The early experiences of undergraduate students in mass higher education systems are vital in establishing attitudes, outlooks and approaches to learning that will endure beyond the undergraduate years. For individual students the consequences of a difficult transition can be costly, most obviously in terms of loss of confidence and income. The economic costs to universities and society are immediately evident in early withdrawals in the first year. Evidence from the literature indicates that the transition experience can vary according to the nature of the institution, the discipline area and the characteristics of the students. Perhaps the most important outcome of recent research for institutions is the clear signal that while some transition issues will be common to all institutions and groups within each transition cohort, some are specific to particular institutional environments and student groups.
Many activities are more appropriate at the faculty level.
As the first public interface between students and the University, orientation is the initial step in the transition process. Incorporating these in the undergraduate course approval process would ensure an improved transition experience for students. That 'Orientation Week' be recognised as the official commencement to the academic year for first-year undergraduate students. That each faculty identify the transition issues relevant to its student cohort and develop appropriate academic orientation activities and transition strategies. That each faculty be proactive by developing procedures for early identification and appropriate action for students at risk of exclusion on the basis of poor academic performance.