CPUT’s new Centre for Communication Studies is hosting its first colloquium this week and the speakers include well-known author and scientist, Prof Tim Noakes.

The first session of the Thinking Communication, Change and the Visual Inter-University Colloquium took place on Tuesday and the event, which is being held on MS Teams, is scheduled to conclude on Friday (May 21).

“The colloquium is primarily centred around CPUT's Faculty of Informatics and Design, but there are presentations by participants from the University of the Western Cape’s IT department and the University of Cape Town’s Centre for Film and Media Studies, and the event is open for anyone to join,” said the Centre’s director, Assoc Prof Nic Theo.

“The main objectives are to inform researchers (staff and postdoctoral students) about the work going on in and beyond the university, to encourage researchers to collaborate, and to think about the ways in which their research contributes to the study of communication in cross-disciplinary and interdisciplinary ways."

The event covers three main themes: academic practice, communication for change and visual communication.

Noakes, an Adjunct Professor at CPUT, delivered the keynote address which centred around academic freedom.

Friday’s programme will include a roundtable discussion on what the documentary film, My Octopus Teacher, winning the Oscar (Academy Award) means for SA film.

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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The Institutional Language Unit at Fundani CHED recently celebrated International Translation Day to reinforce and recognise the imperative effort made by language experts of different languages in different organisations, private as well as government.

The event's purpose was to highlight the universities' ongoing work in promoting indigenous African languages through translation and interpretation services. It was also an opportunity to share insights and collaborate on how universities can further enhance these efforts to foster multilingualism in the Western Cape and beyond.

Various speakers on the platform elaborated on the importance of translations and their challenges. In his opening address, Dr Ignatius Ticha, Faculty of Applied Sciences Language Coordinator said: “Today, we celebrate not only the invaluable work of translators and interpreters worldwide but also the critical role that translation plays in promoting multilingualism and preserving the diverse linguistic heritage of our institutions.”

Ticha, a CPUT Language Group member, welcomed guests from the University of Cape Town (UCT), Stellenbosch University (SU), the University of the Western Cape (UWC), and the Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB)).

“Your presence here signals our shared commitment to advancing the use of indigenous African languages in higher education and society at large.

He commended PanSALB for always being at the forefront of the movement to promote and “preserve the richness of South Africa’s languages, particularly Indigenous African languages”.

Delegates from each institution present were given an opportunity to present the work done by their respective institutions to promote African languages through translation services, interpreting, and terminology development in fostering multilingualism.

Written by Aphiwe Boyce
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The Fundani Centre for Higher Education Development (CHED), led by Director, Dr Xena Cupido, successfully hosted the 12th Annual Research Innovation in Teaching and Learning (RITAL) Conference at the Cape Town Hotel School.

This event emerged as a vital platform for educators and researchers to share insights and propel the advancement of teaching practices. Dr Najwa Norodien-Fataar, the Research Coordinator at Fundani CHED and chair of the RITAL committee, announced that the conference was supported by the University Capacity Development Grant (UCDG).

“The RITAL Conference was a resounding success, featuring an impressive 36 presentations. This year, academics from the University of the Western Cape (UWC) and the University of Cape Town (UCT) actively contributed papers, significantly increasing conference registrations. The rise in postgraduate student participation provided an invaluable opportunity for CPUT's postgraduate students to showcase their research,” Norodien-Fataar stated.

The conference was structured around the theme: Innovative Pedagogies: Embracing Diversity and Technology for Student Success. Sessions tackled crucial topics such as Digital Literacy, Technological Integration, Language and Learning, Equity, Decolonization and Social Justice, Teacher Training and Professional Development, and Student Success and Retention. Keynote speaker Prof Joanne Hardman, a psychologist at the UCT School of Education and Deputy Director, delivered an impactful message on the necessity of cultivating meaningful pedagogy that encourages students to engage in metacognitive thinking about their acquired knowledge. “We must seriously reconsider our teaching model to ensure it acknowledges the socially embedded nature of teaching. Children do not leave their lives at the door; they bring their experiences with them,” Hardman asserted.

Hardman presented a compelling dialectical model of pedagogy that confronts the challenge of developing effective teaching approaches to foster metacognitive thinking and successful learning outcomes. Drawing on Marxian psychology, she highlighted how social beings shape consciousness, emphasizing that learning progresses from external (inter-psychological) interactions to internalized (intra-psychological) understanding. “This model integrates the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), where language mediates learning and is guided by a culturally competent individual, transitioning from abstract to concrete knowledge. Inspired by Hedegaard’s Radical-Local Pedagogy, we must connect general concepts with meaningful, situational problems to effectively engage students,” Hardman observed.

She emphasised that the model effectively fosters interactive learning and enhances critical reasoning through exploratory talk, highlighting the significance of this pedagogical approach for meaningful and collaborative experiences.

