CPUT has recently added to its already extensive array of global alliances by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with similar institutions in Ghana and China. The Industrial and Systems Engineering Department has forged new links with Shanghai Dian Ji University (SDJU), while the Engineering Faculty affiliate, F’SATI has entered into an agreement with Ghana Telecomms University College (GTUC) to share their satellite technology expertise.

Professor Xia Jianguo, President of SDJU says the university is considered one of the best engineering education providers in Shanghai, China’s largest city. Quoting Confucius, President Jianguo says, “What a pleasure it is to have friends coming from afar!” And this will hopefully be one of the many spin-offs of the MoU signed between CPUT and SDJU – not only the exchange of information and research, but student and lecturer exchanges too, both short and long-term.
An international finance and trade centre and dynamic, bustling metropolis, Shanghai is a magnet for international students, and SDJU is hoping to welcome an increasing number of CPUT students and teaching staff in the years to come.

(from left) VC Mazwi-Tanga,  Dr Osei K. Darkwa and F'Sati's Prof Robert van Zyl at the recent signing formalising ties between CPUT and Ghana Telecomms University College.

Meanwhile, Prof Robert van Zyl, Deputy Director of the French-South Africa Technology Institute at CPUT, recently signed a MoU with GTUC President Dr Osei K. Darkwa. The Ghanains hosted Prof van Zyl earlier this year in Accra to workshop and collaborate on establishing a similar satellite systems engineering programme in the African nation to that offered by F’SATI.

Says van Zyl, “This latest agreement to share our expertise in this incredibly exciting field with our Ghanain counterparts reinforces our position as 'the space hub' of the Western Cape – and in turn, of South Africa.”
CPUT and F'SATI are widely considered the country's breeding ground for the development of space scientists.

by Jan Weintrob.

Written by CPUT News
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Individuals who want to advance their career in fields such as chemical process consulting, logistics, manufacturing management and technical consulting are urged to apply for the new Master of Engineering in Engineering Management degree for admission in the second semester, 2021.

Applications will open on 7 June and close on 26 June 2021. The course is offered full-time: one year and part-time: two years (minimum). The minimum admission requirements are an NQF level 8, Bachelor Honours degree, 4‐year Bachelor’s degree or a Postgraduate Diploma qualification in engineering or cognate sciences, such as engineering design and synthesis or applied sciences. Students should have obtained an average pass mark of at least 60% of their NQF level 8 qualification. The Industrial and Systems Engineering Department will only offer Year 1 Semester 2 subjects (IND690S and RMT690S) in 2021.  Then the department will offer Year 1 Semester 1 subjects in 2022.  

Industrial and Systems Engineering Head of Department, Prof Bingwen Yan says the course opens prospects to product development, manufacturing, construction, design engineering, industrial engineering, technology, production, or any other field that employs personnel who perform an engineering function. ​​ Yan adds that the course develops the students to apply the practice of management to the practice of engineering.  

“Engineering management is a career that brings together the technological problem-solving ability of engineering and the organisational, administrative, and planning abilities of management in order to oversee the operational performance of complex engineering-driven enterprises,” he remarks.

Departmental postgraduate research coordinator, Dr Bronwyn Swartz adds that some career choices to consider include, but are not limited to, automation engineer, client services analyst, design engineer, chemical process director, director of hardware engineering, engineering economics consultant, job cost engineer, material logistics professional, plant manager, processing engineering manager, technical consultant and technology licensing specialist.

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Written by Aphiwe Boyce
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The at-risk Science and Mathematics students from numerous departments recently attended the STEM (Science, Technology, Education & Maths) mid-year boot camp intervention programme held at South African Renewable Energy Technology Centre.

The students came from the departments such as Maritime Studies, Marine Engineering, Mathematics, Marine Physics, B.Ed. FET Physical Science and Mathematics, Industrial and Systems Engineering and Engineering Mathematics. The STEM boot camp has been designed to prepare students for the mid-year assessments.

The CPUT STEM Support Lead, Dr Frikkie George, says the boot camp intervention programme is one of the imperatives of the University Capacity Development Grant (UCDG) STEM project funded by the Department of Higher Education & Training (DHET). The first Bootcamp was conducted in 2022 during the September recess. The Bootcamps take place twice a year - in May to prepare students for the mid-year assessments and in September to prepare students for the year-end final assessment.

“The Bootcamp targets at-risk mathematics, physics and chemistry students identified by lecturers. The interest and requests from students to attend grew, however, due to funding we can only accommodate 50 students in May and 100 in September,” said George.

During the bootcamp students worked through the assessments of the first semester in discipline specific sessions. Lecturers, Jerome Tangkeh from Mathematics and Physics Department, Rhulani Saka from Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, tutors, and STEM Club members facilitated the bootcamp sessions. The bootcamp was well attended despite the short notice to students and the timing of the bootcamp (last week of lecturers). Over the two days 95% of the students attended. The difference in the results of the pre-diagnostic and post-diagnostic tests indicate a 5% improvement.

To quantitively determine the success of the bootcamp intervention for recording purposes, students write a pre-diagnostic test at the start of the bootcamp and a post-diagnostic test at the end of the Bootcamp. The facilitators also randomly interview students during the bootcamp to qualitatively determine the students' experiences of the different sessions. The facilitators also track the academic performance in the mid-year and year-end assessments of the students who attend. “These measures are important to indicate whether the bootcamp makes an impact in the academic performance of students who attend the bootcamps.”

Written by Aphiwe Boyce
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