The Clothing and Textile Technology Department will be hosting an Open Day on Thursday 7 August 2008 from 09:30 to 16:30 at the Department of Clothing and Textile Design on the Bellville Campus.

Today’s textile and clothing industry offers exciting and rewarding career opportunities with ever-increasing demands for skilled professionals. The clothing and fashion industry is an extremely dynamic and important sector of the economy, providing enormous scope for well-qualified graduates to make their mark. CPUT’s Clothing and Textile Technology Department provides an excellent academic starting point for careers that use creative and technical skills in this sector of the economy.

Clothing and textile related programmes at CPUT will prepare learners for many exiting careers. Some offer the chance of international travel and others the opportunity to be based in an office or factory.

The purpose of the Open Day is therefore to promote potential career opportunities in the clothing & textile sector to Grade 11 & 12 learners.

Learners and their parents will be able to obtain first-hand information about the department and its facilities through fun demonstrations and activities.

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First year Events Management students recently organised a successful awareness function for the Dream Lab Incubator, a project that aims to develop entrepreneurship among CPUT students.

Tania Petersen, a Marketing lecturer and the initiator of the Dream Lab Incubator approached the Events Management students to organise the function.

CPUT employees, students and former students, attended the function, held at the Granger Bay Hotel School on 22 October 2009.

The guest speakers were two alumni from the former Peninsula and Cape Technikons.

Rhiyaan Cupido completed his Marketing Diploma at the former Peninsula Technikon and worked for six years before deciding to start his own project management business, Anix Consulting.

“As black people, we are always judged as being not good enough until the job is done, so starting my own business and excelling at what I do was key for me,” said Cupido.

He shared how his business had grown from having no salary to employing more than 100 people.

“I started taking a salary home, which was just R5 000 in my sixth year. Many people are good at planning, but very few will implement, so I encourage the students not to fall into that trap,” Cupido added.

Casper de Villiers, who is an alumnus of the former Cape Technikon, as well as Operations Director and a founder member at Clickatell, was the second guest speaker. Clickatell is a world leading communication provider specialising in bulk messaging services and SMS gateway connectivity, situated in Bellville.

Petersen was also one of the speakers at the function.

“Because we want to develop entrepreneurs from CPUT, our target market is third and fourth year students. We decided to use the skills inside and groom the first years. One of the Graphic Design students designed the Dream Lab logo,” she said.

The project will provide students who want to become entrepreneurs with premises and resources, entrepreneurship advice and mentoring, improved business skills, services and networking, assistance with funding and cost saving techniques.

Petersen said: “I learnt about the concept while I was in Sweden through a lecturing exchange programme with Dalarna University.

“Dalarna University introduced me to the entrepreneurship incubator concept and I decided to import the idea. After that, I decided to write a proposal, which was later approved and I started with the work.”

Initially, the programme will be piloted with students from the Business Faculty, but could be extended to all students at a later stage.

In 2009, the Dream Lab Incubator will run a business plan workshop, followed by a competition.

From the business plan competition, the Dream Lab team will select 10 students who will be assisted in becoming entrepreneurs.

“After that, a Needs Analysis will be conducted in order to determine which areas the entrepreneur needs mentoring in,” said Petersen.

The Dream Lab will assist with the registration of the business, patenting and in developing the branding of the business. It will also implement a dual mentoring system. The first part will be offered by a pool of specialists drawn from the Business Faculty.

The second part will attach a student to an industry specific mentor, where the student would spend a month with this particular mentor to familiarise themselves with the industry in which the business will operate.

By Andiswa Dantile

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The Faculty of Informatics and Design’s annual exhibition is growing in leaps and bounds.

This year’s week-long exhibition, which showcases student work in all genres of design, kicked off on 23 November 2009 with an official opening by Dean of the Faculty of Informatics and Design Prof Johannes Cronjé at the Student Centre on Cape Town Campus.

The official opening was marked by the awarding of certificates to students who fared well in various departments and programs within the faculty, and included a well-organised and colourful fashion show held at the Multipurpose Hall the same evening.

The fashion show drew much interest with the models, who were all CPUT students, strutting their stuff in designs created by third year and BTech Fashion Design students.

This is the first time that a fashion show has been organised on campus as part of the year-end exhibition program. In the past, the CPUT graduate fashion show was held off-campus.

Many designers, students, parents, academic staff and industry representatives braved a sweltering heat wave in order to see what CPUT’s design students had to offer.

The Multipurpose Hall and Design Building on Cape Town Campus showcased works representing a variety of design fields, including Graphic, Fashion, Industrial, and Surface Design. Work from the Departments of Interior Design, Architecture and Town and Regional Planning was presented at the Thomas Pattullo Building on the Foreshore.

Prof Cronjé described this year’s exhibition as: “Amazing creativity coupled with excellent execution.” He said this year’s exhibition was different in that it is bigger than ever before, which made it “vibey”. He also mentioned that this year is the first time that some items are on sale across all genres.

“The most important thing about this exhibition is that it is the celebration of the hard work of students and the launch of their careers,” said Prof Cronjé.

Nick Mills, a third year student specialising in Illustration, said it was a great pleasure and privilege for him to be part of the exhibition. When interviewed, Mills was busy putting the final touches on his illustration on an exhibition wall in the design building.