Norodien-Fataar further announced that Paradigms is moving forward with its application for accreditation with the Department of Higher Education and Training. This accreditation is contingent upon the journal's consistent publication for three consecutive years without interruption. “Achieving this significant milestone depends on the unwavering support and participation of our academic community,” she emphasised.

To ensure success, Norodien-Fataar called on the researchers, comprising over 70 academics from CPUT and UWC, to actively support this initiative by submitting their research articles to Paradigms. She reinforced that this journal is a peer-reviewed platform, guaranteeing that all contributions are meticulously evaluated for quality and academic integrity. “Additionally, Paradigms benefits from the insights of a professional editor, ensuring that your work is presented in the best possible manner,” she concluded.

Written by Aphiwe Boyce

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Delegates attending the Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Higher Education Dialogue called for action to tackle issues of GBV head-on.

Held on the Bellville Campus this week, the dialogue was organised by the Division of Student Affairs in partnership with the Institutional Transformation Unit in response to the recent spate of sexual assault, GBV and femicide incidents perpetrated against women in higher education institutions.

The dialogue was attended by student leaders and staff members of CPUT, the University of the Western Cape, Stellenbosch University and gender activists. Also in attendance were officials from the Department of Higher Education, Science and Technology as well as the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE).

Prem Coopoo, CPUT’s Dean of Students, said GBV was the new silent pandemic that required everyone to be activists in their homes. “The real solution to GBV lies with men, men should tell perpetrators that they will expose them,” said Coopoo.

She added that various forms of support should be given to victims of GBV and that the greatest travesty of justice is when anyone approaches victims of rape and GBV to withdraw charges against their perpetrators.

CPUT Central SRC President, Sipho Mokoena, lamented the fact no one speaks to the rapist but women are taught to avoid rape by wearing certain type of clothing and walking in certain places at certain times.

Sixolile Ngcobo, CGE’s Provincial Manager, said now was the time to take action and for individuals to realise that solutions to GBV begin with their actions and reactions.

Co-ordinator: Gender Non-Violence at Stellenbosch University, Thembelihle Bongwana, observed that women had once in their lives been forced to perform sexual favours for men in order to even enter the higher education space both for learning and accommodation purposes.

“In the context of our institutions of higher learning, it is quite imperative that we call for heightened oversight and review of existing policies, and disciplinary codes, and bridge the gap in much-needed policy reform through our Institutional Forums, and this can only happen if it is championed by chancellors, Rectorates, DVCs, Faculty Deans, Senior Management Teams and other Statutory Bodies.”

Dr Navindhra Naidoo, Emergency Medical Sciences senior lecturer at CPUT, asserted that hegemonic masculinity perpetuated the dominant social position of men and the subordinate social position of women

Written by Kwanele Butana
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CPUT together with the University of the Western Cape (UWC) will drive water research in the province.

The universities recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the Breede-Overberg Catchment Management Agency (BOCMA), which will see them collaborate on various water-related research projects.

This project is one of the most notable water research ventures to be undertaken in the Western Cape and has received support from Nuffic, a Netherlands-based organisation that supports international cooperation in higher education and research.

CPUT’s Prof Alvin Lagardien, who heads up the Centre of Water Research, says the agreement will drive collaboration in the areas of catchment studies, sanitation, water reuse technologies, water conservation and demand management.

The agreement will also see the institutions conduct water resource assessments and projects on water sustainability.

Chief Executive Officer of BOCMA, Phakamani Buthelezi, says they are pleased to team up with universities, who have the expertise to assist communities with the various challenges they are facing, such as water pollution.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research, Technology Innovation and Partnerships, Dr Chris Nhlapo, says universities must undertake research that can have a positive impact on communities. He urged that the research results be taken up and implemented by the parties involved.

Meanwhile, the Dean of Science at UWC, Prof Davies-Coleman says water research in South Africa is now in its third phase.

He says the focus has moved from how to contain water and conserve it, to how to care for water.

“I am so excited about this achievement because it shows that we are taking water seriously."

By Candes Keating

Written by CPUT News

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CPUT and the University of the Western Cape (UWC) will play a central role in research and training for Integrated Water Resource Management in South Africa.

With funding of 1.5 million Euros from Nuffic, a Netherlands initiative for capacity development in higher education, the institutions will work jointly on a water research and training project that will span over the next four years.

The announcement of the project, which took place at the Bellville Campus on 28 July 2010, was attended by delegates from government, Nuffic and the Netherlands Embassy in Pretoria.

Addressing delegates, Prof Lagardien, Director of the Centre of Water and Sanitation Research at CPUT and project leader said: “IWRM will become increasingly important in order to cope with the challenges of the water sector in South Africa.”

