The power and importance of peer influence in educational settings has been well documented (Cuseo,

Universities promote social justice by improving student success; a university degree is one of the most powerful tools to change the economic prospects of students, their families, and communities. For students to succeed, it is vital that they are connected to the wide range of support services in a meaningful way. Unfortunately, many students (especially first-generation students) find it difficult to connect to university environments that are complex and that are often not optimally coordinated. International and national research show that academic advising plays a critical role in improving student engagement and success by facilitating better coordination and integration of support. Academic advising provides students with relevant information, facilitates their conceptual understanding of the university, and allows students the opportunity to form a meaningful relationship with the institution through an advisor and by means of various advising initiatives. This paper shares international perspectives on the critical importance of academic advising for student success. Building on these perspectives, we reflect on the development of academic advising in South Africa and on its potential for enhancing student success in our context. We provide an institutional perspective by sharing the journey of the University of the Free State. In doing so, we show the positive impact of advising before and during the pandemic and we conclude with lessons for the future of academic advising in the South African context.

International research indicates that academic advising is the "single most underestimated characteristic of a successful college experience" (Light, 2001) and that "every advising contact is a precious opportunity for a meaningful interaction with the student" (Kuh, 2008). Therefore, the section in this special edition of the Journal for Student Affairs in Africa (JSAA) on academic advising represents an important milestone for the development of academic advising as an emerging field in South Africa. The seven articles help to address the lack of South African research on academic advising and its impact. These articles share the reflections and research of deeply committed advisors that have been creating "precious opportunities" for thousands of students during their academic journey. The aim of this selection of papers is to advance scholarship in this emerging field in the South African context. The seven articles include five institutional case studies that provide insights into the impact of different institutional contexts on the development of advising. The last two articles pose broader conceptual questions on advising.In the first article, Tiroyabone and Strydom introduce the development of academic advising in South Africa over the last decade and, more specifically, at the University of the Free State (UFS) which continues to play a leading role in the development of the field. Obaje and Jeawon offer a critical review of the development of an academic advising approach in the context of the Durban University of Technology. In their contribution on the Conceptualisation and Early Implementation of an Academic Advising System at the University of Cape Town, colleagues provide fascinating insights into the development of academic advising in highly decentralised institutions. Naidoo, Byles and Kwenaite at the University of Pretoria, emphasise the importance of social integration for first year students as part of a range of academic advising initiatives offered at this institution. The University of the Witwatersrand case study provides important insights into how emerggm i Gugu Wendy Tiroyabone