Mentoring of Bursary Students by Academic Staff: An Empirical Mixed-Methods Analysis of Student and Lecturer-Mentor Perspectives

Previously disadvantaged accounting students in South Africa on Thuthuka (meaning “to develop” in isiZulu) bursaries receive one-on-one mentoring from academic staff throughout their studies. This study gathers the perceptions of students and lecturer-mentors regarding the efficacy of the mentorship through questionnaires and focus group interviews. Respondents associated mentorship with emotional support, academic advising, accountability and monitoring, as well as role modeling. The study contributes to the literature on mentoring in higher education, specifically for bursary, first-generation, or at-risk students. It identifies mentoring as a crucial enabler of transformation and social justice in higher education, contributing to student success and retention.