The Faculty of Informatics and Design year-end exhibition will run until 27 November 2009.

By Thami Nkwanyane

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CPUT has officially launched its Satellite Systems Engineering Programme, which is aimed a developing human capacity in the field of satellite engineering.

The launch event, which took place on 16 November 2009, marks the start of CPUT’s role in ensuring the success of South Africa’s National Space Strategy.

The rollout of the programme comes just months after the National Space Agency Bill, which will drive space-related activities, was passed.

With the Bill in place, the institution saw an opportunity to develop students for the South African space industry.

This venture into space science and technology is being backed by the National Research Foundation (NRF), who approved funding of R21 million for the Satellite Systems Engineering Programme.

It also received a stamp of approval from the Department of Science and Technology (DST).

At the launch, which took place at the Bellville campus, the institution also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with EADS Astrium, a French based consortium that is involved in all spheres of space activity.

Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Derek Hanekom, who delivered the keynote address said: “We attach enormous significance to this programme.”

Hanekom said space science and technology is one of the focus areas identified in the DST’s 10 year plan.

According to the plan, South Africa must grow the local satellite industry and increase research, development and innovation in space science.

Hanekom said they have identified human capacity as one of the factors that will limit development in this area.

“It is not by chance that we are supporting this programme. This programme will help develop human capacity,” he said.

He said CPUT has a strong foundation on which to build this programme, which is based in the French South African Institute of Technology (F’SATI), a specialised unit at CPUT that focuses on Electronic Engineering.

“This is the beginning of something big. We are putting the pieces together systematically,” he said.

The NRF also commended F’SATI for venturing into space engineering.

Director of Institutional Capacity Development Dr Romilla Maharaj, said: “I want to applaud CPUT for putting this programme together.”

She said the NRF is excited when institutions’ take up such challenges.

During the next two years, the first intake of students who will specialise in Satellite Systems Engineering, will build a nano-satellite.

Director of F’SATI, Prof Robert van Zyl, who will drive CPUT’s space activities, said they will develop a CubeSat, which will measure 10 by 10 by 30 centimeters and will weigh three kilograms. The payload of the first mission includes a camera and science experiment in conjunction with the Hermanus Magnetic Observatory.

If all goes as planned, the satellite will be completed in 2011.

Prof van Zyl said it will then be showcased at the International Astronautical Federation Conference, which will be held in Cape Town in October 2011.

Dr Chris Nhlapo, CPUT deputy vice-chancellor for Research, Technology Innovation and Partnerships, said the institution is committed to innovation.

“If we want to improve the technology index in South Africa, then we have to take innovation seriously,” he said.

He said the roll out of the programme is a move in the right direction.

By Candes Keating

Photograph: Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Academic Prof Anthony Staak and Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Derek Hanekom unveil a plaque at the official launch of the Satellite Systems Engineering Programme.

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The Fundani Centre for Higher Education Development recently hosted a delegation from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), who conducted a review of two CPUT projects.

The review, which took place from 10 to 13 May, is part of the international Supporting Quality Teaching study that has been undertaken by the OECD, which is based in Paris, since 2007.

The study forms part of the organisations Institutional Management for Higher Education (IMHE) programme, which is aimed at helping higher education institutions explore their institutional engagement into quality teaching.

According to the OECD the goal of the Supporting Quality Teaching is to “highlight effective quality initiatives and mechanisms and to push forward reflection or practices that may in turn help other institutions to improve the quality of their teaching and thereby, the quality of their graduates.”

In participating in the project, higher education institutions take part in an international review that collects information and benchmarks that would be of benefit to them.

The project is being implemented in two phases. The first phase, which is already completed, involved an overview of institutional initiatives and policies that enhanced the quality of teaching.

The second phase, in which CPUT is participating is exploring institutional experiences and approaches to quality teaching.

Prof Terry Volbrecht, Director of The Fundani Centre for Higher Education Development said CPUT was invited by the OECD to participate in phase two of the study.

“They asked us to submit two particular institutional initiatives that have a wide impact on teaching and learning at the institution,” said Prof Volbrecht.

The OECD review visit focused on two key teaching initiatives at CPUT, namely the Curriculum Officer Project and the Extended Curriculum Project.

The Curriculum Officer Project is an advocacy project to empower academic staff members, nominated by their faculties, to improve teaching and learning practices within their respective faculties and academic departments.

The Extended Curriculum Project involves an extension of teaching and learning activities at first year level over two years with extensive academic support.

Prof Volbrecht said the review process involved a three-day site visit, interviews with staff members and students, documentary analysis and questionnaires.

He said this review will benefit CPUT as the institution will get an external opinion on the quality of the two programmes.

Fabrice Henard, an analyst at the OECD programme said there are ten institutions participating in the second phase of the study, which is earmarked to be completed in 2011.

He said the reviews will produce a reflective paper for each higher education institution. These reflective papers will then be cross-analysed by IMHE/OECD, which will result in an international transversal report.

Henard said the review is not meant to explore the whole educational process or to reveal the educational impacts. According to the OECD the reviews are intended to complement earlier evaluations and foster internal reflection for further work.

OECD review team member, Dr Outi Kallioinen, who is also the Development Director of Laurea University of Applied Sciences in Finland, said the reviews will also enrich the reflections of the OECD on the quality of education at institutions worldwide.

