Challenges and Emerging Perspectives in Managing Students’ Personnel Services in Tertiary Institutions:  A Systematic Review

Frank Mwamakula; Emmanuel Daniel  Slaa

doi:10.47175/rielsj.v7i3.1326

Frank Mwamakula Department of Education Foundations, St. Augustine University of Tanzania
Emmanuel Daniel Slaa Masumbwe Secondary School, Mbogwe District, Geita, Tanzania

DOI: https://doi.org/10.47175/rielsj.v7i3.1326

Keywords: Personnel services, tertiary education, integration, student welfare, digital transformation

Abstract

Students’ personnel services in tertiary education provide academic, social, psychological, financial, health, career, counselling, welfare, disciplinary and extracurricular support for students’ successful participation and completion of studies. However, expansion, diversification and digital transformation of tertiary education create new demands for managing these services. This systematic review examines the challenges and emerging perspectives for management of students’ personnel services in tertiary institutions. The review adopts a systematic literature review approach guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA 2020) framework. It reviews the literature published between 2020 and 2026 supplemented by policy frameworks. The synthesis identifies challenges like: inadequate financial and human resources; increasing student diversity and complexity of needs; fragmented and reactive service delivery; limited professionalization of student affairs; digital inequality and technological capacity gaps; and growing concerns about student mental health, privacy and wellbeing. At the same time, the literature reveals emerging perspectives focusing on student centred management, proactive and personalized support, integrated digital student services, learning analytics, peer mentoring, mental health responsive services, inclusive provision and stronger student voice. Evidence suggests that globally, student support services remain unevenly developed, with underfunding, limited professionalization and weak student participation. The review concludes that tertiary institutions need to move from fragmented welfare-oriented approaches towards integrated, evidence informed and student centred personnel services systems.

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