The Centre for Postgraduate Studies (CPGS) has joined forces with the Research Directorate for a series of online workshops aimed at helping postgraduate students on their journey to graduation.

The workshops are facilitated by experts and the hope is that it will contribute to Masters and Doctoral students developing the skills and competencies required to successfully complete their studies.

Workshops for supervisors, co-supervisors and post-doctoral fellows are also available.

Dr Patricia Smit, Manager: Capacity Development, said the first few workshops were well attended. She said postgraduate students often have very busy schedules as many are employed full-time and therefore workshops are repeated during the year to allow as many students as possible to attend.

Wendal Koopman from CPGS, who is also a workshop facilitator, said participants had indicated that the workshops were helpful and that they were grateful for the support.

The list of workshops includes: Proposal Writing, Research Methods, The use of online library resources and reference tools, Research methods, Data Collection and Analysis, Fieldwork in practice and Writing for Publication. 

Smit encouraged postgraduate students to make use of the workshops and said the Research Directorate and CPGS welcomed recommendations and feedback from participants.

For more information on the workshops please send an email to Hlengiwe Nzama on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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CPUT will be celebrating the dedication and hard work of 1 209 graduates during our first-ever digital graduation on June 25.

The Autumn Graduation series traditionally takes place in April but the restriction on mass gatherings and the lockdown meant that the ceremony could not take place.

Digital graduation ceremonies differ from virtual graduations by lending a more personal touch. Individual students will be recognised by having their qualifications conferred upon them instead of a blanket conferral of all qualifications.

Vice-Chancellor Prof Chris Nhlapo said great effort was made to make the graduation more than just a blanket conferral.
“We wanted to ensure that all graduates were recognised properly,” he said.
“Graduations are one of the highlights of the academic calendar and we wanted to celebrate it appropriately.”    

The ceremonies will be customised with a picture of the graduate and a personalised message. The slide will the downloadable and sharable.

The ceremonies can be viewed on the CPUT YouTube channel, under the Digital Graduation 2020 playlist from 10 am. It can also be viewed on the Digital Graduation web page: https://bit.ly/3euT7BV

The graduates include 113 Masters graduates and 21 who have earned their doctorates.

Graduates can use the hashtag #CPUTDigitalGrad on social media posts.

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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CPUT will be celebrating the success of hundreds of graduates during two digital graduation ceremonies later this month.

Graduation is one of the most important events on the university’s calendar but, like tertiary institutions around the world, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced the institution to find an alternative to a traditional ceremony.

The two ceremonies will be held on 25 June 2020, with the first scheduled for 10:00 and the second for 14:00.

Digital graduation ceremonies differ from virtual graduations by lending a more personal touch.

Individual students will be recognised by having their qualifications conferred upon them instead of blanket conferral of all qualifications.

“Actual ceremonies will be taking place but with no graduates or audience present. This is due to COVID-19 social distancing guidelines and a prohibition on events of more than 50 people.

“Students will be invited to upload a photo and personal message onto our portal. These messages and photos will be displayed on screen along with the name, qualification, and, where applicable, cum laude status when the Dean reads out the graduates’ name,” said Dr Garth van Gensen, Director of the Marketing and Communication Department.

Graduates and their families will be able to watch the ceremonies on several platforms. Details will be announced closer to the time.

A special Digital Graduation website will also be created that will enable the graduates to download the ceremony video, a personalised slide with photo, message and qualification and official graduation programme. More details will soon be announced.

Students can register their details at https://tinyurl.com/r5uk4ck before June 15 or check your @mycput mailbox for an email from Marching Order. The support email address is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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Hundreds of qualifications were conferred during the CPUT Spring Graduation on the Bellville Campus today.

The event is one of the highlights of the CPUT academic calendar and provides the university with an opportunity to celebrate and recognise the achievements of students from all faculties.

During this year’s Spring Graduation CPUT will confer 989 diplomas and degrees, including 45 Masters and Doctoral degrees, in two ceremonies on the Bellville Campus.

This was the first graduation which Chancellor Thandi Modise presided over since her installation as CPUT chancellor, and marks a new era for the university.

Modise, who is also Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, has succeeded former Finance Minister, Trevor Manuel, who was the inaugural chancellor at CPUT.

The morning ceremony saw qualifications being conferred to students who completed academic programmes in the faculties of Applied Science, Business and Management Sciences, Education, Health and Wellness Sciences as well as Informatics and Design.

Acting Vice-chancellor, Dr Chris Nhlapo, told the audience that the day represents several years of study which required sacrifices not only from the graduates but also from their partners and family members.

“The number of our graduates show that we are making great strides in research and innovation,” said Nhlapo.

