Dear Staff member,

We are Dr Angelo Fynn and Mr Hugo Denton van der Walt from the University of South Africa (UNISA), conducting a national research study on behalf of the Directorate of Institutional Research (DIR). We invite you to participate in our study entitled “Food and Housing Insecurity among Staff and Students in Higher Education in South Africa.”

Purpose of the Study

This research aims to explore the lived experiences of food and housing insecurity among staff and students at South African higher education institutions. By participating, you will help us better understand the structural and day-to-day challenges faced by members of the university community.

Why You Were Selected

You have been selected to participate because you currently work or study at a higher education institution in South Africa. Please note that only individuals aged 18 years or older may participate in this study.

What Participation Involves

If you agree to participate, you will be asked to complete an anonymous online survey. The survey should take approximately 30 minutes to complete. You may incur minimal internet usage costs.

Confidentiality and Voluntary Participation

Participation is entirely voluntary. You are free to withdraw at any time before submitting your responses. Once submitted, however, your responses cannot be withdrawn, as the survey is anonymous and does not collect identifying information such as your name or student/staff number.

All data will be kept strictly confidential. Your responses will be grouped with those of other participants and will never be reported in a way that could identify you.

Benefits and Risks

There are no direct personal benefits or rewards for participating. However, your input will contribute to a deeper understanding of food and housing insecurity in the higher education sector, which may inform future institutional policies and interventions.

We do not anticipate any risks associated with this study. All data will be stored securely on password-protected systems for at least five years, in accordance with research data management and audit requirements.

Dissemination of Results

The full research report will be made available through institutional research websites. If you would like to receive a summary of the findings, you may contact Mr Hugo Denton van der Walt at vdwalhd@unisa.ac.za.

Ethical Approval and Contact Information

This study has been reviewed and approved by UNISA’s PARC Ethics Workgroup and the Research Permission Subcommittee (RPSC).

• Co-researcher contact (for general questions):
  Mr Hugo Denton van der Walt
  Email: vdwalhd@unisa.ac.za
• Ethics-related queries:
  Dr R. Visagie, Chair: PARC Ethics Committee
  Email: visagrg@unisa.ac.za
• To report serious unethical conduct:
  UNISA Toll-Free Hotline: 0800 86 96 93

Your Consent

By proceeding to the next page, you are indicating your voluntary consent to participate. You may exit the survey at any time before clicking the submit button.

We thank you for considering participation in this important study.

Survey Link

Click here to take the survey https://unisair.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4NQQHBjS5Qe5bIG

Sincerely,
Dr Angelo Fynn and Mr Hugo Denton van der Walt
University of South Africa (UNISA)