CPUT is significantly contributing to the fight against youth unemployment by allocating more than R1.7 million each month to assist students and recent graduates who are participating in Work Integrated Learning (WIL) and internship programmes.

More than 1 400 students and interns receive monthly stipends of R2 000 to R5 500 directly in their bank accounts. This financial support, provided by generous CPUT donors and state-owned enterprises, helps cover essential living costs like transport and meals, enabling them to participate fully in industry placements away from home.

“We can report that 64% of the beneficiaries are female students,” says Calvin Maseko, Director of the Advancement Department. “This is an encouraging step in advancing the country’s transformation agenda. We’re extremely grateful to our donor partners who are making this possible.”

In a country where youth unemployment exceeds 43%, work-based learning (WIL) is essential. According to Stats SA, students who complete WIL or internships are more likely to secure employment quickly, as these programmes help connect academic knowledge with real-world job market demands.

“We see these stipends as enabling more than just transport or meals; they are unlocking access to opportunity,” adds Maseko.

He says that this initiative contributes directly to South Africa’s National Development Plan (NDP) by promoting youth employment and skills development and it also aligns with CPUT’s Vision 2030, which aims to produce socially responsive graduates equipped to thrive in a changing world.

“As a university, we’re committed to removing the financial barriers that prevent students from completing their work placements,” says Prof Driekie Hay-Swemmer, Executive Director: Office of the Vice-Chancellor. “That’s essential for transformation and national growth.”

In July 2024, CPUT launched a cloud-based system to manage and track stipend recipients. This system helps prevent duplicate applications, enhances auditing and reporting, and strengthens overall project management.

“We’re rolling out this system across all WIL and internship projects at CPUT,” explains Maseko. “It ensures every beneficiary is recorded, allowing for better transparency and impact measurement.

“For those students placed within the university and paid through our payroll system, we have been prefunding stipends while waiting for donor payments,” says Hay-Swemmer. “This ensures students can continue their placements without interruption, which is critical for their learning and career readiness.”

She also extended heartfelt appreciation to students who have shown patience during delays and encouraged donors to strengthen their disbursement processes.

CPUT’s stipend programme is not just about financial assistance; it is about creating a pipeline of skilled, employable graduates who are ready to contribute to the economy and society. “With our donors’ support and our students’ resilience, we are investing in a transformed, capable South Africa,” Hay-Swemmer remarks.

Written by CPUT News
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The Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment (FEBE) proudly launched an inspiring interdisciplinary project-based learning initiative, Engineers for Development, Growth and Enterprise (EDGE), in collaboration with Engineers Without Borders (EWB) South Africa, at the Bellville Campus recently.

A-Prof Bronwyn Swartz, a member of the team behind the EDGE programme, explained that the event aimed to launch a structured initiative for unplaced Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) students. The EDGE programme, conceived by Prof Suresh Ramsuroop, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment, was praised for its innovative approach. Prof Ramsuroop welcomed guests and industry partners from various engineering fields.

The transdisciplinary engineering EDGE programme team includes Swartz, Patricia Overmeyer, Ambrence Fisher, Walter Kohlhofer, Luvuyo Kakaza, Nina Drotskie, Dominic Preuss, Pitso Tebele, Zimisele Mlumiso, Dr Ashleen Marshall, Dr Tafirenyika Nyamayaro Madzimbamuto, and Dr Maphole Loke.

Keynote speakers included Brian Mlamba from Startup Grind in Cape Town, who inspired students to pursue entrepreneurship, and Dr. Anthony Obilana from the Department of Food Science and Technology, who discussed food safety in informal settlements and transdisciplinary work.

Robyn Clark and Linae Baron from Engineers Without Borders led an afternoon workshop, where a student suggested the name Engineers for Development, Growth and Enterprise (EDGE) and won a hoodie in a naming competition. “It’s the first time we’ve done such a programme. I believe that we’re on the cutting edge of transdisciplinary engineering education, and I am thrilled that we can give our students this experience,” Swartz observed.

