an update on the initiative, Prof Grany Mmatsatsi Senyolo, Faculty of Science representative, confirmed that the system is ready for launch and noted that only final website adjustments remained. According to her, the software will help the Faculty understand where alumni are and what they are doing, thereby supporting planning and graduate development initiatives.

The three-year pilot will allow the Faculty and the University to assess the system’s effectiveness before wider implementation. The Alumni Relations Office will evaluate its functionality and impact during this phase.

The initiative marks a step toward data-driven alumni engagement improved graduate tracking and strengthened institutional planning.