By Candes Keating

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Building work has begun on an advanced Food Technology Complex that will play a crucial role in increasing human capacity and research in the national food industry.

The state of the art building, which will house the Food Technology Department and Agrifood Technology Station, comes at a price tag of R40.6 million. The funds have been made available by the CPUT management.

Dr Jessy van Wyk, Head of the Food Technology Department said the facility will be the only education and training facility of this nature in South Africa.

Based at the Bellville campus, it will house a research and development laboratory, a functional food research unit, an instrument laboratory, a food chemistry laboratory, a microbiology laboratory and a sensory analysis facility.

However, the main feature of the facility will be the 1 500sqm multi-functional pilot plant.

Dr van Wyk said these facilities will enable the department to train world class food technologists.

She said in order to properly train food technologists, institutions need to expose students to facilities that are on par with that they would use in the food industry.

“With the advance of technology in the food industry, the gaps are starting to show. This factory is going to bridge the gap in enabling us to train a food technologist to be job ready when they go into the industry,” she said.

Meanwhile, Larry Dolley, Head of the Agrifood Technology Station said the facility will allow them to expand and improve industry related activities.

Earmarked to open its doors in November 2010, Mr Dolley said: “The added space implies safer equipment operation and also the capacity to obtain more equipment to increase the diversity and capacity of the things we can do.”

He said they are looking at becoming involved in technology transfer by means of “shop-floor training” and collaborating with other academic institutions.

“This new facility with its impact (visually and practically) will generate more business, increase our reputation and in so doing rub off on the academic intake,” he said.

Currently the department is meeting with industry in order to raise additional funds for various fittings.

An estimated R25.4 million is still needed to fit out the Sensory Analysis Facility and install various hi-tech fittings throughout the building.

Dolley said the facility will play a crucial role in ensuring that CPUT becomes the institution of choice for food technology training in the country and on the continent.

By Candes Keating

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On 6 and 7 October 2009 CPUT’s Bellville Campus served as the filming location for a number of television programmes on the theme of student voter education.

The programmes were commissioned by SABC Education in partnership with the Department of Higher Education and Training (DoHET) and Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) as part of a nationwide project that aims to engage students in discussions around the principles of democratic elections.

According to SABC Education Commissioning Editor Surekha Singh, the project came about as a result of a highly successful voter registration campaign for the September 2008 national elections, that included segments filmed at two South African Universities.

With several Universities holding SRC elections during the fourth quarter of 2009, the DoHET and IEC were encouraged to again partner with the SABC produce similar programmes, thereby helping South African universities ensure that their student governance elections are free and fair. CPUT was selected to represent the Western Cape Province.

Among the programmes filmed at CPUT were two live broadcasts of Shift, a daily lunchtime talk show on SABC1 in which young people and special guests discuss topics relevant to the country’s youth. The programme attracts between 800 000 and one million viewers per episode.

“Part of our campaign is to have face-to-face discussions in order to reach a wide audience, so we take Shift along,” said Singh.

The Shift broadcasts provided a forum for discussions on issues around student governance elections, including a conversation about the challenges faced by women in leadership. Discussions on lighter topics and musical inserts were also featured in the broadcast.

The discussion panels included staff and students from CPUT, students from other Western Cape universities, members of the IEC and other special guests.

The outside broadcast project has been endorsed by CPUT Head of Student Affairs Sibusiso Chalufu.

In a communication to staff and students sent prior to filming, Chalufu noted, “As Student Affairs we have welcomed the idea of the OB (outside broadcast) as we felt that it would add value and dovetail with our own SRC Elections Vibrancy Project.”

Having wrapped up filming in the Western Cape, the production team will be continuing the project at universities in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.

Various pre-recorded documentary programmes, based on footage shot during the outside broadcast project will be broadcast by the SABC in January 2010. 

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The sound of Vuvuzelas rang out on Mowbray Campus on 11 September 2009, as first year Sport Management students celebrated the upcoming World Cup with a campus Soccer Day.

The event, which was organised by the first years as part of their course’s practical component, was enthusiastically supported by students and staff from the Business and Education and Social Sciences Faculties, many of whom arrived dressed in the colours of their favourite team.

National Red Bull Street Style Soccer champion Chris Njokwana demonstrated a series of dazzling soccer ball stunts including ‘around the world’ where the player kicks, juggles and catches the ball using one foot and ‘magnets’ where the ball appears to rotate around a players head.

Njokwana invited volunteers from the audience to have a go at some street style tricks and soon students and lecturers were showing off knee taps and other moves like football pros.

“Do you think we’re ready for 2010?” shouted Sport Management lecturer Juanita Stoop.

“Yes,” screamed the crowd, waving their flags and vuvuzelas.

Njokwana, who is currently on a nationwide tour to promote the Red Bull Worldwide Freestyle Soccer Contest was impressed with the spirit of the CPUT audience.

“This is the best live crowd we’ve had,” he said.

The day’s activities continued with a goal shooting competition and a soccer tournament that featured a number of student teams as well as a lecturers’ team.

Student Anelisa Jubisa, sporting top-to-toe Orlando Pirates gear, beat some serious competition from Kaiser Chiefs supporters to take home the award for best fan.