She said they are making project-based learning opportunities available for about 300 final-year students who could not get WIL placements, “so essentially, our focus is the Dunoon Township, and we’ve partnered with EWB and the Innovative Engineering Curricula (IEC) team to help us”. “EWB set up a website for us, and the IEC partners provided some of the content.”

CPUT is one of three pilot institutions that will be working on the Dunoon Challenge this semester. The other two universities are the University of Cape Town and the University of Pretoria.

“At CPUT, we’re putting students in multidisciplinary groups (for example, one Mechanical Engineering, with a Mechatronics Engineering student, with a Civil Engineering student, with a Construction Management student, with Department of Informatics and Systems Engineering student, with Nea Clothing and Textile Technology student and taking them through this six-month programme – consisting of five modules. Module 1 = SDGs; Module 2 = Design Thinking; Module 3 = Entrepreneurship; Module 4 = Prototyping and Module 5 = Pitch Development.”

Swartz mentioned that they partnered with industry to mentor student groups, each assigned an external industry mentor and an internal academic mentor. These groups will develop sustainable solutions for the Dunoon community, with the entrepreneurship module potentially leading to scalable business ideas. This initiative encourages collaboration across engineering disciplines to address community problems, aligning with ECSA standards GA7 (Engineering and Society), GA8 (Group Work), and GA3 (Design Thinking).

She said: “A success will be if the students develop amazing products or services for the Dunoon community and/or become entrepreneurs at the same time. We want the students to learn, but learning doesn’t need to be boring! And at the same time, they can develop amazing graduate attributes.”

Swartz continued: “At the same time, it’s worth noting that we’re a team of academic staff developing the programme and being mentors to the students. Team members will partner up to develop and deliver the main modules. At the end of the module, each student group will present at a Dragon’s Den type of event – and get feedback from a panel made up of academics and industry people.”

Some of the internal mentors include Dr Blessed Sarema, Dr Lucrecia Valentine, Dr Debbie de Jager, Dr Joe John, Ayesha Reiners, Naasirah Mohamad, Phouzaan Siebritz and Tshephisho Selatole. “It’s a real team effort”. Since the launch, the students have recently held their first Dragon’s Den event, and it was a success. At the end of each module, students must present their work to a panel. Four parallel panels, each comprising 5–6 academics and 3–4 industry professionals, who evaluated the student projects. Students received immediate feedback from the panel after their presentations.

The student groups were given time slots to present the ideas they had been developing over the past month.

Written by Aphiwe Boyce
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Students from the IT, Accounting, Internal Auditing, and Marketing Departments have received a major boost following a generous million-Rand donation by the BANKSETA.

The CPUT/ BANKSETA Work Integrated Learning (WIL) Initiative aims to bolster the university’s commitment to give students the hands-on, practical skills needed to thrive in the working world.

The donation will be channelled through the Centre for Community Engagement and Work Integrated Learning, who are tasked with creating and sustaining experiential learning opportunities for students in the workplace.

The funds will incentivise businesses to give students on-the-job training and mentorship and the all-important exposure to the working world that sets our graduates apart. Co-operative Education manager, Fundiswa Nofemela, says she’s delighted at this collaboration between the university and the BANKSETA.“Work experience is often the determining factor in whether or not new graduates find employment.  Now many more students will have access to such experience, which is an invaluable asset in today’s tough job markets. “The initiative is yet another successful project created and driven by the Advancement Department.Director Milcho Damianov believes the unique partnership has enormous potential to shorten the painful journey of graduates to the workplace.But, he says, the benefits extend to employers as well, as they have increased access to high-calibre, skilled graduates to meet their recruitment needs.“It’s definitely a win-win situation – and we believe this is just the start. We have now created a formidable platform for exploring partnerships with different industries, helping both the marketplace and our students. “

Written by Janyce Weintrob

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A group of Industrial Engineering students are set to hit the ground running when they start their Work Integrated Learning (WIL) programme early next year.

