The Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), National Research Foundation (NRF), South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI) and Centres of Excellence (CoEs) hosted a two-day Strategic Institutional Engagement at Bellville campus recently.

The purpose of the engagement was to reflect on CPUT’s Research Strategy and current implementation alignment to the Decadal Plan with a particular focus on areas of advanced readiness, areas of envisaged future readiness as well as Human Capacity Development and other potential opportunities over the next five to 10 years. “And an indication of the envisaged support required,” says Dr Elma Maleka, Manager Research Uptake: Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships.

The NRF/DSI meeting came about at the right time for CPUT, says Prof Dina Burger, Director of the Research Development Directorate. “It gave us a comprehensive understanding of the respective funding streams and opportunities available, and it also provided insight in the reporting requirements.”

There were three presentations on the first day:

• Department of Science and Innovation presented on Overview of Decadal Plan, priorities, status of implementation with a view to extrapolate areas of interest and opportunities for Historically Disadvantaged Institutions (HDIs)."
• National Research Foundation presented on Overview of the NRF's Vision 2030, Strategy 2025 and its Strategic Investments and in particular SARChI and CoEs.
• Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Technology,
  Innovation and Partnerships, Dr David Phaho did a presentation on CPUT opportunities to expand Research and Innovation Agenda in line with national and global imperatives such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the National Development Plan.

“There are several opportunities at CPUT and some of our existing or proposed centres and institutes could benefit from this external funding in areas such as Agri-Food, Biotechnology, and Teacher Education,” Phaho said.

He also highlighted CPUT’s readiness to host any of the new NRF Research Chairs in areas where “we already have expertise, such as Biotechnology, Food Security, and Energy”. “We also seeded the idea of a School of Veterinary Science at CPUT to support the farming sector in the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, and Northern Cape seeing that we only have one school in the country at the University of Pretoria.”

Day one concluded with discussions on potential collaboration and support from the DSI, NRF and others. On day two, the NRF provided insight on the SARChI and CoE Governance. Burger and Research Chairs: Prof Glenda Davison, Prof Bongani Ncube, and Prof Zayd Waghid presented their research activities. The discussions included challenges regarding research office chair implementation and the solutions were provided.

“During this important meeting we had the opportunity by our DVC; RTIP to make a presentation on our Vision 2030 and the role that his portfolio will be playing in the implementation of the vision, the NDP and Sustainable Development Goals of Africa. We could articulate our specific needs to the delegation for ongoing and future support. It was an opportune time for CPUT to understand how to strategically further position our research entities and research chairs to align with the funding support available from the DSI/NRF,” Burger observes. She says the well-organised meeting did provide a springboard for “us to carefully craft the next steps in advancing our relationships with these two important stakeholders and to take hands to further support key initiatives that align well with those of these institutions”.

Phaho adds: “My overall impression about the engagement is that it was fruitful and productive and both the NRF and DSI have a deeper appreciation of the significant role CPUT as a UoT [University of Technology] can play in our national system of Innovation.”

Written by Aphiwe Boyce

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CPUT has beaten competition from hundreds of applicants to participate in the revered South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChi).

An initiative of the Department of Science and Technology, CPUT has been given the go-ahead to set up Research Chairs in the areas of Teacher Education and in Innovative Small Satellite Technology and Applications for Africa.

The Chairs aim to develop world-class experts in specific research areas who can contribute to the overall development of South Africa. 

Coordinated by the National Research Foundation (NRF) the Chairs are sought after in the higher education landscape as they provide universities with much-needed funds to achieve their research and developmental goals.

Combined the Chairs awarded to CPUT are worth R5 million.

Dean of Education, Maureen Robinson, says the Chair in Teacher Education will impact research activities in the Faculty.

“This will enhance the status of teacher education as a field of study in its own right, extend national and international links, and deepen our knowledge about the topic. In the longer term, one would hope that this would contribute to improving the quality of teaching in South Africa,” she says.

SCIENCE: One of the research chairs will focus on small satellite development.

Meanwhile, Director of F’SATI, Prof Robert van Zyl, says the Chair in Innovative Small Satellite Technology and Applications for Africa, will allow them to expand on their current research and innovation activities,

“It also provides us with the necessary long-term sustainability to plan strategically for the future.  The sky is truly not the limit for our Programme,” he says.

Deputy-Vice Chancellor Research, Technology, Innovation and Partnerships, Dr Chris Nhlapo described the awarding of the Chairs as a milestone for CPUT.

He said it will ensure that the University becomes a research intensive institution and makes a meaningful impact in the regional system of innovation.

By Candes Keating

Written by CPUT News
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The Centre for International Teacher Education (CITE) recently hosted the Symposium on Teaching for Social Justice: 2023 at Cape Town Hotel School, Granger Bay Campus.

The Symposium’s theme was: In Pursuit of Equity: Disrupting Social Injustice in Higher Education in South Africa in a Post-COVID Era. CITE Director, Prof Zayd Waghid said the symposium was aimed to facilitate the discussion of ideas and perspectives that can transform and re-evaluate the prevailing discourses concerning social justice within education. “It presented a valuable opportunity to engage in innovative discourse, derive fresh insights, and establish collaborative networks,” observed Waghid. The symposium was established in 2023 under the leadership of Waghid, the current interim South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI) Chair. It is envisaged that the symposium will be held annually at CPUT.

In his opening address, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor in Research, Technology, Innovation and Partnerships, Dr David Phaho revealed that earlier this year, the CPUT Council approved the business plan to turn CITE from a Centre to an Institute henceforth to be called The Global Institute for Teacher Education and Society (GITES). The new entity is envisaged to focus on multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary research and innovation. “It would be the first of its kind in Southern Africa and aims to generate knowledge in the social sciences with a particular focus on building and promoting scholars and scholarship in the Global South.

“I do not doubt that the newly established institutes will continue to build on the exemplary legacy of CITE and continue to host these types of critical engagements albeit under a different name and a much broader academic agenda,” Phaho remarked.

He added that the drive for access to higher education for all deserving students is topical in South Africa and “beyond our borders”. “If there is one thing the COVID-19 has exposed, is the gross inequalities which not only exist between the Global South and Global North in terms of access to life-saving vaccines and other interventions.”

Prof Kirti Meno from University of Johannesburg provided a presentation on: Pedagogical Continuities in Teaching and Learning in a ‘supercomplex’ higher education system. Meno said demands on higher education in South Africa have resulted in universities having to respond to the multiplicity of needs of the new South Africa while still grappling with the constraints of the apartheid regime.

University of Cape Town Professor, Joanne Hardman’s presentation was on: A Vygotskian approach to decolonial pedagogy: Back to the future. Virtually, Prof Yusuf Sayed from Cambridge University, provided a presentation on: Crises, Education Policy and Teacher Education: Towards a social justice agenda. The symposium was supported financially by the South African National Research Foundation, and it successfully offered critical insights pertaining to policy and practice that included critical perspectives from both the plenary speakers and the audience. “The diverse audience, including academics across various faculties, undergraduate and postgraduate students and certain department officials in the Western Cape government, can further be attributed to the symposium's success,” said Waghid.

Furthermore, Waghid said a significant highlight of the event was the discussion by Phaho concerning the CITE, which would transition into a new entity called the GITES and would house three Chairs, namely the SARChI Chair, and two CPUT funded Chairs. “This is a significant aspect for the university as it corroborates its commitment to further advancing research capacity and output in international teacher education.”

Written by Aphiwe Boyce

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