The benefits of student–faculty interactions are substantial in fostering undergraduate students’ social and intellectual growth throughout their academic pathways. In particular, out-of-class interactions offer several opportunities for students to engage meaningfully with faculty members in the campus environment. This study employs a qualitative approach to investigate how students interact with faculty outside the classroom and how students interpret faculty’s accessibility for out-of-class interactions. It also seeks to understand the challenges faced by students during these encounters. The findings of this study indicate that students seek out faculty outside the classroom for several reasons, but most of all for grade-related issues. While some students experienced a positive perception of faculty behaviour during informal contacts, the issue of infrequent interactions was emphasized as one of the challenges. The study indicates a variety of situations causing hesitancy and preventing students from seeking help outside the classroom.

Student participation in university classrooms plays a pivotal role in student learning and success in higher education. We conducted a qualitative study to comprehend how students navigate complex classroom environments. Our aim is to understand how students perceive class participation and interactions with teachers and how they interpret teaching practices vis-à-vis their participation. Data from 23 undergraduate students at one university in Mozambique were collected and analysed. The findings indicate nuanced views and experiences regarding student participation and interactions with faculty. Deterrents to classroom participation and interactions were identified. Contextual and cultural factors were paramount in revealing the types and qualities of interactions and classroom participation reported in this study. Furthermore, innovative teaching practices and faculty’s caring attitude and behaviour were linked to more active participation and positive feelings about learning.

Improving the student learning experience in higher education requires an overarching approach towards integrating academic activities that are deemed relevant in promoting high-quality experience and student success. No less important is improving our understanding of what it is like to be a student. Underpinned by the student engagement framework, we conducted a survey of 293 undergraduate first-year students from a university in Mozambique to examine the different ways in which students perceive and experience social and academic integration during the first year of their studies. In particular, the study measures students’ levels of engagement and educational outcomes. It also seeks to understand the students’ perceptions of the quality of the social and learning environment and their respective satisfaction with their experience. The findings indicate both low and moderate levels of engagement in the selected benchmarks of effective educational practices. Outcome measures such as departure intention and student satisfaction are also highlighted. The students in our study experienced a rather supportive learning environment with good relationships with teachers, peers and administrative personnel. However, the typical challenges of first-year students, including their academic workload, time management and difficult assessment tasks, were also reported while they were transitioning to university studies.

This article reports on a study on the interconnectedness of academic development and academics’ approaches to teaching and student learning. This study was based on qualitative interviews with 10 professors at a university in Mozambique. The results of the study show that participants understand the idea of ‘good teaching’ in higher education in different ways influenced by a wide variety of factors linked to an educator’s background, professional development, teaching philosophy and understanding of the classroom environment. These elements influence how instructors develop their classroom teaching and how student concerns are considered. However, the impetus for changing towards a more student-centred learning approach was discussed whereby institutional conditions and the motivation for improvement move in opposite directions. Hence, there is more of a call for improving the quality of teaching and less effort towards ensuring that those implementing it have the right tools and motivation.