The class is participating in the Employability Improvement Programme, which sees them complete various tasks based on Kaizen methods. These methods demonstrate the importance of workflow, time management and the correct utilisation of resources in the workplace.

This initiative is a colloboration between the Department of Higher Education and Training and the Japan International Cooperation Agency. The pilot was rolled out earlier this year at universities and lecturers from the Faculties of Engineering Applied Sciences participated in the training.

Realising the benefits of this innovative programme, Work Integrated Learning Coordinators for Industrial Engineering, Desiree Jaftha and Reginald Rispel, piloted the training and their efforts have already paid off.

COMPLETED: One of the trucks manufactured by students

“We implemented it on a trial basis and it has helped bridge the gap between the employers’ expectations and the expectations of the students,” says Rispel.

The programme sees students work in an assembly line and hand-assemble more than 20 miniature size trucks, with the process timed and monitored. This exercise also improves student’s soft skills like teamwork, innovation and time management.

Jaftha says they have had positive feedback from companies.

“The mentors usually guide students for the first three months, but this time they say students are able to identify problem areas and recommend strategies for waste elimination immediately after entering the workplace,” she says.

Through this intervention students have managed to bring about huge cost savings in manufacturing and service delivery companies, with several securing permanent contracts at the companies were they are currently placed.

“We see significant value in this training and decided we need to train all our students before they go into the workplace.”

The Employability Improvement Programme is now a permanent feature in the Industrial Engineering curriculum.

ASSEMBLY LINE: Each student has their own work station and has to perform a specific task in manufacturing of the trucks

Written by Candes Keating
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Provides coverage for the Engineering and Applied Sciences Faculties; the Bellville and Wellington Campuses, and research and innovation news.

CPUT will get a cash injection of R21.2 million in accordance with a memorandum of agreement recently concluded with the Construction SETA (CETA).

This brings the total investment by CETA since 2013 to R34.4 million. This latest grant will see a further 90 CPUT students taken up in the very successful Work Integrated Learning (WIL) programme and 100 receiving bursaries. The beneficiaries are students qualifying in the Built Environment disciplines. This follows an initial 134 students benefitting from the WIL programme, when the university received R4.8 million in 2013. In the following financial year 88 students participated in the WIL programme to the tune of R3.1 million.

Acting DVC for Research, Prof Marshall Sheldon, encouraged beneficiaries of the grants to “grab these opportunities with everything you’ve got. We will support you in any way we can and want to see you mentoring the students that come after you.”

Raymond Cele, Board Chairman of CETA, remarks that CPUT piloted the WIL programme, which has become the implementation benchmark for the role-out nationwide. “We see CPUT as our strategic partner for education in the construction sector. Its staff members’ passion for their students is matched only by my team’s passion to see the beneficiaries of these grants succeed.”

Future plans divulged by Cele include:

• Integrated tracer studies into the impact of these programmes
• Establishment of a regional stakeholder forum
• Building the next generation of academics in the sector; and
• More service-learning projects and community engagement.

Written by Abigail Calata

Determined to produce successful entrepreneurs, the Department of Entrepreneurship and Business Management recently launched its Board of Advisors.

Acting HOD, Dr Chux Iwu, announced that the department has been asked to consider extending the teaching of entrepreneurship to all faculties adding that it inspires students to become entrepreneurs after graduation.

He echoed the government’s sentiments that more students should consider entrepreneurship instead of seeking paid employment to help boost the economy.

Lecturer Chris Cupido says for the department to realize this aspiration, it would need the board to provide guidance and structured advice to maximize the department’s success.

Cupido added that the board could assist in bridging the gap between the theory taught at university and industrial practices by providing an access portal for CPUT graduates and academics.

The board advised the department to extend its Work Integrated Learning programme to more than the current three months so that students can get more valuable exposure and inspiration from industry.

The meeting was attended by business leaders and government representatives.

Dr Sharman Wickham, who was a member of the previous board, was elected to head the new board’s committee.

The board will meet once a semester and if needed on an ad hoc basis as well.