These challenges cover the entire water use cycle and range from inadequate planning for bulk water infrastructure to poor community participation in water planning and delivery.

Prof Lagardien, said: “This project will give practitioners a new set of IWRM skills required by the labour market and increase their career opportunities. In addition, it will help consolidate IWRM expertise focusing on equitable, efficient, effective and sustainable management of water resources, through CPUT and UWC.”

The project also supports the National Water Resources Strategy which calls for complimentary strategies in building capacity and expertise among practitioners in the water sector.

The project will identify niche areas and develop related IWRM training programmes at both institutions. It will also establish four IWRM related Niche

Areas with appropriate research and training agendas and infuse cross-cutting themes related to gender and institutional learning.

UWC Dean of Natural Sciences Prof Jan van Bever Donker said they are looking forward to working on the project with CPUT.

UWC has an established IWRM profile. Their experience, coupled with CPUT’S expertise in water engineering, will provide a foundation for both institutions to create IWRM capacity in South Africa.

Dr Chris Nhlapo, DVC Research, Technology and Innovation Partnerships said this project will add impetus to research activities at CPUT and assured Nuffic that the institutions will deliver on the key aspects of this initiative.

Rashid Khan, Chief Director of the Department of Water Affairs (Western Cape) gave the project his stamp of approval. Khan said it is vital that one of the outcomes of the project is skills development. Nokwanda Mpanza, Water Chamber coordinator of the ESETA noted the project’s potential to contribute to improved sector skills planning.

Dr Carin Vijfhuizen from Nuffic said they will monitor the project and are looking forward to positive results.

By Candes Keating

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To pave the way for the upcoming research collaboration between CPUT and the Breede Overberg Catchment Management Area (Bocma), the Centre for Water and Sanitation Research visited the area to assess its needs.

The centre’s head, Prof Alvin Lagardien, led a team of academics and post-graduate students from Dutch universities and the University of the Western Cape (UWC).

The centre and UWC’s Institute for Water Research are recognised Centers of Excellence, offering research and training programmes as well as consultancy and advisory services.     

PARTNERSHIP: Academics from CPUT, Dutch universities and UWC recently visited  De Mond Nature Reserve to assess the needs of the Breede-Overberg Catchment Management Area and to discuss forming partnerships.

The first stop was De Mond Nature Reserve in Bredasdorp, which is one of the most important estuaries in the country.

CapeNature Conservation Manager Clyde Lamberts told the team of researchers that salt water intrusion and illegal dumping are major threats to the reserve.

The team also toured Soetendal’s Vlei, where a lot of alien plants such as Spanish Reeds have invaded the catchment.

The trip ended with a visit to the Spanjaardskloof Water Treatment Plant, near Elim, where spring water is purified for household consumption. The raw spring water is used by the local small-scale farmers for irrigation purposes. 

Besides conducting research in the catchment, the centers will meet Bocma staff members’ needs for training and relevant instruments.

By Kwanele Butana

Written by CPUT News
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The City of Cape Town in partnership with three of the four universities operating under the banner of the Cape Higher Education Consortium (CHEC) recently held a workshop at CPUT with a view to exploring ways in which the partnership can deliver required skills for staff of the City of Cape Town.

The main objective was to come up with a regional Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) model as opposed to each institution using its own RPL process.

The workshop, held at the IT Centre on the Bellville Campus on 19 August 2009, served as a platform for constructive engagement with RPL practices related to the skills development and training needs of staff in the City of Cape Town.

Delegates from the City of Cape Town, CPUT, the University of Cape Town (UCT) and the University of the Western Cape (UWC) explored innovative RPL programmes and discussed proposals to enhance further provision of RPL services for eligible staff in future.

Nasima Badsha, CEO of CHEC, gave a brief background of the project. Alan Ralphs of UWC mentioned that universities have already taken certain steps. The workshop’s task was to widen the scope by talking about RPL and exchanging ideas about implementing the planned project.

Yolanda Scholtz, Strategic HR: Human Capital Development at the City of Cape Town, said the city had gone through a skills audit in which 90% of management staff participated and were assessed.

She said strengths, weaknesses and gaps to be filled were identified in the process and the role of RPL became clear. She also mentioned that there are people with certain skills who don’t have the qualifications in Accounting that government would need them to have by the year 2013. Staff at supervisory level were also neglected although this was “the most important level in getting the job done.”

Three universities made presentations in which they stated what they have done so far and what they intend doing in future.

At the end it was agreed that there was a need for collaborative planning and implementation of progra between the City of Cape Town and the three institutions. There was a common feeling that there needs to be a central advice and referral office to either be based at the CHEC or City Council’s offices. The office would also deal with program specific information, mentoring, support and tracking, and policy frameworks.

It was also agreed that an invitation be extended to the Office of the Premier (Provincial Government) to join in the project. A working committee of the participating institutions was to continue its work in the implementation of these resolutions.