In the afternoon ceremony graduates in the Faculty of Engineering will be capped, including 21 Masters and Doctoral degrees.  

Written by Kwanele Butana
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Students who completed their qualifications with flying colours were awarded medals at this year’s Autumn Graduation.

Nikita Jansen Van Vuuren, who obtained the ND: Food Technology, was awarded the Dean’s medal by Prof Dean of the Faculty of Applied Sciences, Prof Olelan Fatoki.

Nikita obtained distinctions in all 21 subjects with a final aggregate of 88% over the three years of study. She is currently studying towards a BTech degree in Food Technology.

EXCELLENCE: Prof Rishidaw Balkaran, DVC: Academic, Marshall Sheldon, DVC: Research, Technology, Innovation and Partnerships, Dean’s Medallist Nikita Jansen Van Vuuren and Dean of the Faculty of Applied Sciences, Prof Olelan Fatoki. Nikita obtained distinctions in all 21 subjects in ND: Food Technology with a final aggregate of 88% over the three years of study.

Photos: Lauren Kansley

Ray April, who obtained the ND: Somatology, received the Dean’s Medal from Health & Wellness Sciences Acting Dean, Prof Penelope Engel-Hills.

Ray obtained her Senior Certificate at Worcester Gymnasium School in December 2014 and in 2016 registered for the ND: Somatology programme and obtained 18 distinctions with a final aggregate of 82 % over the three years of study.

Ray is presently registered for the BTech degree in Somatology programme. She plans to pursue a career in lecturing and would like to enter the Masters' programme in the future as she is very interested in research.

Daniel Stuck (ND: Maritime Studies) is the Dean’s Medallist for the Faculty of Engineering after obtaining an average of 86.9%, with distinctions in all 29 subjects.

He registered for the first year of his National Diploma in Maritime Studies in 2014 and returned to complete his diploma in 2018, after spending four years at sea completing his sea-time.

Sumone Herholdt (ND: Building and BTech: Quantity Surveying) walked away with the Vice-Chancellor’s medal.

Sumone obtained her National Diploma in Building in 2017, with an average of 81.2%, obtaining distinctions in 14 of 17 subjects, and also winning the best National Diploma Student Award. She registered for her BTech in Quantity Surveying in 2018, obtaining distinctions in all 7 of her subjects, with an average of 86.6%. Her average for the ND: Building and BTech: Quantity Surveying combined was 82.8%.

Her dreams of becoming a Quantity Surveyor took shape when Sumone joined the LWA Quantity Surveyors team in November of 2018 as a junior quantity surveyor. She is currently in the process of working towards her Professional Quantity Surveyors accreditation with SACQSP.

ACHIEVEMENT: Prof Rishidaw Balkaran, DVC: Academic, Marshall Sheldon, DVC: Research, Technology, Innovation and Partnerships, Dean’s Medallist Ray April and Acting Dean of the Faculty of Health and Wellness Sciences, Prof Penelope Engel-Hills. Ray obtained 18 distinctions with a final aggregate of 82 % over the three years of study towards the ND: Somatology.

Photos: Lauren Kansley

Written by Kwanele Butana
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The CPUT community has much to look forward to this week, including the Autumn Graduation and the installation of Prof Chris Nhlapo as the institution’s third Vice-Chancellor.

One of the highlights of the first graduation ceremony on Thursday morning will be the awarding of honorary doctorates to the two surviving Rivonia trialists, Denis Goldberg and Andrew Mlangeni,

Goldberg, who will be celebrating his 86th birthday on the day, spent 22 years in prison, while Mlangeni, whose Robben Island cell was next to that of Nelson Mandela, spent 26 years in jail.

More than 1 500 graduands will receive their degrees on Thursday and Friday including ten who will receive their doctorates and 63 their Masters.

Prof Nhlapo, who previously served as the institution’s first Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Technology Innovation and Partnerships, will be installed on Wednesday.

During his tenure as Deputy-Vice-Chancellor he authored the Research, Technology and Innovation Blueprint for the institution that underpins the university’s Vision 2020.
Nhlapo has occupied a number of senior positions at Higher Education Institutions and Science Councils. He was the Head of Chemistry at the universities of the North and the Free State before joining the National Research Foundation (NRF).

“I am thrilled and humbled to be appointed as the third Vice-Chancellor of CPUT. The task I face is complex. During my acting period I started with the conceptual underpinning of Vision 2030 for the institution. I am looking forward to completing this plan and rolling it out to enable the institution to respond to the challenges such as the 4th Industrial revolution, known as Industry 4.0, sustainable development and South Africa’s National Development Plan,” he said following his appointment last year.

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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