SDG 1. No Poverty

POLICY ON STUDENT SUCCESS FOR THE LOWEST INCOME QUINTILE

Approved by: Rector of KNUCA

Effective date: 15 October 2024

This Policy ensures academic success, retention, and completion for students from the lowest income quintile through structured academic, social, and financial support aligned with SDG 1 – No Poverty. Annual completion and retention targets are set and published with transparent data reporting.

This Policy sets the institutional mechanisms to secure academic success, retention, and on-time completion for students from households in the lowest income quintile, with the aim of reducing educational poverty, strengthening affordability, and expanding social protection and financial inclusion for vulnerable groups (including IDPs/refugees, persons with disabilities, orphans, and single parents). It aligns with SDG 1 – No Poverty, barrier-free and universal design principles, and applies across all programmes and modes of study at KNUCA. Each year the University sets and publishes targets for the completion rate of this group (not less than Y% overall, disaggregated by faculty and study mode) and an annual retention rate (not less than R%), alongside interim progress indicators such as credit accumulation, GPA, rate of fulfilled individual study plans, and timely re-enrolment in required courses. Targets are reviewed annually, taking account of demographic and socio-economic conditions, stewardship capacity, and monitoring results.

To achieve these targets, KNUCA implements a multi-layered support system centred on equity and inclusion. Every eligible student is assigned academic advising and case-management; an early warning framework based on learning analytics flags risks (absences, under-performance, academic debts) and automatically routes students to tutors/mentors. The University provides free or subsidised academic consultations, remedial/bridge micro-modules and study-skills support (time management, academic writing, digital skills), flexible learning pathways with options for adjusted timetables and workload, recognition of prior learning, and extended access to library and digital resources. Coordination with career services (career planning, job fairs, internships, apprenticeships) strengthens employability and motivation to complete. Financial and social support is integrated with need-based aid: social scholarships, tuition discounts, interest-free instalments, emergency aid, targeted cash transfers for housing/food/transport, and priority access to affordable housing; psychological and legal counselling, mediation of academic conflicts, peer mentoring, and student support groups operate on a non-discrimination basis. For IDPs/refugees and students with disabilities, the University offers extended packages (adapted schedules, extended deadlines, individual assessment conditions under universal design) and specialised guidance on documentation and social benefits within the social protection framework.

Procedurally, the target group is identified at admission and at semester registration on the basis of verified household income documents and, where applicable, certified IDP/refugee/complementary protection status. A case manager is appointed no later than the end of the first study month. Together with the student and programme office, the University develops an Individual Support Plan (ISP) with defined measures, milestones, and KPIs; at least two mandatory meetings with the academic advisor are held each semester, with regular progress briefs shared with the student and programme curator. ISPs can be adjusted when circumstances change. To ensure transparency and public evidence, KNUCA publishes on the official website this Policy with approval and update dates; annual and faculty-level completion/retention targets and outcomes; the catalogue of support instruments and eligibility conditions; aggregated success metrics without personal data; and contacts of responsible units. Materials are posted no later than the end of the reporting cycle and remain openly accessible.

The monitoring system includes the following core metrics: completion rate of the lowest-quintile cohort; retention rate; median ECTS accumulation per term and the share of students meeting defined minimum thresholds; improvement rate after interventions (share of students who recover satisfactory academic standing); utilisation of support services and satisfaction levels (student voice); graduate employability outcomes at 6–12 months; the ratio of academic dismissals/transfers before and after policy implementation; and an equity-gap index that tracks the difference in completion/retention between the target cohort and the overall student body, which the University commits to narrow year on year. Data are disaggregated by programme, faculty, gender, disability status, and IDP/refugee status where lawful and appropriate, ensuring inclusion while protecting privacy.

To safeguard affordability and study–life balance, KNUCA, together with the finance unit, ring-fences resources for need-based aid, prioritises allocation by demonstrated need, attracts external grants, and develops multi-stakeholder partnerships (SDG 17) with municipalities, employers, and donors. Where justified by evidence, the University pilots targeted interventions (e.g., transport or food vouchers during peak expense periods, mini-grants for unforeseen costs, additional tutoring hours before examinations). Governance lies with the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs; operational implementation is delivered by Academic Affairs, programme offices and departments, the Learning Support Centre, Social Services, and the Career Office; the Student Union participates in communication and service evaluation. Any refusal of support must be reasoned in writing with an explanation of the appeal procedure, and all personal data is processed in accordance with data-protection law. Funding for the policy is secured from university and partner funds, grants, and charitable contributions; co-financing by employers/local authorities under social-responsibility schemes is encouraged. The Policy enters into force upon signature by the Rector and is reviewed annually by the Academic Council with published outcomes; in case of material changes in socio-economic conditions, regulatory requirements, or sustainability approaches, an extraordinary update is initiated. The monitoring framework explicitly employs SDG-aligned terminology and indicators—poverty reduction, social protection, inclusion, equity, affordability, vulnerable groups, need-based aid, cash transfers, financial inclusion, employability, barrier-free, universal design, IDPs/refugees, completion, retention, early warning, learning analytics—ensuring full alignment with SDG-1 and international expectations for transparent public evidence.