By Thami Nkwanyane

Written by CPUT News
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For the first time in the Western Cape the Deans of Nursing Programmes at all four major universities will be joining forces for International Nurses Day.

Deans from University of the Western Cape, University of Cape Town, Stellenbosch University and CPUT Health and Sciences faculties will meet at CPUT’s Bellville Campus to address nurses from across the private and public sectors on May 12.

Nurses will network, reaffirm their pledge and light the lamp which symbolises their dedication to nursing, tell stories about their careers and be addressed by the ex-matron of a big city hospital.

International Nursing Day commemorates the birthday of one of the most famous nurses in history - Florence Nightingale.

CPUT’s Dr Hilda Vember says the theme is "Nurses - A force for change - A vital resource for health".

The collaborative effort is hopefully the first of many more events of this nature.

“We decided to collaborate as we are always talking about doing projects together, but up till now, we have not done so. We are so fortunate in the Western Cape that all four universities are in close proximity to each other, unlike our counterparts in the other provinces. So this will be a first, but hopefully it would be the beginning of collaboration amongst all four institutions,” says Vember.

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

FOUR CPUT staff members are celebrating an extra special International Nurses Day today after being inducted into the Honour Society of Nursing.

The four staff members - Dr Theresa Bock, Dr Anso Truter, Dr Evalina van Wijk and Chantal Settley- were among eight new members inducted into the Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI society during an event hosted by CPUT at the Bellville Campus.

Four staff members from the University of the Western Cape were also inducted.

STTI provides nurses with resources and opportunities to engage with other nursing leaders and develop their professional and leadership skills.

Membership is by invitation to baccalaureate and graduate nursing students who demonstrate excellence in scholarship and to mentor leaders exhibiting exceptional achievements in nursing.

The society has more than 135 000 members in more than 90 countries.

Settley, a nursing educator, said she was honoured to be one of the inductees.

“I see it as an opportunity for professional development and to learn and grow.”

The event also celebrated International Nurses Day, which is held on May 12 every year, and marks the contribution nurses make to society.

Professor Karien Jooste, Head of the Department of Nursing Science at CPUT, said the event showed how nursing colleagues at the Western Cape’s four major tertiary institutions were working together to the benefit of the nursing profession.

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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CPUT's Centre for International Teacher Education (CITE) recently hosted a Public-Private Schooling Symposium where academics debated their views on different schooling systems as well as the benefits and concerns of collaboration schooling.

CITE Director, Prof Yusuf Sayed, said the public-private schooling debate has thus far raised more heat than light and that he hoped the symposium will add light to the debate.

Sayed argued that the answer to the provision of quality education lies with the restructuring of public education.

Dr Christiaan van der Merwe, Chief Executive Officer of Curro Holding Ltd, said great leadership and management, ethos and partnerships as well as accountability and transparency are some of the characteristics of successful schools.

Van der Merwe said that over the last 20 years education has generally improved across all schools.

"Every school should allow a child to be what they want and what they can be," he added.

Dr David Harrison, head of the DG Murray Trust, said distribution of quality education in schools has not changed in the last 20 years.

Harrison added that system-wide improvement is not enough on its own as it widens disparities between successful and underperforming schools.

He called for the strengthening of the existing capacity of public schools and district leadership in underperforming schools.

"Place underperforming public schools under new management."

He also called for the introduction of low fee private schools.

*The following universities collaborated in the organization of the symposium: CPUT, University of Cape Town, University of the Western Cape, Rhodes University and Fort Hare University.

Written by Kwanele Butana
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Growing up in a village called kwaNgele near Middledrift, Eastern Cape, student counsellor, Phumla Baca, not only performed chores that are prescribed for girls only by society but also those prescribed for boys.

Baca recalls heading down to the woods to bring up the cattle and says that those duties, which include “ukolusa” (herding the cattle) have created a strong woman that can withstand whatever comes her way.  Baca, who has been part of the Student Counselling Unit since 2008, also uses the skills she learnt from growing up in the rural areas to support students at the Unit. “Growing up in the rural areas has shaped who I am today in terms of education and respect. At CPUT I assist [students] with financial and emotional issues, individual counselling, learner support and advocacy,” she explains.

After obtaining a BA (Social Work) in 1991 at the University of the Western Cape, Baca has been a social worker for three decades in various organisations, which include the East London Society for the Blind.  She later moved to Cape Town Civilian Blind where she was responsible mostly for blind people in township areas.

 “I managed to place many children that were not schooling due to the disability in schools for the blind in the Western Cape and outside the province. I also established a workshop for blind people at Khayelitsha.”