Written by Kwanele Butana
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CPUT’s objective of providing students with hands-on training and practical skills has been bolstered through a partnership programme with a Norwegian institution.

The project would also seek to establish research collaborations between CPUT’s Biomedical Sciences Department and the Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, says Prof Tandi Matsha, Head of the Biomedical Sciences Department

She recently visited Norway with Microbiology lecturer and third-year co-ordinator, Yvonne Prince, while a team from Norway are scheduled to visit CPUT later in the year.

The project is aimed at developing best practice for training in biomedical laboratory sciences through educational and research collaboration between the institutions.

Matsha said a two-year grant was received from the UTFORSK partnership programme and this would enable three CPUT students to travel to Norway later this year as part of their Work Integrated Learning experience.

The UTFORSK Partnership Programme supports project cooperation between higher education institutions in Norway and higher education institutions in Brazil, China, India, Japan, Russia and South Africa.

The three students are on the BHSc: Medical Laboratory Sciences Programme.

Prince said the students would spent three months in Norway.

A further two students would be given the opportunity to go to Norway next year for Work Integrated Learning.

“An important part of the visit was to discuss areas for research collaboration and looking for funding for this jointly,” says Matsha.

While the students’ accommodation and flights would be covered, funding toward other expenses was still required.

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Written by Ilse Fredericks
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Recent graduate Philasande Ntlebi has won Agri-SETA’s national Best Performing Learner: Internship award.

As a ND: Agriculture Management student Philasande did his Work Integrated Learning at Abagold in 2017, a post which was funded with an Agri-SETA internship grant. After he graduated the abalone farming company kept him on as a junior manager in one of their abalone out-grower farms.

Philasande expressed great surprise at winning the award but says it affirms that he made the correct study choice: “I’ve discovered I actually have so much potential to win all the goals I have set for myself. I want to open my own farming enterprise and employ people and make business throughout Africa,” he said.

The 23-year-old from Queenstown is the first Agriculture Management student to do his WIL at this company which had only worked with Food Technology students from CPUT before he came along. His enthusiasm and work ethic changed that and this year there are four Agriculture Management students doing their WIL at Abagold in Hermanus.

“I am proud to say I am helping them to understand what is going on in the company and how to carry out all the things they have to do.”

He described his WIL stint as “the most inspiring time ever.”

“At first it was difficult because I had to prove myself. I made sure to apply everything I learned at the university and just tried to show what I could do.”

For the last three months of his WIL Philasande was given the chance to supervise a farm’s operations and he had to quickly learn how to instruct people who were older than him. “I didn’t know I had it in me. I didn’t know I could take so much pressure or lead people.”

Next Philasande does want to do his BTech part-time while continuing to work at Abagold because he knows he needs experience as well as more knowledge to progress within the company, but he is keen to give it a go.

“I like to challenge myself. I feel that I have a big future in this field.”

Written by Theresa Smith
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Phanadapreneurs, a Community Engagement Student Leadership Academy student project team, recently hosted a Community Engagement Business Bootcamp at the Cape Town Hotel School, Granger Bay.

Jacqui Scheepers, Manager: Service-Learning and Civic Engagement, said: “The bootcamp provided for engagement across multi-sectoral boundaries with the aim of stimulating enterprise development and enhanced business practices in the informal sector.”

Student entrepreneurs, startups, emerging entrepreneurs, parastatals, local provincial and national government, business support development agencies and funders all formed part of the auspicious event. The focal activities of the event included information sharing, dialogue, skills development, business success storytelling, networking, but most importantly how students can contribute and assist with economic growth within their respective communities.

“The bootcamp forms part of a broader initiative by the Service-Learning and Civic Engagement Units, Centre for Community Engagement and WIL [Work Integrated Learning], where students are encouraged to be more agile in their approach and are encouraged to think of ways and means to alleviate socio-economic issues within their respective communities,” said David Haarhoff, project lead.

