Rollout of research capacity building project
Monday, 02 September 2013
Research, Technology and Innovation (RTI) efforts at CPUT took another step forward when some of the institution’s research strategic goals, with regard to capacity development, were implemented through the rollout of the first programme for rated and young emerging researchers.
The RTI capacity building programme is coordinated by the office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Technology Innovation and Partnerships, Dr Chris Nhlapo, in conjunction with the Learning and Development Department and the Research Directorate.
Dr Nhlapo says the programme is designed to ensure that all capacity development interventions are woven into a comprehensive and sustainable initiative in order to realise the strategic objectives of CPUT’s RTI blueprint.
The first two workshops in the programme covered funding proposals for the NRF’s Competitive Programme for Rated Researchers and the Sabbatical Grants to Complete Doctoral Degrees.
The former is a discipline-based funding instrument which supports basic research as the foundation of knowledge production in Humanities, Social and Natural Sciences while the latter was introduced to improve academic qualifications of staff.
Nhlapo says he is pleased with the enthusiasm of researchers to capacitate themselves as it provides an impetus for him to realise his vision to strengthen research and innovation and thus achieve VISION 2020.
The workshops were presented by Ferdie Van der Walt, a renowned research facilitator.
Van der Walt says these are structured programmes with specific milestones and will incorporate continuous monitoring to ensure successful capacity development outcomes. He says there are already a number of interventions planned for the remainder of 2013 and the entire 2014 academic year.
Prof Shaun Pather, Head of Strategic Initiatives in the Office of the DVC, Research, Technology Innovation and Partnerships, says to date the approach to capacity building has been uncoordinated and largely reactive.
“We have now incepted a programmatic plan of action which aims to ensure we achieve strategic targets such as the requisite number of staff with PHds, and a bigger cohort of rated researchers,” he says.
“The consolidated RTI capacity development programme is thus in line with our strategic objectives.
Written by Ilse Fredericks
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