Baca later held numerous positions at the Western Cape Social Development Department which involved an after-hours service that was dealing with child protection in Khayelitsha.  She also worked at the Department of Community Safety, assisting communities to establish Community Police Forum. “Challenges in this position was that most of the time I was not at home and it mostly was after-hours work as community meetings were held after hours and weekends. Then I was already married with two children. I had to try and find a day job as I needed to be at home for one of my children who was born with health and intellectual challenges.”

She came to CPUT and her best moments at the university is when students that have been struggling with their studies financially and emotionally graduate.

“The excitement in their faces is priceless to me.”

To her, it feels great for being part of students’ emotional growth, every year she sees new faces and different needs of students and how they grow to become young adults at the university. “When they graduate it’s an accomplishment for me. Sometimes I go beyond the call of duty, I would dish for a student from my home and take food to the student even on weekends. I think that’s what made me not to know that I’ve been at CPUT for more than a decade now.”

When she started at CPUT she never thought that she would stay that long because she regarded herself as a community person. She concedes that the biggest challenge in helping students has been working remotely and not being able to have face to face sessions with students due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Baca would love to be involved in youth development issues especially when it comes to education. “I didn’t have much growing up as my late mother was a single mother with five children that were all studying.  So I have has noticed that some children want to study but there are so many obstacles that they come across.”

Written by Aphiwe Boyce
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Three dedicated nursing students from CPUT’s Western Cape College of Nursing (WCCN) are gaining valuable training and experience in Europe as part of a new international project.

CPUT has teamed up with three European universities of applied science and two South African research universities for the new project, which is focused on the fields of healthcare and welfare.

Called the Caring Society (CASO) 3.0 consortium, the six participating partners have received a grant of more than €800 000 from the European Union’s Erasmus+ Capacity Building in the field of Higher Education programme to help them achieve their goals.

CPUT’s WCCN and the institution’s Sport Management Department are participating in the project.

Three nursing students, Shihaam Barnes (Athlone campus), Molefi Dexter Shebi (Southern Cape campus) and Philicia Bloom (Worcester campus), recently departed for Europe, where they will visit Karel de Grote Hogeschool in Antwerp, Belgium and Avans University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands.

Lecturer Karien Orton said that among other things the students would attend an interprofessional workshop in Belgium and visit a number of healthcare institutions in the Netherlands and Belgium.

She said that to be selected they had to meet a series of criteria including strong leadership qualities and a good academic record.
Participation in the project allows CPUT and the WCCN to contribute to international knowledge development in healthcare and the community, as well as the internationalisation of students.

The higher education institutions participating in the programme will focus on three pillars, which include the Patient Partner Programme, the Health and Lifestyle Programme and the Care for the Caregiver Programme.

The participating universities are: CPUT, University of Cape Town, University of the Western Cape, Avans University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands, the Finnish Lahti University of Applied Sciences and Karel de Grote Hogeschool.

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Teaching and Learning, Prof Rishi Balkaran has been appointed as the new Chairperson of the Cape Higher Education Consortium (CHEC).

The Board of the CHEC operates under delegated authority from the Councils of the four institutions, CPUT, Stellenbosch University, the University of Cape Town and the University of the Western Cape.

The vision and mission of CHEC is to establish the Western Cape as a strong higher education region in a restructured national system which, through systemic inter-institutional co-operation and academic programme collaboration, will be:

• Distinctively responsive to regional, national and international developments in the knowledge economy of the 21st century.
• Sensitive to historical realities in promoting equity across its institutions.
• Cost-effective and of high quality.

Reflecting on his appointment, Balkaran says: “I am excited about my appointment and will ensure that I deliver to the mandate of CHEC.”

“I hope to continue with the sterling job of the previous chairperson, Prof [Nico] Koopman. As a collective, we have to deliver to vision and mandate. Certainly, we will be looking at the trends affecting Higher Education as well as working together in enhancing student success.

A lot of hard work, perseverance and being a team- player has taken Balkaran to where he is today. “I am always excited about [new] ideas and find ways to do things better. Keeping students and staff [is] at the centre of what we do is critical to me.  There is nothing more inspiring than seeing students succeed in their careers.”

Balkaran, who joined the CPUT in January 2019, has more than 20 years of experience in the Higher Education sector.

He says CPUT has benefitted tremendously from the CHEC initiatives and this benefit extends to its other University members. “We will continue with CHEC’s very successful staff development initiatives and other programmes from the previous years,” says Balkaran.

Written by Aphiwe Boyce
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The University of the Western Cape (UWC) Faculty of Education held a most productive face-to-face postgraduate student-focused workshop recently, where CPUT and the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) collaboratively dissected the topic for the day: Utilising Phenomenology as a Research Methodology in Education.