Haarhoff added that they strive on equal opportunity. “From a Community Engagement perspective, it is imperative for us to continuously enhance students’ capabilities by offering such projects where our students are exposed to creative thinking and offered the opportunity to grow in all spheres of life through contributing to the well-being of small business enterprises and society at large,” he said.

In his opening address, Dean of the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences, Prof Paul Green, encouraged students and entrepreneurs to explore, experience and most importantly, to be flexible in their thought processing when considering this critical issue of socio-economic advancement in their communities.

The keynote speaker, John Peters, Chief Director: Western Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism, sketched the current scenario in South Africa in terms of high youth unemployment rate, low start-up rate of new business and high discontinuation rate of existing businesses. Peters further highlighted a weak entrepreneurship culture, regulatory and bureaucratic constraints, inadequate, fragmented and uncoordinated support eco-system, infrastructure, crime/extortion and other binding constraints as well as a lack of information and awareness.

Peters advised that government offers a number of financial and non-financial support to start-ups and encouraged the youth present to utilise these services. He urged students to become tech savvy, and to welcome competition, stating that it can sharpen their thinking and will allow them to be more efficient and more effective. In closing he alluded that most successful entrepreneurs never relied on handouts and/or begged government for support.

Jayde Barends, Senior Technology Transfer Officer, CPUT Technology Transfer and Industry Linkages, provided context in respect of her department and the technology transfer process from idea conceptualisation to socio-economic impact. Rushdeen Rose, Project Coordinator, Technology Station: Clothing and Textile, CPUT provided a detailed outline of services offered by the technology station as well as the various training programmes and industry initiatives the station is currently embarking on.

Phillip Chibvuri, Finance Specialist within the Residence Department at CPUT, provided context in terms of financial architecture and encouraged students to take time to know the worth of their “money”.

Director: Advancement Department, Calvin Maseko, highlighted that his department considers all three pillars of CPUT when embarking on fundraising initiatives. This includes Learning and Teaching, Research and Community Engagement.

Christopher Cupido, Acting Head of Department: Entrepreneurship and Business Management touched on the ENACTUS programme with a particular focus on students’ social enterprise development through ENACTUS as a CE project.

The National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) was also represented at the Business Bootcamp by Xola Gxilishe, Jobs Officer, who gave a rundown of entrepreneurship and youth cooperative development programmes offered by the agency.

Amangile Botya, Akha Bobo, Williams Matsepone and Sakhile Mabena, young entrepreneurs, CPUT students and alumni, shared their respective business success stories. Scheepers viewed the bootcamp as a step towards the strengthening of partnerships and relationships within the business development sector and aims to engage in further community engagement initiatives and projects.

Written by Aphiwe Boyce

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The Service-Learning and Civic Engagement Units, Centre for Community Engagement and Work Integrated Learning (WIL) collaborated with Belvue Primary School on a food garden project.

The school established a garden club called Green Fingers comprising of approximately 35 learner who showed a keen interest in gardening and food security. The Covid-19 pandemic had a negative impact on the activities of the Green Fingers and that was when CPUT stepped in to support the school to revive the club. The 12 Shades of Green, Community Engagement Student Leadership Academy project team in conjunction with the Advanced and Postgraduate Horticulture Sciences students supported the team’s activities by demonstrating various essential lessons in respect of gardening and the importance thereof.

The school principal, Andy Josephus welcomed CPUT students and thanked them for availing themselves in making the event successful. Formalities were followed by quizzes, various activities and planting of seedlings. Jacqui Scheepers, Manager of Service-Learning and Civic Engagement, said the units have a long history of collaborating with the school as it is also the National Senior Certificate Examination venue for CPUT’s Second Chance Matric Rewrite project.

“The commitment of the community engagement student leadership academy project teams has been next level. Taking initiative and wanting to contribute towards society at large is commendable. The student teams have grown on us as a unit. Seeing them grow and develop makes my heart happy. They have proven themselves in respect of flying CPUT’s flag high and committing to the third pillar of our University’s vision 2030 strategic blueprint,” said David Haarhoff, project lead.