The CPUT Sport Management Department has urged all its students to volunteer to assist at the 2010 World Cup. According to Stoop, the planning, organising, risk management, marketing and public relations skills the first years acquired by managing the Soccer Day will be essential for those who participate in the 2010 programme.

“By exposing them to some hands on event planning and organising, they will have a very small idea of the effort one has to put in order to organise a World Cup event,” she said.

“This will allow them to think critically and with innovation when it comes to their volunteer work next year.”

By Ilana Abratt

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Landfill gas, with its high methane content, can pose a threat to humans through explosions, combustion or asphyxiation.

This was the focus of the Landfill Gas Harvesting workshop that took place at the CPUT auditorium on the Bellville campus recently.

The workshop was organised by the Waste Management students as part of their assessment on 7 October 2009.

This was the first landfill gas harvesting workshop in Cape Town

The workshop focused on creating awareness about the dangers of methane gas which may be the result of a gas that comes out of landfills.

Also, the event showed attendees what has been previously done regarding the landfill gas, what is currently underway and what may be possible in the future.

The Waste Management department emphasised that there is a significant amount of money that can be made by operators through mining landfill liabilities and turn them into garbage gold

Jacob Seccona, CPUT Environmental Department’s head said: “This is the first workshop ever organised in CPUT. We need more workshops like these in order to create awareness at municipalities as it is only Ethekwini Municipality that is doing something about landfill gas harvesting.”

CPUT’s Environmental Management Department, which presents the Waste Management course to environmental officers who come from all over the country, helped the students organise the workshop.

Kagisho Motingwe, a student who also works for the City of Cape Town as a principal technician, was the steering committee manager for the workshop.

“Putting together this workshop was an assignment on its own for us as it is part of the continuous evaluation of students, which forms part of the year mark,” said Motingwe.

The workshop targeted municipalities, non-governmental organisations and private sector entities involved in waste management in general, but specifically landfill management and subsequently expanded to students as well.

Motingwe said the objective of the workshop was to create a discussion around landfill gas in South Africa, and to stimulate that relevant guest speakers were invited.

Five speakers shared the stage, touching on the social and environmental externalities of landfill gas, carbon loads and carbon credits, civil impact on landfill gas harvesting and also creating a climate for innovation and change.

According to Motingwe, the idea behind the workshop was to look at the economic side of landfill gas harvesting, the social side and the ethical side of it.

Among the guest speakers was CPUT’s lecturer Dr Lee-Anne Seeliger who spoke around the ethical side of landfill gas.

By Andiswa Dantile

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A colloquium on Web 2.0 technologies, held jointly by the CPUT and University of the Western Cape (UWC) Libraries, provided a forum for both institutions to explore new technologies that could improve their service to library users.

Web 2.0 refers to recent advancements in World Wide Web technology that provide the ability for users to collaborate and share information online. It is a topic currently garnering the attention of university libraries worldwide, as the role played by these technologies in the lives of students continues to increase.

The CPUT/UWC colloquium took place at the UWC Library Auditorium on 25 November 2009. Johann van Wyk, Education Library Manager at the University of Pretoria (UP), was Guest Speaker, and opened the colloquium by discussing the strategic plan that his library had rolled out in order to better utilise Web 2.0 tools and the generally positive response of UP students

Van Wyk provided examples of blogs that Library staff members had set up in order to provide online forums for literature discussions and environments for collaborative bibliographies.

“The environment has changed. A new virtual world exists. We cannot wait for them to come to the library. We must take ourselves to them,” he said.

The colloquium included addresses by UWC Library Director Pateka Matshaya, CPUT Informatics and Design Lecturer Prof Melius Weideman, UWC Lecturer Sandy Zinn and Nikki Crowster of Calico. CPUT Libraries Deputy Director Michiel Moll provided the closing address.

According to Moll, the CPUT and UWC Libraries are embarking on a process of increased coooperation between the two units.

“We feel that together we can achieve more and, as libraries, we are not in competition with each other, but both are there to serve our users. Projects such as this colloquium, closer working on an individual level and further joint projects are envisaged,” he said.

Matshaya said that she foresaw the two institutional libraries working together in the areas of staff training and development and in the sharing of expertise, innovations and IT solutions.

Commenting on discussions she had held with CPUT Libraries Director Dr Elisha Chiware, she said: “I strongly believe that, taking this relationship forward will be the responsibility of our staff as that approach will ensure long-term sustainability.”

The Web 2.0 colloquium was organised by Sulaiman Majal, Janine Lockhart and Yunus Omar of CPUT and Lilian Mitchell-Kamalie of UWC. The event was sponsored by Emerald, SWETS and Springerlink.

By Ilana Abratt

Photograph: Attending the CPUT/UWC Web 2.0 Colloquium were (left to right) CPUT Lecturer Prof Melius Weideman, UWC Library Director Pateka Matshaya, Library Manager at the University of Pretoria Johann van Wyk and CPUT Libraries Deputy Director Michiel Moll.

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A new website, launched by CPUT Libraries will help the institution’s staff and students find an international audience for their research papers, presentations and theses.

The site, known as Digital Knowledge, was launched on 22 September 2009. It includes facilities that allow any staff member or student to upload items to an online library of academic work. The site is searchable via Google and Google Scholar, enabling academics from Universities around the world to access CPUT research output.