The workshop was attended by the seasoned phenomenological researchers, novice academics and postgraduate doctoral students from the three higher educational institutions in South Africa. At the robust postgraduate workshop led by Dr Karen Koopman, Senior Lecturer, Department of Educational Studies at UWC, two CPUT final-year doctoral students, Byron Abrahams and Clive Brown gave insight into their respective studies, which embraces a phenomenological research design.

Abrahams, Mathematics specialist in the Faculty of Education is supervised by Prof Yusuf Sayed and Dr Sharon McAuliffe at CPUT. He states: “In my doctoral study, I am using a Hermeneutic phenomenological research design to explore the role of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) in developing teachers’ competence in integrating technology into their practice and to understand better the provision of equitable and quality teaching and learning”.

Brown, Intermediate Phase Teaching Practice Coordinator and GET Advisory Board Secretary, is undertaking doctoral studies at UKZN and being supervised by Prof Sarasvathie Reddy within the School of Education. He states: “My research study proposes to understand a final group of Intermediate Phase student-teachers' lived experiences while completing Teaching Practicum in diverse South African schooling contexts”.

Both academics have collectively and most recently published an article within the African Perspectives of Research in Teaching & Learning (APORTAL) Vol 6 (3) (2022) Special Issue. The articles are titled:

• CPD and The Development of Teacher TPCK For Technology Integration: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study [Abrahams, McAuliffe & Sayed, 2022].
• Critical Reflections On Researching Lived and Learning Experiences: Towards A Critical Phenomenology [Samuel, Reddy & Brown, 2022].

All the articles in this special issue consist of teaching and learning studies in which the authors applied a phenomenological research design. https://www.ul.ac.za/aportal/index.php?Entity=Special%20Issue%202022

Koopman emphasised the importance and benefits of doctoral cohorts in higher education institutions and their relevance in supporting postgraduate students to succeed from start to finish. Brown also reiterated that in his view, the take-home message of the postgraduate workshop focusing on phenomenology illuminates the importance of ‘human experiences’ and quotes the sentiments of Higgs (1995) by stating, “The world is in us, and we are in the world”.

Written by CPUT News
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The Faculty of Health and Wellness Sciences’ Life Science Revision project is growing from strength to strength, with nearly 200 matrics from three high schools joining in a recent revision session at CPUT.

The project was launched in 2018 by the Department of Emergency Medical Sciences’ Prof Kareemah Najaar, to help more learners achieve the minimum requirements to qualify for programmes in the science field.

Matric learners and teachers from Lavender Hill High School, Wynberg High School and Langa High School visited the Bellville Campus for the first revision session of the year, with 43 tutors volunteering to assist the learners.

The tutors included staff and students from all seven departments in the Faculty: Emergency Medical Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, Wellness Sciences, Nursing, Medical Imaging and Therapeutic Sciences, Ophthalmic Sciences and Dental Sciences and, for the first time, tutors from the Department of Medical Biosciences at the University of the Western Cape (UWC).

“Over the years, since its inception in 2018, this community project has grown in numbers and evolved in design, efficiency and leadership. What started as a project with myself and 15 tutors and one department supporting one high school with Life Science revision, now has a pool of approximately 100 tutor volunteers from seven FHWS departments as well as volunteers from UWC who are supporting three high schools,” said Najaar.

“I am also now part of a powerful leadership team, with Dr Wendy Solomon and Ms Marnel Germishuys, who work tirelessly to ensure the efficient planning and execution of each revision session. We are very proud of what has been termed as a Faculty Flagship.”

In previous years, a school would serve as the venue for the revision session, but this year learners were welcomed on campus, where they received valuable exposure to the institution.

Plans to expand the project are in the pipeline.

“Before the end of 2024, we intend inviting two additional schools from disadvantaged backgrounds in the Paarl district. We also intend to invite the Medical Biosciences Department, UWC to officially partner with us and continue to increase the number of adopted high schools.”

Najaar said a fundamental component of the project’s success was to use the feedback from the teachers and learners and adapting operations and revision content to their needs.

“I do believe that we have created a tutoring model that is able to adapt to various scenarios, from serious events such as the COVID-19 pandemic (when technology is not available to the disadvantaged) to an unexpected significant decrease in tutor numbers. The ever-adapting model ensures that the matric learners are provided with quality revision sessions in preparation for their final exams.”

Langa High School teacher, Nandipha Mandongana, said the project afforded learners the opportunity to revise topics that they may otherwise not have time for.

“The exposure to CPUT also serves as a motivation. They know what is expected of them in terms of their results if they want to make it (to CPUT) next year.”

Najaar said that in 2021 a significant component was added to the community project, that seeks to empower the young women in matric.

“In support of the national Sanitary Dignity Programme, we provide feminine hygiene products to the female students, in the hopes of making a small difference to the quality of education for young women.”

She thanked all role-players who contributed to the project’s success.

