The Strategic Initiatives and Partnership (SIP) Directorate recently hosted Hochschule München University of Applied Sciences who has an existing collaboration with the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences (FBMS).

The aim was to touch base with FBMS and to expand the collaboration to other faculties.

“In this regard, the SIP Office was contacted to engage in discussions as to how we can expand on the partnership, in particular there was interest with the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment (FEBE),” said Dr Tasmeera Singh, Manager: International Relations SIP.

The CPUT delegation included SIP director, Prof Judy Peter, Prof Veruscha Fester: Assistant Dean: Research, Technology, Innovation & Partnerships (FEBE), Dr Fareed Ismail: Senior Lecturer/Researcher of FEBE and Xolelwa Bashala: Office Administrator of Strategic Initiatives and Partnership meanwhile Hochschule München University of Applied Sciences was represented by Veronika Wäninger: Non-EU Mobility of Stabsabteilung International Office.

Peter extended a warm welcome to everyone present in the meeting. Fester conducted a presentation about the FEBE which included the CPUT structure and background:

• FEBE structure and governance
• CPUT V2030 Focus areas applicable to FEBE
• FEBE Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes
• Faculty research focus areas
• FEBE Flagship projects

Peter conducted a short presentation about the Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships:

• The CPUT Smart Focus Areas
• SIP Internationalisation role
• Facilitate student leadership and agency
• CPUT active partnerships (Erasmus+, African and International)
• International Education Forum

Singh said the meeting was “very good” as there is great potential for expanding the collaboration constructively.

There were also discussions on potential collaborations around engineering management, staff exchange for Nano and 3D printing fields of research. Singh added that the “successful meeting was a starting point for further engagement with different faculties across CPUT”.

Written by Aphiwe Boyce
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Staff, students and international visitors recently celebrated the launch of CPUT’s first Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) Venue. 

The modern facility is based in the Engineering Building on the District Six campus and was made possible through the IMPALA project. 

Jon Rubin, who developed the COIL concept, said it is “a way to connect the students in your classroom to the world.”

“It’s an opportunity for your courses to be enhanced through the input of others and for you to contribute to the teaching and learning in other countries.”

Education students and lecturers Felicity Titus and Vanessa van Staden, who were involved in the COIL pilot project between CPUT and the University College of Leuven-Limburg, were given the opportunity to share their experiences.
Four lecturers and 100 students from the two institutions were involved in the project and according to the CPUT lecturers it helped to “broaden the perceptions and worldview of our students”.

The University of Antwerp’s Piet Van Hove, who is the IMPALA coordinator, said the project tries to bring together expertise and experience from the different partners in Europe and South Africa to advance internationalisation in higher education.

The project provided the funding for the video conferencing equipment in the new venue, which will support the COIL methodology.

Prof René Pellissier, Director of Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships, said One Smart CPUT focuses on the two dimensions of human-centricity and “technology-enabledness” in order to provide a relevant and excellent higher education to our students.

She said COIL is not only about the technology, “it is about a new mind-set of learning in an expanded space where the learning can take place naturally and solutions-oriented, bringing internationalisation to the classroom”.

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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