The director of Strategy and Internationalisation, Prof René Pellissier, is optimistic about the success of the redesigned Research Focus Areas (RFAs) which were recently approved by the Senate.

The redesign process was conducted to ensure their relevance to identified elements of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Chapters in the National Development Plan (NDP) 2030.

“Thus ensuring national and international competitiveness across all RFAs,” says Hunadi Mokgalaka, Manager of Research Uptake: Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships. Mokgalaka states that the revised and redesigned six RFAs have served at SRIC, ISPC, and finally approved by the Senate. The RFAs now are:

• Research Focus Area 1: Bio-economy and Biotechnology
• Research Focus Area 2: Space Science, Engineering and Technology
• Research Focus Area 3: Smart Energy
• Research Focus Area 4: The Environment, Climate Change, and Sustainability
• Research Focus Area 5: Human, Health and Social Dynamics
• Research Focus Area 6: The Digital Society

These RFAs form part of the Smart Research, Technology Innovation, and Partnerships; one of the strategic focus areas of the ONE Smart CPUT Strategy expressed through Focus Area 3: Enable Smart RTIP relevant, equitable, and excellent transdisciplinary knowledge production. Pellissier stresses that the RFAs give a voice to, ‘our transdisciplinary knowledge production’. “It dedicates our research to areas that matter and supports the CPUT micro and macro community with research outcomes that are valuable and marketable.”

Pellissier says the process brought together senior members across the CPUT research portfolio to interrogate trends in the external environment with a focus on the development of a future-orientation of the RTI portfolio.”

She says that, through the RFAs, the convergence of knowledge production to specific thematic areas allows for CPUT to dedicate its resources and skills base to specific areas and thus creates a competitive base and skills set in areas of national and international concern.

Pellissier says the RFAs provide the high-level thematic areas that researchers engage in and that in the case of CPUT include knowledge production, provide sufficient scope for innovation and commercialisation.  “In response to CPUT’s relevance and excellence as a University of Technology, these thematic areas should consider the important aspects of South Africa’s strategic agenda as encapsulated by the NDP as well as global goals encapsulated by the SDGs,” she remarks.

She says there is no denying the Fourth Industrial Revolution disruptions and the evolution of technology that, in the case of a University of Technology, ‘provide the cornerstone of our existence and lead our competitive edge’.

“There is no doubt in my mind that the CPUT of the future will look back at this first step on the journey towards ‘One Smart CPUT’ and recognise the value in the design of these themes and the subjoined research niche areas created, to set us apart and build a smart CPUT,” Pellissier says.

“It may look like a small step, but it’s a big step towards our new future.”

For more information go to https://www.cput.ac.za/research-technology-and-innovation/research-focus-areas

Written by Aphiwe Boyce
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Vice-Chancellor Prof Chris Nhlapo has been appointed to the Human Resource Development Council (HRDC) of South Africa for a second term.

The HRDC is a national advisory body led by the Deputy President of South Africa, David Mabuza, and is managed by the Department of Higher Education and Training.

It is comprised of a collective of government, civil society stakeholders, business and higher education leaders who will pool their considerable expertise to improve the country’s economic growth and development. Members are appointed on a five-year term and become partners in brainstorming and addressing ways of relieving bottlenecks in the development of human resource skills in SA.

Nhlapo says his nomination and subsequent appointment recognise the key role that CPUT plays in the National Development Plan and producing graduates who align to South Africa’s fourth industrial revolution ambitions.

“I have been involved in the Human Resource Development Council since my days at the National Research Foundation, where we drove a myriad of capacity building projects. This continued when I became the Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Technology Innovation and Partnerships. I see this appointment as a continuation of the mandate to skill South Africa for the 21st century,” he says.

“Rubbing shoulders with like-minded peers will also assist me in achieving some of the lofty targets we have set ourselves as an institution in terms of strategies and tactics.”

Written by Lauren Kansley
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Liaises with the media and writes press releases about interesting developments at CPUT.

CPUT recently hosted the 2^nd International Conference of the Leadership & Management in Projects Driven Industries in South Africa (Lamipisa) at the Cape Town Campus.

Some of the topics discussed by academics included the management of mega projects focusing on social development such as South Africa’s National Development Plan, non-governmental development organizations, community participation and entrepreneurship.

The four-day conference was organized by the Department of Management and Project Management and saw scores of academics in management and leadership presenting research papers.

Addressing the conference CPUT Vice-chancellor, Dr Prins Nevhutalu, encouraged the delegates to invite industry role players to their future conferences in order to become more attuned to world trends adding that as a career-focused institution, CPUT should continuously build rapport with industry leaders.

He emphasized the importance of research outputs stressing that the conference resonated with the university’s goal of becoming a great university.

“Research is fundamental to our journey towards greatness,” he said.

About 50 papers was presented by academics from Germany, India, Uganda, Nigeria, Zimbabwe as well as various parts of South Africa.

Written by Kwanele Butana
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