“We would always first give thanks to our tutors who volunteer their time and create a welcoming environment for the matric learners, without whom this project would not be possible. A warm thank you to our colleagues from UWC, who volunteered their time and skills. A heartfelt thank you to our teachers who provide us with the opportunity and guidance during the planning and execution of the revision sessions. We are also in appreciation for the received support from the Dean’s office as well as the Centre for Community Engagement and Work Integrated Learning, Service-learning division.”

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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The excellent work produced by the Marketing and Communication Department (MCD) was recognised during the recent MACE Excellence Awards, where the department walked away with two prizes.

The MACE (Marketing, Advancement and Communication in Education) Excellence Awards takes place annually and celebrates excellence and the achievements of specialists and practitioners in marketing, advancement and communication in the higher education sector.

This year’s awards ceremony and annual MACE conference were hosted by the University of the Western Cape and 255 award entries were received from 17 institutions.

MCD won two bronze awards – the first was in the Campaigns category: stakeholder engagement campaigns for the Shero campaign, which ran on the university’s social media channels during Women’s Month and featured phenomenal female staff members at CPUT.

The second award, which was in the same category, was for the 2023 Vice-Chancellor’s State of the University address.

Cathy Cloete, who manages Public Relations and Events, said winning two excellence awards for these campaigns for CPUT was a significant achievement and a testament to the outstanding efforts and creativity of the individuals or team involved.

“Such recognition typically reflects a high standard of work, commitment to excellence and innovation in the field of marketing, communication, or related areas,” said Cloete, who submitted the entries.

She said receiving an excellence award acknowledges the successful execution of a well-planned strategy and the ability to effectively communicate and connect with the target audience.

Kurt Mitchell, who played an integral role in the Shero campaign and accepted the award on behalf of the department, said: “This was a collaboration between myself and Cathy Cloete, as well as the support from colleagues. I'm grateful for the opportunity and appreciate the recognition received from MACE."

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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A talented journalism student is proving to be a rising star in the industry, claiming a spot among the finalists of the prestigious Standard Bank Sikuvile Journalism Awards.

Advanced Diploma student Samane Junior Marks, and award-winning Daily Maverick journalist and CPUT alumna, Suné Payne, are finalists in the category Community Service Reporting.

They earned this recognition for their story: Divided and riven with discontent — a deep dive, which was published in the Daily Maverick last year.

Samane said he was humbled and grateful for the opportunities that have shaped his journey thus far. He graduated with his Journalism Diploma in April.

“My pursuit of knowledge and dedication is a testament of God’s grace.”

He acknowledged CPUT for playing a significant role in shaping his career and for the mentorship he received from academics in the Media Department.

“In academia, I was fortunate to have been mentored by two distinguished scholars who significantly shaped my character and approach to journalism. Dr Sisanda Nkoala, a published Media Studies Professor at the University of the Western Cape, formerly a Media and Design Lecturer, taught valuable practical skills that have been instrumental in my growth as a journalist. Her expertise and guidance have had a lasting impact on my professional growth.

“I also had the privilege of being taught by Dr Trust Matsilele, a renowned scholar and former politics lecturer, now a senior lecturer at Birmingham City University in the UK. He instilled in me an essential skill to navigate the industry, to have character and unwavering commitment to excellence.”

Payne, who hails from Delft, mentored Samane last year, and said it was an honour to be a finalist for such a prestigious award - “especially since it is with Samane, who is a promising journalist”.

She said she had originally wanted to study politics and saw that CPUT’s Journalism programme offered politics during the three-year programme.

“During my time studying, I was lucky enough to visit Parliament (which is down the street from our Roeland Campus building) and get an understanding of the world I was getting into. It was a great experience for me and CPUT’s Journalism Department was such a friendly and welcoming space for a budding journalist.”

She said her colleagues at the Daily Maverick have served as her mentors.

“Growing up, I used to love watching Special Assignment and Fokus - so I count incredible journalists such as Lynette Francis and Hazel Friedman as influences.”

Samane said his debut year in the industry was a hands-on, challenging experience “with an absolute drive for defending the truth”.

“I was working alongside, a talented team of seasoned journalists like Suné Payne, Velani Ludidi, Vincent Cruywagen, Caryn Dolley, and a driven editorial desk of Maverick News Department, led by the remarkable Janet Heard, who is passionate about telling impactful stories with substance. Those are industry influencers who continue to shine a light on my career. They played a significant role in shaping my career trajectory thus far. The entire Daily Maverick team has been helpful in refining my journalistic skills, fostering a keen news sense, and emphasising the importance of ethical reporting practices.“

While pursuing his advanced diploma at CPUT, Samane continues to work with Daily Maverick as a freelance court and crime reporter.

Apart from academics and his work schedule, he is passionate about football.

“I’ve had a remarkable run in the CPUT Res League, finishing third in the previous two seasons.”

