South Africa’s PSET launches AI-first platform to automate student admissions

South Africa’s Post-School Education and Training (PSET) sector has introduced an AI-first platform designed to automate student admissions and ease the heavy workload on admissions staff. The system was unveiled at PURCON 2026 after two years of development.

Our take: We appreciate the focus on easing staff workloads with this AI platform, but we want to know how well it performs on mid-range devices common in South African institutions and whether it handles the realities of patchy internet and load-shedding. The promise of a Student Lifecycle module is useful, but its success depends on practical accessibility and integration beyond just an API layer.

Chris Wentworth, Chief Technology Officer at PSET, explained that the platform addresses the challenge of processing large volumes of applications, which traditionally leads to staff working late nights. "With the pure volume of applicants each institution gets every year, there's not enough people to get through that quickly," he said.

The development process began with extensive planning and design before coding started. The team mapped workflows, studied modern user interface and experience practices, and engineered a database to manage information flow. Testing ensured the system met its intended functions.

Unlike previous paper-based or partially online systems, PSET’s platform integrates AI to perform the first round of application checks. The AI sorts applications into those that are correct and those requiring human review, allowing staff to focus on cases needing judgement rather than manual page-by-page checks.

The platform includes a Student Lifecycle module that tracks students from application through graduation and alumni engagement, eliminating the need to re-enter information at different stages.

Sydney Maqoqa from Nelson Mandela University highlighted the importance of automation for institutions with limited funding. "We need technology to bridge the gap between what we cannot do, and have it covered by technology," she said.

Integration with existing systems is possible through an API layer, though some effort is required. Institutions can adopt the platform in stages, keeping modules they prefer while adding new ones.

Thembi Tabatha, Director of Procurement at Vaal University of Technology, noted the need for better integration across sector systems, which currently operate in silos.

Wentworth said the initial response from institutions was positive, appreciating a solution customised for their environment. The next phase involves full demonstrations to admissions teams, promising fewer late nights and improved efficiency.

Sources

• ITWeb: Ending the late nights: Inside the two-year build of PSET

Source: ITWeb