Welcoming guests to the Digital Knowledge launch event, CPUT Libraries Director Dr Elisha Chiware described the historical role of libraries as a centre for storing and organising works and looked at the various methods libraries have used over the centuries to accomplish this purpose –from indexes to abstracts to today’s online search engines.

He drew attention to modern society’s demand for immediate access to information and stated that web presence is becoming a key factor in rating academic institutions.

“Through the Digital Knowledge platform, CPUT will not only increase its web presence but will also attract top academic staff,” he said.

CPUT Vice Chancellor Prof Vuyisa Mazwi-Tanga, also addressing the audience at the event, took the opportunity to formally welcome Dr Chiware, who joined CPUT as Library Director earlier this year.

She said she was elated with the development of the new site and thanked senior library staff for their hard work in bring the project to fruition.

The Digital Knowledge site is hosted by USA-based online publisher Berkely Electronic Press and uses the organisation’s Digital Commons platform. Other institutions with research repositories based on Digital Commons include Berkeley and Carnegie Mellon Universities in the USA, the Dublin Institute of Technology, Ireland, and Bond University, Australia.

CPUT Libraries signed a three-year hosting contract with Berkely Electronic Press in January 2009 and worked in conjunction with the company to develop the repository according to CPUT’s needs.

Library staff member Deborah Becker served as Project Co-ordinator with Imraan Baderoen assisting with information uploads.

Several staff members and students have already uploaded their work to Digital Knowledge and have witnessed a rapid turnaround in international interest. A thesis on Managing Absenteeism written by Library Staff member Janine Lockhart was recently uploaded to the site and was downloaded 53 times within a two-and-a-half week period.

Staff, students and other users can access and contribute to the Digital Knowledge site by clicking the Digital Knowledge button on the CPUT Libraries web page, or by visiting http://dk.cput.ac.za

By Ilana Abratt

Photograph: (top) Attending the launch of Digital Knowledge were CPUT Libraries staff member Michael Smith, Libraries Director Dr Elisha Chiware, Digital Knowledge Co-ordinator Deborah Becker, CPUT Vice-Chancellor Prof Vuyisa Mazwi-Tanga, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research, Technology Innovation and Partnerships Dr Chris Nhlapo and CPUT Libraries staff members Michiel Moll and Janine Lockhart. (lower left) Part of a screen shot from Digital Knowledge (lower right) The CPUT Libraries home page

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CPUT Libraries welcomes its new Director, Dr Elisha R.T. Chiware.

Before joining CPUT, Dr Chiware was a senior lecturer in Library and Information Science, focusing on Information Technology at the University of Namibia.

He was previously Library Director at Chinhoyi University of Technology and Senior Systems Librarian at Africa University both in Zimbabwe.

Chiware has also worked as an Assistant Librarian at both the Universities of Zimbabwe and Botswana.

Hailing from Zimbabwe, Chiware completed his primary education in his birth country and obtained his A-Levels in the United Kingdom, before returning to the University of Zimbabwe to graduate with a BA degree in Political Science and Economic History.

Having sparked his love for education, Chiware went onto to obtain a Masters degree in Library Science (Indiana University, Bloomington, USA) and more recently his PhD in Information Science (University of Pretoria).

When asked what the vision of his new challenge that lay ahead, Chiware expressed that he wanted to focus on “efficient and effective service delivery and the growth of the CPUT Libraries into a world class library and information service.”

Chiware added, “The merger provides a rare opportunity to build a diverse library and information service which, if managed effectively, can be the bedrock of a sound technological university education at CPUT and in the country.”

“Furthermore I want to see CPUT library staff grow and realise their potential through university-wide information delivery projects and engage in focused library service delivery research activities.”

But more importantly, Chiware emphasised that he wishes to see the “information resource base (both in print and electronic) grow to meet the teaching, research and learning needs of all the faculties and departments in the university.”

Dr Chiware has close to twenty published articles, conference papers and proceedings, references in industry books and edited books.

He has also served on the editorial board for the Journal of Information Technology for Development and has reviewed articles for the International Journal of Library and Information Science.

In addition, Chiware has taken on consultancy work for projects across the SADC region and abroad.

By Thando J. Moiloa

Photo: CPUT Libraries Director Dr Elisha R.T. Chiware.

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On 20 August 2009 the CPUT chapter of the Golden Key International Honour Society was officially launched at with the induction of over fifty new members at an evening ceremony on Bellville Campus.

CPUT is the first University of Technology (UoT) in the country to become a member of this non-profit international academic honour society, with the Central University of Technology, Free State launching its chapter in 2010.

CPUT is also one of three other provincial member institutions, namely the Universities of Stellenbosch, Cape Town and the Western Cape, who hosted their new member induction ceremonies earlier that week.

Golden Key South Africa’s Director, Charlene Günter, was present at the ceremony, along with national Chapter Relations Officer Hope Khoza, who recognised both honorary and new members on the night.

Also in attendance was Anda Bici, a member of the CPUT’s Central Student Representative Council who was instrumental in bringing the idea to the attention of the Dean of Students and Alumni Office.

Günter welcomed the guests and shared vital information to inductees, such as application for the new executive committee and receiving correspondence or electronic updates.

During the ceremony the Golden Key Chapter awards were announced with Theunis Botha, a BTech: Engineering graduate now studying towards an MTech qualification, receiving an accolade for his outstanding academic achievements.