The winners of the Standard Bank Sikuvile Awards will be announced on 20 July 2024.

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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A medical student who was displaced from her home country of Sudan was recently welcomed to CPUT, ahead of the Ubuntu 2024 Conference.

Sara Idrees, a fourth-year student at the University of Gezira, was on a two-week Student Network Organisation exchange and was hosted by the four local universities, CPUT, the University of the Western Cape (UWC), Stellenbosch University and the University of Cape Town.

The four institutions co-hosted the Ubuntu 2024 conference with the Western Cape Department of Health, Rural WONCA and The Network: Towards Unity for Health.

This year’s conference was hosted at UWC from 10 to 13 September and the theme was People, Place and Policy for Community Wellness.

During her stay at CPUT, Sara was hosted by the Faculty of Health and Wellness Sciences.

She said that after the conflict in Sudan she and her family were displaced and now live in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

“We are displaced in Riyadh for about seven months now. The first few months was a bit difficult and everything was new.”

Her university opened an external branch in Riyadh and other cities to facilitate the education process for students.

Sara said visiting CPUT “was a beautiful experience” in terms of education and culture.

Dr Lizel Hudson, Work-Integrated Learning and Language Coordinator in the Faculty of Health and Wellness Sciences, who hosted Sara, said they went to the small towns of Gouda, Saron and Porterville in the Boland, and the trip included visits to centres in Saron. They also went to the West Coast towns of Vredenburg, Saldanha Bay and Langebaan. Hudson said it was a “rich personal and professional experience, setting the scene for the conference with a very apt theme of People, Place, Policy and Community”.

Hudson said Sara was selected to spend time learning about rural and community health in South African communities, cultural norms and traditions, in addition to their local health systems, beliefs and habits.

She met with community members and patients from three organisations: Community home-based care and a soup kitchen facilitated by the non-profit organisation NorSA and a visit to the elderly at the Badisa, Percy Bilton Centre.

“The West Coast leg of the visit was to Siyabonga Care Village – an emotional trip where tears rolled freely from our eyes. Under the guidance and leadership of Ms Chrisna Du Plessis, this facility gives a whole new meaning to care.

“Documenting these activities in a linear manner seams easy and straightforward, yet the observations and emotions were difficult, uneasy and shook me to the core personally. The people we met, having to operate and deliver services in mostly difficult situations ‘underscored’ by often difficult to understand policies, are true angels!”

Written by Ilse Fredericks

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A passion for her work, combined with a desire to empower the next generation, has earned Prof Kareemah Najaar a finalist spot in the prestigious 2024 HERS-SA Higher Education Women Leaders Awards.

Najaar, a senior lecturer in the Department of Emergency Medical Sciences, is a top five finalist in the category Women in STEM.

She is the leader of a community project that supports matric Life Science learners from selected disadvantaged schools in preparation for their final exams.

The project has been running for six years and has become a Faculty of Health and Wellness Sciences service-learning project as well as an inter-institutional endeavour with the University of the Western Cape’s, Medical Biosciences Department.

“In addition, in the past three years we have included a project that supports the National Sanitary Dignity programme that is aimed at empowering women. The co-project leaders are both professional women at CPUT and creating opportunities for the development of women in Higher Education is part of what I am being recognised for too,” said Najaar.

She said her heart skipped a beat upon learning that she was one of the finalists.

“Being acknowledged on this level is very humbling and leaves me emotional because it’s a reflection of my passion and my dreams for STEM in South Africa. It shows that the selection committee understands and appreciates the critical role that higher institutions play in driving and supporting STEM in the community, particularly at disadvantaged high schools.”

Her passion for science started at a young age.

“I have always been drawn to science and was very fascinated by the functioning of the human body and the mechanisms that make it possible. To be honest, I always knew I wanted to pursue this path and am grateful for the opportunities that I was granted to achieve my goals. The discovery that teaching is my passion was a bonus to an already gratifying path. I could not have wished for a better combination!”

She enjoys witnessing the application of theoretical knowledge by her students, whether at undergraduate or postgraduate level.

“In other words, when theory is translated into practice, to improve the quality of human life. Watching my students grow and develop into self-sufficient and kind human beings and then being humbled by their unselfish natures when they volunteer and pay it forward to their communities, this is what makes my work very enjoyable.”

Her advice to young women hoping to pursue a career in STEM is: “If you feel it calling to you, pursue it! South Africa needs more women to join in the STEM field. It is one of the few disciplines that has significant potential to drive our country’s economy. Our country’s future literally depends on supporting and driving campaigns that encourage young women and girls to achieve their dreams of becoming successful within the STEM field.

The Awards Gala Dinner will be held at the Two Oceans Aquarium on 29 August.

Written by Ilse Fredericks

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