Prof Shirley Zinn is an individual who has experienced incredible career highs and gut-wrenching personal lows, but it was these lows that she encouraged graduates to embrace and learn from.

Zinn, a Harvard graduate and accomplished businesswoman, was the guest speaker at the Faculty of Education graduation ceremony on Tuesday evening and shared a snippet of her own life story which included growing up in a gang-riddled neighbourhood and as an adult losing her only son unexpectedly in a car accident.

“Each one of us has faced our own tragedy and heartache but I am here to say that setbacks and disappointments will come,” she says.

“You have the potential to do far more than what you thought you could. Tonight we celebrate the futures you will create, not only for yourself but also for others.”

Zinn knows exactly what she is talking about since she herself spent many years in a classroom teaching, first at Groenvlei High School then later lecturing at UWC.

She grasped an opportunity to do her Masters at Harvard University in the States and despite immense financial challenges continued on to do her Doctorate at the same Ivy League university.

On her return to South Africa she moved her career into Human Resources and went on to work at many multi-national companies, the corporate banking sector and SARS.    

Written by Lauren Kansley
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The Head of the Centre for Business Innovation and Incubation (BiiC), Prof Michael Twum-Darko with the South African research team, recently shared his pioneering work on economic growth and development policy research at the prestigious Growth Lab of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Twum-Darko, who is also the Acting Head of the Graduate Centre for Management (GCM), shared his groundbreaking eVillage Solution, a project based on two years of empirical research and extensive community engagement in Zwelethemba near Worcester in the Breede Valley District Municipality of the Western Cape Province.

He said the eVillage Solution represents an innovative approach to local economic development. “By leveraging disruptive technologies and integrating small business models, this solution aims to retain wealth within rural areas and townships, thereby stimulating local economic development and creating community-based enterprises and employment opportunities. Twum-Darko's work focuses on ensuring that economic benefits are not just confined to urban centres but are also accessible to rural communities, promoting inclusive growth and prosperity.

The empirical research conducted in Zwelethemba highlights the potential of the eVillage Solution to transform local economies. “By fostering a culture of entrepreneurship and utilising modern technologies, the initiative seeks to bridge the gap between economic potential and actual development, empowering communities to become self-sustaining and economically vibrant.”

He added that the Growth Lab at Harvard University is renowned for its collaborative efforts with policymakers to design actionable strategies for economic development. By sharing insights through teaching, tools, and publications, the Growth Lab is committed to fostering inclusive prosperity worldwide, he remarked as his invitation to share his eVillage Solution at the Growth Lab underscores the significance of his research and its potential impact on global economic development policies.

During his time at Harvard, Twum-Darko, a distinguished academic and innovator engaged with leading economists, policymakers, and researchers, discussing the practical implications of his findings, and exploring collaborative opportunities to further refine and implement the eVillage Solution in other regions.

Following his engagement at Harvard, he was invited to Shenandoah University's Division of Applied Technology/Virtual Reality in Winchester, Virginia. The aim was for him to learn more about the capabilities of virtual and augmented reality technologies to enhance the Bridge-in Learning Platform, BiiC had developed in collaboration with MTN Chenosis. The BiiC platform aims to bridge the skills gap between the academic knowledge of newly recruited graduates and the practical demands of the workplace.

Shenandoah University's Applied Technology Division has recognized the potential of BiiC and agreed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with BiiC and the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences. This MOU will pave the way for capacity building, as well as student and staff exchange programs, fostering a rich environment for technological innovation and practical learning.

Twum-Darko's contributions to economic development and technological innovation are poised to make a significant impact on both local and global scales. His eVillage Solution exemplifies a practical approach to achieving inclusive economic growth, while his engagement with Shenandoah University's Applied Technology Division highlights his commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technologies for educational and professional development.

Written by CPUT News
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