The TLDNet, which is composed of students, academics from universities, TVET Colleges, government departments and Chapter 9 institutions, was established at a Transformation Roundtable Discussion held on the Bellville Campus this week.
The aims of the TLDNet are:
- To learn and share information on transformation imperatives in higher education;
- To collaborate and network with partners on national imperatives on social justice and inclusion;
- To support initiatives on safe and inclusive spaces to drive transformation in Western Cape; and
- To establish the Transformation Learning & Development Network (TLDNet) to learn, share lessons, best practices and research agendas on transformation related themes.
Prof Paul Green, Chair of the Institutional Transformation Forum, said many universities in the county, including CPUT, have embraced transformation as an imperative that seeks to eradicate colonial, apartheid and imperial legacies.
Said Green: “Clearly, there is a need for institutions of higher learning who are responsible for knowledge generation, who are seen as open systems, to create platforms and spaces such as these to encourage academic debate without fear, favour or prejudice and learn from their best practices.”
Nonkosi Tyolwana, CPUT’s Director of Transformation, said the discussion’s proceedings will be compiled and circulated to the members of the TLDNet.
Zetu Makamandela-Mguqulwa, who is the Ombud at UCT, said she is an advocate for fairness who receives and attempts to resolve individual complaints and grievances of UCT community members; and recommends procedural changes in the university to respond to experiences acquired in dealing with the cases.