Wits launches AMPLIFY to support first-year maths students
- Wits University
AMPLIFY will centralise the delivery of large gateway maths courses that are vital for degrees in Science, Engineering, and Commerce.
Wits has launched a new unit aimed at improving how mathematics and applied mathematics are taught and supported for first-year students across the university.
The new unit, called AMPLIFY, short for Academy for Mathematical Pedagogy, Learning, and Innovation for First-Year, will centralise the delivery of large gateway maths courses that are vital for degrees in Science, Engineering, and Commerce.
“This is not just a project, it is a long-term unit designed to rethink how we teach maths at scale,” says Abdul Hamid Carrim, Head of AMPLIFY and lecturer in the School of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics.
The launch was marked by a full-day symposium at Wits’ Solomon Mahlangu House, with leading maths educators from across the country sharing insights on teaching and learning practices.
Every year, over 5,000 students enrol in first-year maths courses at Wits, but many struggle to adjust from school-level maths to the more abstract and demanding university content.
“AMPLIFY is here to help them bridge that gap where they find the shift from school maths to university maths difficult,” says Carrim. “We're creating a space that gives students the academic and emotional support they need early – not just when they’re already failing.”
The new unit brings together previously separate departments and courses into a single system, allowing for better coordination, shared resources, and more consistent teaching.
“We want every student, no matter their degree, to have the same high-quality maths learning experience.”
AMPLIFY will manage everything from course delivery and assessment to student support and staff development. It also aims to ease the load on lecturers by taking over administrative work, allowing them to focus on teaching and research.
The unit also hopes to tackle how new technology like artificial intelligence is changing education. “AI has changed how students approach learning. AMPLIFY must be a space where we respond to that creatively.”
At the launch symposium, guest speakers from universities around South Africa shared ideas on how to make maths more meaningful and effective. Topics ranged from bridging theory and practice, to the future role of technology in the classroom.
Carrim sees AMPLIFY growing beyond maths teaching. “In three to five years, we want this to be a hub for STEM education innovation. It’s a chance to rethink how large-scale education is done.”
The initiative has been strongly supported by the Dean of Science, Professor Nithaya Chetty, and other senior university leaders. “This is a strategic move for the university,” says Carrim. “We’re building something sustainable that can grow and adapt with time.”