Germans have fruitful time at CPUT

The Department of Applied Legal Studies recently hosted a delegation from Hochschule München University of Applied Sciences (MUAS) for a three-day event, which included cultural exchange sessions, engagements during breakaway groups and plenary sessions at which the groups presented their work.

This emanates from last year, following discussions on collaboration between Prof Henrike Weiden from Department of Applied Legal Studies at MUAS and Prof Noleen Leach from the Department of Applied Legal Studies at CPUT. These discussions were on collaboration between the MUAS students on the Business Administration Masters and the exit level students on the Bachelor of Paralegal Studies programme at CPUT.

These initial discussions evolved into a collaborative project on the legal issues occurring in the context of data-driven businesses and to familiarise students with selected legal issues related to trans-border business activities with the focus on the protection of personal information.

The collaboration between MUAS and CPUT students occurred online and culminated into a three-day face-to-face interaction at Bellville campus. This occurred under the guidance of the subject lecturers and specialists, Nolan Martin, Raygaanah Barday, Michelle Mopp, Faizel Jacobs, Kay-Lynn Bailey, Servious Hungwe, Weiden and Leach.

The students had the opportunity to collaborate in person and compare notes in breakaway groups with their German counterparts on legal issues that occur in data-driven business models. Open coaching sessions were also conducted to prepare students for the joint presentations that were conducted in a plenary session on the last day. “At the end of the project, students were also acquainted with problem-oriented strategies in interdisciplinary and multinational teams,” said Hungwe.

He said the feedback received from both staff and students indicates that the visit was a success. “South African and German student teams gained experience in collaborating on the transfer of business activities from a European Union member state to South Africa. They researched the various legal questions related to data-driven business relevant to their individual team-projects and developed legally feasible solutions to the transfer of identified business models.”

Weiden echoed Hungwe’s words, saying she was “extraordinarily grateful” that Leach, Faculty and CPUT members involved showed such great effort not only to make the student project work, but also “to give us a very special time in Cape Town”.

“Students, staff members, faculty members, everyone had to walk the extra mile to make this happen. And everyone made us feel they believed in this cross-continental university project.”

However, she acknowledged that initially they had some challenges and doubts. “But in the end, we were rewarded in the most exciting and fruitful manner. And I personally, but also in the name of all participating students, traveling or non, would like to express my sincere gratitude. This was pioneering at its best. This project is also asking for an encore.”

Written by Aphiwe Boyce
Email: BoyceAp@cput.ac.za