The world renowned Golden Key International Honour Society is due to be launched at CPUT in the third quarter of 2009.
The CPUT chapter will acknowledge and reward academic excellence among the top 15%of the university’s BTech and postgraduate students.

Golden Key, founded in the USA over 30 years, is one of the world’s largest academic honour societies. CPUT is the country’s first University of Technology to join this prestigious group.

Membership of the Society is by invitation only. The Society includes students in all fields of study and is based solely on an objective evaluation of the students’ academic achievements, with the primary goal being to enable members to realise their potential. The initiative is being co-ordinated by Transformation Manager Sam Henkeman and Alumni Officer Nandipha Madadasana, who will act as the University’s Golden Key chapter advisors.

In preparation for the launch, a preliminary information session was held on Cape Town Campus on 26 May 2009 in order to inform shortlisted students about the benefits of accepting the invitation to the Society.

After being welcomed by Madadasana, the students were addressed by Golden Key South Africa’s Johannesburg-based Director Charlene Günter, who explained the purpose of the Society and answered student questions. Henkeman closed the session and the Dean of Students gave thanks to those who had attended.

The Golden Key initiative forms part of a bigger student driven project being developed, which is aimed at creating a sense of belonging, unity and developing a common identity among members of the CPUT community.

To date, the Golden Key Society has over 370 chapters at colleges and universities in seven countries including the USA, South Africa, Australia, Canada, Malaysia, New Zealand and United Arab Emirates.

In South Africa there are chapters at the University of Cape Town , Stellenbosch University , University of the Free-State, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University , Rhodes University , University of Pretoria , University of Johannesburg and the University of the Witwatersrand .

Governed by an international Board of Directors, the Society offers more than $500,000 annually in scholarships and awards to its members, along with a variety of other opportunities, both in the academic and career fields.

A number of Golden Key chapters are involved in a wide variety of volunteer projects in their local communities such as Habitat for Humanity, Terry Fox Run, Make a Difference Day and various literacy service opportunities.

The Society’s membership stretches beyond academic recognition. Some of the offered benefits include graduate career assistance, scholarships, an online career centre, as well as leadership, community service and networking opportunities.

Golden Key South Africa is also an institutional member of the International Education Association of South Africa (IEASA) and an affiliate member of the South African Graduate Recruiters Association (SAGRA).

By Thando J. Moiloa

Photo: Attending the Golden Key preliminary information session, along with the shortlisted student achievers, were (third from left to sixth from left) Alumni Officer Nandipha Madadasana, Transformation Manager Samuel Henkeman, Charlene Günter of the Golden Key International Honour Society and Dean of Students Cora Njoli-Motale.

Written by CPUT News
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CPUT recently hosted the first South African Symposium on Metal Casting Technology.

The event, which took place at the Bellville Campus was organised by the Faculty of Engineering in cooperation with the University of Johannesburg and the South African Institute of Foundrymen.

The symposium provided a platform for researchers in the field of metal casting technology to share their research and technology and develop networks towards potential research and development partnerships.

This event was addressed by keynote speakers from partner universities based in Germany and Poland.

Members of the National Foundry Technology Network and the Technology Localisation Implementation Unit of the Department of Science and Technology based at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research also attended the event.

 Dr Nawaz Mahomed, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, who was one of the speakers, stressed the importance of university-industry research partnerships in driving innovation and competing globally in the field of metal casting and other foundry-related applications.

Mahomed, who also leads the Foundry Technology Programme at CPUT, indicated that the development of a new generation of foundry engineers is crucial in realising the localisation of manufacture, especially on large capital expansion projects such as the rail transport and nuclear build programmes.

Five postgraduate students from CPUT also presented papers at the symposium.

Written by CPUT News
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Student transitions to and within university were recently unpacked at the annual Extended Curriculum Programme (ECP) Symposium hosted by CPUT.

The Regional ECP Symposium held on the Bellville Campus was themed, “Responsive and inclusive curricula and pedagogic practice in ECP: Understanding transitions to and within university”.

The ECP provides students with extra time as they are allowed an additional year in which to complete their studies.

Delivering the keynote address, UCT’s Dr Bongi Bangeni and Prof Rochelle Kapp said their study revealed that as students from disadvantaged backgrounds transitioned into university they have to negotiate their learning and identity.

“The data illustrate the ways in which student learning is often impeded by the limitations on choices within degree structures,” says Kapp.

Also shown was how decisions made at high school level continue to impact students’ pathways on entry, at senior levels and even after the successful completion of the first degree.

Their study recommended that understanding schooling and its impact on students’ experiences within university as well as turning classrooms into spaces for active engagement may improve student success.

Besides attracting delegates from the four universities in the region, the symposium was also attended by academics from the Unisa, the University of Johannesburg and Wits.

Welcoming the delegates to CPUT, Prof Anthony Staak, DVC: Academic, said dysfunctional schooling yields students who are under-prepared for university education.

“Accept under-preparedness and adjust the curriculum accordingly,” advises Staak.

Written by Kwanele Butana
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