Learners learnt that food is very important and its very important to have a garden and that planting is good for the earth. Community Engagement which includes both Service-Learning and Civic Engagement at CPUT offers authentic learning experiences for all who participate. “CPUT will continue to demonstrate and live its Vision 2030 through community engagement initiatives like these which serve both students and learners,” said Scheepers.

Written by Aphiwe Boyce

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The Service-Learning and Civic Engagement Units, Centre for Community Engagement and Work Integrated Learning, in collaboration with the Faculty of Education, hosted seven students from HAN University of Applied Sciences from the Netherlands.

Twice a year HAN students travel to CPUT and collaborate with various departments under the banner of Service-Learning and Civic Engagement. The HAN student student or students currently forms part of the Theewaterskloof Programme with a particular focus on various community engagement projects. Organisations such as Home Based Care, South African Red Cross Society, schools, Theewaterskloof Municipality, museum and Mind over Matter within Theewaterskloof district, benefit from the students’ hard work and dedication. HAN students reside in the rural towns of Grabouw and Caledon for the duration of the project.

An orientation weekend funded by HAN university was held in August. Seven CPUT students from the faculties of Health and Wellness Sciences, Business and Management Sciences, Education, Engineering and the Built Environment and Informatics and Design were afforded the opportunity to engage with the HAN students at the orientation. “Our first activity was to collaborate and do Intercultural consciousness and cross-cultural communication. We shared info about the various cultures in South Africa and the HAN students shared information about the Dutch culture. There were discussions and debates involved because we had to gather information about the Dutch culture, and they had to do the same with the South African culture. After the collaboration we had to do some outdoor activities as a competition in mixed groups of CPUT and HAN students,” said Nursing Science student, Yandisa Maqetuka.

Extramural activities included a hike which allowed students to engage across international cultures in a more informal setting. Yandisa said: “I had a great experience in the HAN project, and I am grateful for the opportunity that was given to me.” HAN Global mobility has become increasingly imperative for student self-development, intercultural integration and development of international leaders. CPUT students were grateful for the opportunity to engage with the HAN students.

At the CPUT intercultural and international engagement session at the South African Renewable Energy Technology Centre, CPUT afforded the HAN students a space to showcase their respective community projects. The passion exuded during the presentations displayed a sense of commitment and seriousness in respect of global citizenship. During the presentations HAN students provided a detailed report of their respective projects, expressed their challenges, opportunities and possible solutions to various issues experienced within communities.

According to Jacqui Scheepers, Manager: Service-Learning and Civic Engagement, “Internationalisation can be achieved through collaborative community engagement activities with students and staff from various international partner universities. This project serves as an opportunity to achieve our institutional goals as per our Vision 2030 for Focus areas: 5: SMART Internationalisation; 6: SMART Engagement and strong links with quintuple helix partners; and 7: SMART Student Engagement and Learning Experience.”

David Haarhoff, Project lead for Civic Engagement alluded to the importance of student involvement in such critical engagements. “Vice-Chancellor, Prof Chris Nhlapo, often makes reference to CPUT becoming Africa’s MIT. This would require a different level of thinking, continued international exposure not only for academics, but for students as well. My heart is happy when our students integrate and present our university when hosting international guests. Our students really made me proud.” Scheepers said that projects like these put CPUT on a global platform and: “We will continue to explore further collaborations with international partners for community engagement”.

Written by Aphiwe Boyce
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The Service-Learning and Civic Engagement (SLCE) Units, Centre for Community Engagement and Work Integrated Learning, in collaboration with Lovafriworx CEO, Lovetta Bolters, recently hosted an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Interdisciplinary project in Mossel Bay.

This was led by EMS Lecturer and SL Departmental Coordinator, John Meyer. The purpose of the project was for students to empower a group of thirty community members from the Southern Cape region with the necessary basic first aid skills. The skills acquired during the engagement was intended to enhance the participants’ life skills and, in essence, promote their chances of employment. The focal points of the project training included: Basic Life Support (BLS) Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), BLS Relief of choking and basic first aid level wound dressing and bleeding control.

