New Research Chairs for CPUT
GROWING RESEARCH: CPUT's five new research chairs will support the RTI initiative
Wednesday, 15 October 2014
Research activities at CPUT are set to intensify with the roll-out of five additional research chairs.
The chairs are internally funded and will bring the number of research chairs at CPUT to nine.
The university currently has four chairs that are funded by external partners.
This includes a Chair in Wholesale and Retail Leadership, which is funded by the Wholesale and Retail Seta as well as Chairs in Teacher Education, Biomedical and Microbial Biotechnology and Small Satellite Technology and Applications for Africa, which are funded by the National Research Foundation.
The roll-out of the new research chairs comes as the university prepares to launch its seven focus research areas, which form part of the Research and Technology Innovation Blueprint (RTI), a strategy document that sets CPUT’s research agenda.
Dr Chris Nhlapo, DVC for Research, Technology Innovation and Partnerships, who is driving the RTI, says each focus area will be anchored by a chair, which will be responsible to drive research in the identified area.
“These individuals will have to set an agenda for the focus areas as well as set up niche areas,” says Nhlapo.
The new chairs will focus on the areas of energy, climate change and environment, human and social dynamics, including issues related to service delivery, economic growth and international competitiveness as well as design for sustainability.
The existing chairs will support the focus area of bio-economy and biotechnology and space science and technology.
Nhlapo says the choice of these focus areas have been informed by CPUT’s strengths, areas likely to make the strongest contribution to strategic imperatives and national priorities as well as the need to support a multi-disciplinary approach to research and innovation.
Written by Candes Keating
Email: keatingc@cput.ac.za
Provides coverage for the Engineering and Applied Sciences Faculties; the Bellville and Wellington Campuses, and research and innovation news.
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