Student Affairs and Services Transformation Manager Sam Henkeman and Alumni Officer Nandipha Madadasana were also awarded honourary life-time memberships to the Society, due to their pioneering work in successfully launching the CPUT chapter.

Another heart-warming story was that of Miriam Owusu Sekyere, an international MTech: Oncology Nursing student, whose family travelled from Ghana to celebrate this milestone with her.

Henkeman then went onto read the Golden Key Charge, a pledge of commitment to service and leadership for newly inducted ‘key holders’.

According to Henkeman, the newly formed chapter creates the prospect of turning the tide for CPUT’s undergraduate students to excel academically and obtain international scholarship opportunities.

“It also opens a door to corporate partnerships for the institutions, where experiential learning and co-operative education can take place,” he added.

Golden Key’s local partners include corporations like Rand Merchant Bank, Sasol, Investec, BMW, Unilever and the Public Investment Corporation.

This ceremony formally marks the inception of the CPUT chapter, which entitles the institution to select two representatives to form part of the local chapters’ delegation at the 2010 Golden Key International Conference in Salt Lake City, USA.

The conference affords delegations with an opportunity for cultural exchange, where each country hosts a presentation highlighting the unique work that their chapters are involved in.

The Golden Key initiative is the result of a partnership between the Transformation and Diversity Office and the Alumni division of the Advancement Office and was embarked upon to acknowledge and reward academic excellence amongst the top 15% of undergraduate CPUT students.

At CPUT, the Golden Key initiative forms part of a bigger student-driven project under development that is aimed at creating a better sense of belonging, unity and developing an ethos among members of the campus communities.

Presently, Golden Key has over 300 chapters at institutions of higher learning across seven countries and boasts national representation with chapters in four out of South Africa’s nine provinces.

By: Thando J. Moiloa

Photo: (top right) Director of Golden Key South Africa Charlene Gunter, Student Affairs and Services Transformation Manager Sam Henkeman and Chapter Relations Officer at Golden Key South Africa Hope Khoza.(bottom) The new 'key holders' gather for a group photo after the ceremony.

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Students enrolled at the Wellington Campus now have access to brand new clinic facilities.

On 24 June 2009, Campus Health Services, a department tasked with promoting health and wellness at CPUT, officially opened the clinic.

The clinic, which is staffed by Sister Tania Maree, will offer a range of services to students, from general medical consultations, wound dressing to attending to minor ailments.

Dean of Students Cora Njoli Motale, who addressed members of the CPUT community at the opening of the clinic, said: “Within student services we are trusted with so many responsibilities. One of those is looking after the wellness of our students.”

With clinics situated at four of CPUT’s campuses, Motale said they are able to offer quality health services to students.

Elisabet Smit, Head of Student Counselling said health services at Wellington campus had a “humble beginning.”

In 2004, CPUT nursing Sister Dorothy Jonathan, approached the Drakenstein Municipality and secured temporary use of a local clinic.

However, limited medical services were available to students.

The clinic was also not easy accessible as it was located off campus.

With an increase in demand for primary health care services, the institution decided in 2007 to build a clinic adjacent to the Student Counselling Office.

Smit said building work commenced in June 2008. The clinic opened its doors at the start of the first term in 2009.

Chairperson of the Wellington Student Representative Council Ian Dippenaar welcomed the clinic and said it will contribute to making students’ lives easier.

Dr Allie Jardine, Head of Health Services at CPUT, said he is excited about the clinic.

The “dream of a clinic” would not have been realised without the funding approved by the Executive Management, said Dr Jardine.

Wellington campus manager Ben Turner, said: “We are very proud about the clinic.”

By Candes Keating

Photo: Attending the launch of the Wellington Clinic were (back row) Head of Health Services Dr Allie Jardine, (front row) Dean of Students Cora Njoli Motale, Manager of Wellington Campus Ben Turner and CPUT Vice-Chancellor Prof Vuyisa Mazwi-Tanga.

Written by CPUT News
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On 23 May 2009 CPUT student environmental group, The Green Team, took on the task on cleaning the Springfontein beach in Atlantis.

The beach clean-up project was initiated when Student Development Officer Anette Grobler and Green Team Chair Lindelwa Gayiza received pictures of the state of Springfontein beach from a concerned CPUT staff member.

The beach is not easily accessible on foot and is therefore seldom cleaned. Beach pollution has resulted from years of accumulated waste from passing ships.

“We are thus not doing the clean-up from an aesthetic point of view, but rather because the accumulating rubble poses a danger to our environment,” said Grobler.

An awe-inspiring response of just over 60 students, 11 staff members, young children and families, exceeded the expectations of the team. “Everyone was motivated and we certainly feel like we’ve achieved the goal set-out for this project,” she said.

With the beach described as looking very bad and the volunteers finding things they never thought they would find on a beach, it was no surprise that the team was able to fill all its black-bags.

The Green Team urges that students become more environmentally aware and that they do their bit for the environment by condemning the misuse of facilities and resources.

“We are asking for like-minded CPUT students to come forward with suggestions regarding working, sustainable projects and ideas regarding recycling, reducing the use of paper, saving electricity, saving water, a stop littering campaign and getting students to cycle to the CPUT instead of using their cars or taxis,” said Grobler.

