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Article History

Received: 14 November 2024

Accepted: 26 August 2025

First Online: 25 September 2025

Declarations

:

: This study was approved by the Research Permission Committee (RPC) of the Senate, Research, Innovation, Postgraduate Degrees and Commercialisation Committee (SRIPCC) Ref #: 2024_RPC_081. This study was conducted in accordance with the ethical guidelines and policies of the University of South Africa. All participants were informed of the purpose and scope of the study. Participation was voluntary, and students and lecturers provided informed consent prior to data collection. Respondents were assured that their anonymity and confidentiality would be maintained throughout the research process.

: Permission to collect data was granted by the Research Ethics Committee at UNIZ. All methods were carried out in accordance with relevant guidelines and regulations as per the institution.

: Written informed consent was obtained from all participants prior to their involvement in the study. Each individual received an information sheet to detail the purpose of the research, the procedures to be followed, potential risks and benefits, and assurances of anonymity and confidentiality. Participants were informed that their participation was entirely voluntary, that they could refuse to answer any question or withdraw from the study at any time without penalty, and that their decision would not affect their academic standing or professional relationships. After allowing sufficient time for questions and clarification, all participants signed a consent form to confirm that they understood the study’s aims, procedures, and their rights, and agreed to the use of their anonymised data for analysis and publication.

: The authors affirm that the participants’ anonymised data may be published in academic outputs arising from this study. No identifying personal information will be disclosed.

: The authors declare no competing interests.