David Haarhoff, Project Lead for Civic Engagement, said the Community Engagement projects of this nature have become critical, and could be the decider between life and death before medical emergency services are dispatched to a scene, particularly in remote and under-resourced communities. Haarhoff said the skilled first responders are able to assist a distressed patient and save a life. He added that in South Africa, the unemployment figures have increased exponentially, forcing youth and society to be more agile in their approach, by finding ways and means to increase their chances of employability.

“The excitement exuded by the participants, as well as the participating students, is noteworthy. The dedication and commitment displayed by community members to complete their project training was commendable. The participants engaged well within the group work activities and were eager to learn. CPUT’s social footprint has evidently become more prevalent within communities. It is extremely important that we continue to make inroads in relation to our vision 2030 strategic blueprint,” said Haarhoff. He added that Community Engagement requires staff members to have a well-rounded disposition when dealing with the myriad of challenges when engaging with members of the community.

EMS Course facilitator, Athenkosi Sobada, was happy with how the project went and with the great teamwork. Sobada said the students were great to teach, engaging very well. “You could tell they wanted to learn by the interest they had about the course content and asking questions to get clarity about previous cases they encountered. Since the course is Seta accredited, the learners can go to the nearest schools and ambulance services to work as first aiders when they have sports events and they can be renumerated.”

The EMS staff members and students were also joined by students from faculties of Education, Engineering and the Built Environment, Informatics and Design, and Business and Management Sciences. SLCE Manager, Jacqui Scheepers, said the students were inspired by the passion and dedication of the community participants and by the positive impact which the programme and their contributions had on the community. “Working across academic disciplinary boundaries is the hallmark of SLCE and is aligned to CPUT’s Vision 2030.”

The Film and Video students were given an opportunity by Camissa Solutions to practice their craft at the festival, guided by Randel Lakay, a professional film and TV producer. The students also participated in public health and wellness campaigns at the cultural Mossjazz festival for two days. Scheepers said that building relationships and partnerships with external university organisations are imperative to community engagement projects. “This contributes to the holistic development and sense of citizenship of students.”

Written by CPUT News

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In an effort to promote sciences, technology, engineering, mathematics and innovation, the STEM Club offered students a platform to exhibit their best research projects to the CPUT community.

This year's category winners are Mzameli Mashiyi, who is developing an African language speech recognition AI (Technology) and Nomava Mgidi, who is addressing unemployment through fashion design (Social Science).

This was part of the annual STEM Expo Competition at SARETEC as part of the National Science Week, where students were given opportunities to upscale their research projects via the Technology Transfer Office (TTO) for possible commercialisation. During this year's Expo Competition, the STEM Club worked closely with the Community Engagement (CE) and Work Integrated Learning (WIL) units. The neighbouring high school learners were also invited to be part of the programme and to view the exhibitions. CE and WIL also conducted a workshop with the learners.

The guest speakers included Jacqueline Scheepers: Manager: Service-Learning and Civic Engagement Unit, Dr Xena Cupido: Fundani CHED director, Dr Mark Jacobs: Maths lecturer, Dr Gillian Arendse: Nuclear Physicist for iThemba Labs), and Ntokozo Mashaba: last year's winner. Dr Frikkie George, who is also CPUT STEM Support Lead, said the lively and animated talk of Dr Arendse “gapped the interest of the attendees”.

George, who also coordinated the event, said they witnessed fewer exhibitors this year but “the quality of the projects was impressive”.

However, the STEM Expo Competition was well attended. “We explore the possibility of accessing funding for the winners to up-scale their projects for commercialisation. This event showcases the CPUT STEM Club's members' research projects, and it may contribute to their academic performance.”

George, who is also the acting Head of Department: Fundani STARS Unit, continued: “This STEM Expo competition will advance the STEM awareness at CPUT and showcase students' research projects in the different departments.”

Written by Aphiwe Boyce

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