The long-term dream of the Green Team is to help CPUT become the first green university in South Africa.

Later this month, members of the team will be attending a Coral workshop in Mozambique.

By Raa-iqah Isaacs

Photo: Student Development Officer Anette Grobler (left) and the rest of the Green Team celebrate a successful Beach Clean-up.

Written by CPUT News
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Vice-Chancellor Prof Chris Nhlapo has challenged staff members to scale up excellence and to work with him to take CPUT into the next decade.

Addressing hundreds of staff members at the annual staff welcoming event, Nhlapo made a clarion call for leadership to be manifested across all levels of the institution and for all staff members to contribute to one smart CPUT.

“Your title doesn’t matter, Show leadership in your space. Every single teammate is the CEO of their own entity, their own department, their own unit called their job.”

He said that at last year’s event he remembered feeling that a spirit of regeneration and energy was starting to flow.

Nhlapo highlighted some successes over the past year. These included:

• Securing the District Six Campus with ClearVu fencing
• The instalment of a cutting edge intelligent CCTV system
• The refurbishing of Freedom Square
• The recapitalisation of the fleet
• New state of the art floodlights for the Bellville Stadium.

This year the institution would continue to focus on four areas: maintenance backlogs, student housing, facilities upgrades and consolidation of faculties and departments.

Nhlapo thanked staff for their hard work and introduced new senior management team members who will help to ensure that business continuity in key areas ensues.

“As we enter the new decade there is one particular aspect that I want embraced: excellence. I expect excellence and leadership at every corner. We have to scale up excellence.”

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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CPUT's Centre for International Teacher Education (CITE) recently hosted a Public-Private Schooling Symposium where academics debated their views on different schooling systems as well as the benefits and concerns of collaboration schooling.

CITE Director, Prof Yusuf Sayed, said the public-private schooling debate has thus far raised more heat than light and that he hoped the symposium will add light to the debate.

Sayed argued that the answer to the provision of quality education lies with the restructuring of public education.

Dr Christiaan van der Merwe, Chief Executive Officer of Curro Holding Ltd, said great leadership and management, ethos and partnerships as well as accountability and transparency are some of the characteristics of successful schools.

Van der Merwe said that over the last 20 years education has generally improved across all schools.

"Every school should allow a child to be what they want and what they can be," he added.

Dr David Harrison, head of the DG Murray Trust, said distribution of quality education in schools has not changed in the last 20 years.

Harrison added that system-wide improvement is not enough on its own as it widens disparities between successful and underperforming schools.

He called for the strengthening of the existing capacity of public schools and district leadership in underperforming schools.

"Place underperforming public schools under new management."

He also called for the introduction of low fee private schools.

*The following universities collaborated in the organization of the symposium: CPUT, University of Cape Town, University of the Western Cape, Rhodes University and Fort Hare University.

Written by Kwanele Butana
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CPUT’s journey to Vision 2030 was unpacked during a recent event-themed Navigating Obstacles: Scenario Planning for Vision 2030. Renowned strategist, best-selling business author, and founding partner of Mindofafox and its education and training arm, Growing Foxes, Chantell Ilbury, was the guest speaker at the event, held at the Auditorium on the Bellville Campus.

Prof Driekie Hay-Swemmer, Executive Director in the Office of the Vice-Chancellor, welcomed guests, who described the event as an exciting moment for the institution.

In his keynote address, Vice-Chancellor Prof Chris Nhlapo said the institution had chosen to be a Smart University before the end of this decade.

“We are under no illusion that it will be easy towards 2030. It will be a rough road, but we’ll ultimately ascend the heights of greatness.”

Nhlapo said the strategy re-imagines CPUT as a leading university of technology in SA, the continent and the globe.

“The magnum opus in the making must bear the hallmark of MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), hence the MIT of Africa mantra.”

He said it had been agreed that the next phase should be dedicated to building an innovative university, and “everything that we do must support oneness and smartness”.

“There is a framework for one smart CPUT. In this framework, we agree that we will follow a focused approach as far as this strategy is concerned.”

This approach is made up of seven focus areas:

• A Smart ITC environment and ITC workforce
• Smart Teaching and Learning and Smart Learning Environments
• Smart RTIP that is relevant and excellent in its knowledge production
• Smart Human Capital and Talent
• Smart Internationalisation
• Smart Engagement and strong links with quintuple helix partners
• Brilliant Student Engagements and Learning Experiences

The Vice-Chancellor continued: “The emphasis on oneness is directed at creating one institutional culture because culture is quality, a sense of belonging, an environment where everyone strives towards the same goal, taking pride in who we are and how we conduct our business as a university, working as teams, taking collective responsibility for our future, breaking down silos, working across the departments, units, centres, faculties disciplines and research focus areas, evident by a steep sense of caring about the wellness of others in the workplace and the future of the university. “

He invited all stakeholders to join the institution on the One Smart CPUT journey “as we create futures”.

“One Smart CPUT is focused on more than the technological world. It is our renewed contract with human centricity, and our biggest assets and resources are our people.”

Illbury’s presentation focused on scenario planning in terms of possible obstacles to the Vision 2030 journey.

This was followed by a lively Q&A session facilitated by programme director Prof Paul Green, with Nhlapo and Illbury as panellists.

The event concluded with a spectacular laser show encompassing the journey to Vision 2030.

