A case study on the Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) project at CPUT has been selected for publication in a respected guide.

Collaborative online international learning as a timely equity-sensitive strategy of higher education internationalisation@home in post-pandemic times: a case study from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, South Africa, was submitted to the SDSN (Sustainable Development Solutions Network)  for the guide on “Accelerating Education for the SDGs in Universities” and has been selected for inclusion from a large number of submissions from around the world. 

According to the guide’s editorial team, the guide has become the most visited resource on the SDSN website “and the case study website also has achieved high visibility, becoming a very useful resource for educators from every continent. The case study will also be showcased on the website.  

 CPUT’s COIL facility was opened at the end of 2018 on the District Six campus

The CPUT submission describes the project as going “well beyond infrastructure in as much as it actually creates a new mindset of expanded and solutions-oriented learning”.

“Accordingly, it prepares students for collaborative and project-based learning with an interdisciplinary focus, which goes along with the 4IR, in order to deal with and act in an increasingly complex and globalised environment. To sum up, the CPUT COIL project is an excellent example of an activity within “internationalisation@home>;”, which becomes ever more important in 2021 where the pandemic continues to impact higher education institutions worldwide.” 

“The roll-out of COIL projects is aligned with CPUT’s strategic 2030 vision. The office of Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships (SIP) will facilitate new COIL projects in its mission to increase internationalisation activities at home,” said Prof Judy Peter, Director: Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships.

After the current process of institutional roll-out across the faculties and units, the initiative will be upscaled to other institutions in the region and prospectively beyond.

Written by Ilse Fredericks
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

CPUT recently became the newest member of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) South Africa.

The SDSN promotes integrated approaches to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, through education, research, policy analysis and global cooperation.

It has over 1 800 members in 53 networks across 146 countries.

Dr Yolande Steenkamp, Network Manager: SDSN South Africa, said that for institutions like CPUT, the benefits of entering this international network - the largest of its kind globally - are enormous.

“Not only could they become involved in some of the global or national workstreams, they could also create workstreams based on their own strengths,” she said.

The institution hopes to contribute to the network through transdisciplinary research projects, activities and initiatives.

CPUT’s Vision 2030 is geared towards building One Smart CPUT. Its development was influenced by the hype of introducing the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Artificial Intelligence and the explosion of education and technological developments while also taking into consideration the National Development Plan and the United Nations SDGs.

“The SDSN will help strengthen collaborations, research and postgraduate training, funding opportunities, staff and student training, student exchange, information, knowledge and data sharing and networking,” said Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Technology Innovation and Partnerships, Dr David Phaho.

Last month, CPUT participated in the SDSN South Africa Coffee Chat and had the opportunity to present some of the initiatives that address the SDGs.

Written by Ilse Fredericks
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.