Efforts to develop Africa’s future energy workforce will receive a welcome boost with several universities in Africa identified to benefit from the roll-out of Electrical Engineering Masters and Doctoral programmes specializing in Smart Grids.

The DAMOC project, short for the Development of a Harmonized Modular Curriculum for the Smart Grid, is an ambitious programme funded by the ERASMUS + KA2 initiative, which promotes platforms for cooperation in innovation and the exchange of good practices in the international higher education sector.

CPUT’s Centre for Substation Automation and Energy Management Systems (CSAEMS) has been identified to participate in the DAMOC project, along with Stellenbosch University, University Of Pretoria, as well as two Tanzania-based institutions, which include The Nelson Mandela African Institute of Science and Technology and the University of Dar Es Salaam.

Director of the CSAEMS and a leading expert in Smart Grids, Prof Raynitchka Tzoneva, will lead the CPUT delegation, who this month will attend the project’s kick-off meeting in Germany.

Smart grid technology is a highly specialized area of electrical engineering, which focuses on development of standard-based monitoring, protection and control integrated power systems that allow electricity suppliers to monitor the flow of electricity, improve transmission and storage, as well as facilitate the distribution of energy generated from alternative sources, such as wind turbines. The skills developed in this area are crucial for the development of the energy sector and will help address Africa’s energy woes.

“Envisioned outcomes of this project are new, interdisciplinary master and doctor courses implemented at partner institutions in Africa, running laboratories, online courses, and improved networking between the partners,” says Tzoneva.

The Masters and Doctoral courses will include modules such as emerging standards for smart grid, power electronics, integration of renewable energy into the power system, cyber security, and virtual power plants.

Tzoneva says specialised laboratories will also be set up at CPUT and the Nelson Mandela African Institute Of Science and Technology.

The European partners include Dresden University of Technology in Germany, Università degli Studi Guglielmo Marconi in Italy, and Karlstad University in Sweden.

The project will receive support from the South African National Energy Development Institute – South Africa.

The DAMOC project will run over the course of three years.

Written by Candes Keating
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Provides coverage for the Engineering and Applied Sciences Faculties; the Bellville and Wellington Campuses, and research and innovation news.

With cyber criminals becoming increasingly brazen, the CTS Department is launching a new cyber security awareness programme for staff members this month.

Byron van Wyk, Manager: Strategic and Administrative Services for the CTS Department, said most higher education institutions are dealing with security issues including spam and phishing emails and these were becoming more targeted.

The cyber security awareness programme will consist of quarterly campaigns and aims to promote a culture of cyber security at CPUT.

The campaigns will centre on common cyber security topics, such as password management, phishing and information protection.

Staff members will receive an email with instructions on how to participate in the programme.

The emails will be sent via the This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. email address.

Staff will be required to watch a short video, answer a question, and will find out how they fared afterwards.

This will take no longer than five minutes to complete.

This will need to be completed within one week of receiving the initial email.

The campaigns are best viewed using the Google Chrome/ Microsoft Edge browser.

“We urge all CPUT staff members to take part in this initiative and welcome your feedback,” said Van Wyk.

Written by Ilse Fredericks

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