Written by Ilse Fredericks

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More than 230 matric learners from three high schools participated in a Life Science revision session presented by various departments in the Faculty of Health and Wellness Sciences.

The successful programme, initiated by the Department of Emergency Medical Sciences’ Prof Kareemah Najaar, has been running for the past few years and aims to provide socio-economic disadvantaged students with an opportunity to qualify and apply for science programmes at the tertiary level.

At the first revision session for 2022, Wynberg High School hosted the matric pupils of Lavender Hill High School and Langa High School.

The topics covered by the CPUT students who serve as tutors were selected by the teachers [Ms N. Israel (WHS), Ms M. Lewis (LHHS), and Ms N. Mandongana (LHS)] and revision worksheets were based on the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS).

Najaar said COVID-19 restrictions continued to present the tutors with the challenge of providing face-to-face revision sessions.

“This was easily overcome with the incorporation of the horseshoe shape design (a concept created in 2021), in which desks are spaced adequately apart and students are then able to engage with the tutors who are positioned in the centre of the horseshoe, thus creating safe social distancing.”

Cognisant that Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics remain a focus area for the economic growth of the country, “and in the true spirit” of the Community of Practice, the collaborating departments, Emergency Medical Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, Somatology, Medical Imaging and Therapeutic Sciences, Ophthalmic Sciences, and Dental Technology, with the Centre for Community Engagement and Work Integrated Learning’s Service-Learning (SL) division, once again successfully created an environment in which the matric learners were able to attend the revision programme while conforming to COVID-19 protocols physically.

Najaar and Dr Wendy Solomon (Biomedical Sciences) worked closely with department heads, school principals, the respective dedicated Faculty staff, teachers, the Service-Learning division, the CPUT printing division and donors in this successful endeavour.

Najaar believes that the success of this project lies within the principles and implementation of a Community of Practice (CoP), a construct based on “a group of people who share a concern, a set of problems, or a passion about a topic, and who deepen their knowledge and expertise in this area by interacting on an ongoing basis”.

“The unselfish and tireless efforts from all stakeholders, particularly the grade 12 learners and the tutors, is why this community project has succeeded since 2018. The continued efforts by the Health and Wellness Sciences lecturers and school teachers to adapt and improve the system to amplify the students’ learning is a testament to their sincerity and dedication to serving the community.”

Written by Ilse Fredericks

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With a strong focus on funding and mentoring for graduate and undergraduate students, Golden Key (GK) International Honour Society offers numerous scholarships and awards, available only to members, as well as career development, networking and literacy service opportunities and unique discounts from partner companies.

Student Development Officers Cherice Mangiagalli and Melani-Ann Hara, who serve as advisors for Golden Key SA - CPUT Chapter, say GK has chapters at over 400 colleges and universities in Australia, Canada, India, Malaysia, New Zealand, South Africa, The Bahamas and the United States. Mangiagalli states that membership in the Society is by invitation only and applies to the top 15% of college and university sophomores, juniors, seniors, and top-performing graduate students in all fields of study, based solely on their academic achievements.

President of the GK CPUT chapter, Simphiwe Ngubane, shared his experience:

Simphiwe reveals that being made a part of GK last year and representing CPUT at the DHL 2021 Top 100 Most Employable Students in South Africa “have truly been the cherries on top of my time here at CPUT”.  “We all go through challenges in life, and what I can account as one of the more difficult challenges is finding a reason every day to commit to myself, my studies and what I see as my path- all this comes about in the context of a world attempting to dictate to you what you should do, how you should do it and where you should go: the reason I consistently conjure up is, all this is leading you somewhere, don't give up,” he says.

The Durban-born-final-year BSc in Geomatics student “owes”  his success to his mother and grandmother, “whom I will forever be grateful to for inculcating the critical importance of education to thrive and succeed in this world”.

Simphiwe was appointed a member of the Golden Key Executive this year through an interview and selection process. He says: “I would like to take the opportunity to advocate as many Golden Key members as possible to avail themselves of this opportunity for the upcoming year: leadership, academic excellence, and personal development are part and parcel of what GK stands for and it is what we as a CPUT student body should be consistently advocating for.”  

Reflecting on life challenges in our communities, Simphiwe says: “One doesn’t need to know too much of the country's state. The interminable load shedding, the rising cost of fuel and living costs are stark reminders of the state of our communities. Ultimately, what we must look toward is credible leadership in navigating the challenges this country faces and will face tomorrow. Golden Key is a shining canvass of opportunity to accelerate the growth of the type of person that will steer this country.” 

He says being part of GK has helped him access many worthwhile opportunities through webinars, broadcasts for scholarships, job opportunities, etc. “I am an Olico Maths Tutor because of Golden Key; my involvement with the 2021 DHL Gradstar Top 100 most employable students in South Africa would not have been possible without Golden Key.” 

Simphiwe also encourages his fellow students to be part of Golden Key society. “Decide to join; you won’t regret it; membership means being part of a community of exceptional individuals from across the world; doors open to you automatically by association.”  Simphiwe serves on the CPUT Golden Key executive committee alongside Uchenna Okwuosa – Treasurer; Mahlatse Ramakgoakgoa - Service Director & Campus Community Outreach Director; and Xolisa Skweyiya – Secretary.

Written by Aphiwe Boyce

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