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Thursday, 17 October 2024

New Golden Key members inducted

CPUT recently hosted a ceremony to recognise and welcome new Golden Key (GK) International Honour Society members from the institution as well as from Eduvos.

GK is the world's largest collegiate honour society and members may qualify when they are at the top 15 percent of their class. They are given access to a wide range of rewards, scholarships, travel and study abroad opportunities, among other things.

Guests were welcomed by Cherice Mangiagalli, co-advisor for GK at CPUT, who said the university was thrilled to have an active chapter and to welcome the new members.

“I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to each of you for your dedication and hard work that brought you here today. Bravo and congratulations once again.

“We hope you will embrace our core values of recognising academic excellence, promoting leadership and serving our community with enthusiasm and commitment. The dedicated staff of the South African Office has worked tirelessly with our chapter to uphold the esteemed standards and mission of Golden Key and we are honoured to have them here to join us today.”

Gillian Cloete, Regional Director of Golden Key, told the new members that they were joining a community of scholars that have proven academic excellence, leadership and service.

“And it's a journey towards greatness.”

She thanked the Student Development Officers Melani-Ann Hara (primary advisor) and Mangiagalli for being mentors and for their outstanding work.

Two honorary members were also recognised.

They are Dr Dorothy Esau, Faculty of Education Learning and Teaching co-ordinator and founder of EduFocusConnect and Zolisa Shokane, an accomplished professional with a wealth of experience in administration, strategic management and education and founder of the Buyile Matiwane Foundation.

The keynote speaker was the Deputy Dean of Student Affairs, Njabulo Maphumulo, who encouraged students to find and embrace their superpowers, to make lasting relationships and to make choices with purpose.

How far would you go to be a true team player? Would you step out of your comfort zone, even if it meant diving into the unknown? Would you dare take the plunge as part of a survival-at-sea course?

That’s exactly what the Postgraduate Diploma in Biotechnology students did!

Ten students and three Department of Biotechnology and Consumer Science lecturers participated in a team-building activity at the Survival Centre at the Granger Bay Campus.

It was a beautiful, sunny winter's day—welcomed weather this time of year. As the team arrived at the centre, they were greeted with warm smiles from the Survival Centre staff members, Samantha Montes and Cara Alberts, who graciously showed them around. “We were all anxiously excited to pursue this adventure together! But first, we had to conquer the theory and essential training principles. A brief, yet enlightening session equipped us with the knowledge we needed. Cara guided us through the exercises we were about to undertake and even shared a few captivating tales from her own adventures at sea,” Dr Liezel Gouws enthused.

As they strolled outside, admiring the boats and vessels introduced to them, Gouws could feel their spirits rising. “Pursuing something new together for the first time naturally brings people closer. It was unfamiliar territory for us all, levelling the playing field between students and lecturers alike,” she noted.

With life vest buckles fastened and straps secured, they approached the edge for their first plunge into a heated pool and the reassuring hands of experienced instructors. “For a brief, surreal moment, the world disappeared. It was just you and the water— floating, adjusting to this unfamiliar territory, not entirely in control, and yet finding your way.”

They proceeded with the first two exercises, one of which was called "crocodile”. This task was all about teamwork, culminating in a literal full-circle moment as they clung to each other in the water. Moving with a life vest gave them a sense of safety.

Next, they moved on to boarding the lifeboat. Once again, teamwork was key as they had to balance the boat with their collective weight. “This exercise was a powerful reminder that, in a team, every member needs to share the responsibility equally for success. One or two imbalances could easily tip the boat and disrupt the entire team's stability.”

Huddled together inside the vessel, two members began paddling the lifeboat toward the rescue point. One by one they disembarked the lifeboat, moving towards the helicopter rescue point.

“As you assembled the helicopter harness, and gave the “pilot” your thumbs up, you were hoisted up in the air by the instructor. The simulation felt strikingly real, making us pause and think about how intense a genuine helicopter rescue would be. I think this exercise taught us to trust, in this case, the “pilot”—a characteristic essential to teamwork. Trust is the cornerstone.”

For the next challenge, they were lowered back into the water and faced the hanging ropes. At first, it seemed like pure strength would be needed to climb and conquer these ropes, but they soon realised that skill and positioning were far more important. “Just like in life, success here wasn’t just about brute strength—it was about starting smart, using the right techniques to your disposal to set ourselves up for success.”

They were then given the choice to jump from the ship. Standing on the platform, the height was more intimidating than they expected. The instructor gave them clear instructions on how to position themselves for the jump, warning that the impact would be intense. “Yet, as we stood on the edge of the platform, with calm reassurance. “This kind soul made me think about how we all need someone next to us when we're about to leap into the unknown, whispering, “You’ve got this!”.

Gouws continued: “Watching fellow students and lecturers offer support to one another, I realised how much of this experience was about collective effort. As I watched students and lecturers encourage and be encouraged, I realised that this was a collective effort. As we offer words of support to our teammates, we uplift ourselves as well, turning individual wins into a team triumph.”

They were empowered with new skills, a stronger sense of confidence, and a renewed belief in our team’s strength. “A heartfelt thank you to the entire Survival at Sea team for taking such great care of us. We felt safe and supported throughout, and I would highly recommend this activity for any team-building effort.”

The CPUT Cheerleaders danced their way to two medals during the recent South African Majorette and Cheerleading Association competition, held at the University of Cape Town.

CPUT competed in three categories and won gold in the Tertiary Cheer Pom section and Silver in the Tertiary Cheer Hip-Hop Doubles section.

Cheerleading coach Tumisang Matlala, who is also one of the choreographers, said the Tertiary Cheer Pom Section consists of 11 talented dancers, “all of whom have been working incredibly hard leading up to the competition”.

"I am absolutely thrilled and beyond proud! Winning gold is a testament to the hard work, dedication and passion that each dancer put into their routines. This victory is truly a team effort, and it's an incredible feeling to see them reach this level."

She said the team had spent weeks preparing for each competition.

“This involved regular rehearsal sessions, conditioning and perfecting their choreography. We focussed on synchronisation, technique and overall performance quality. They were committed to pushing themselves, whether it was through physical endurance or mental focus.”

In the Tertiary Cheer Hip-Hop Doubles section, Liyakhanya Matika and Lithemba Buqa were awarded a silver medal.

“They delivered an incredible routine filled with energy and precision, really showcasing their skills on competition grounds. The Duo team created their own choreography and formations. They are exceptionally talented athletes and I felt confident in their abilities.”

She said the athletes were overjoyed and truly proud of their achievements.

“It is an incredible validation of all the sacrifices they've made along the way. This recognition means the world to them and I am sure they only plan on going up from here."

Cherice Mangiagalli, Student Development Officer: Sport, Arts and Culture, congratulated the CPUT Titans on their excellent results. “Their hard work and dedication proved they were on par with various cheerleading teams across South Africa. As first-time competitors, they stepped up to the requirements and claimed their first and second place without any doubt. I am exceptionally proud of the team and look forward to future competitions."

The Department of Mechanical Engineering is hard at work ensuring that it’s all systems go for the much-anticipated South African Institute of Mechanical Engineering (SAIMechE) Conference, scheduled to take place on 8 November 2024 at the South African Renewable Energy Technology Centre (SARETEC).

This annual conference for postgraduate students is organised and hosted by Mechanical Engineering staff members from the three universities that offer mechanical engineering degrees in the Western Cape, Stellenbosch University (SU), CPUT and the University of Cape Town (UCT).

The hosting of the conference rotates between the three universities. The conference which receives financial and organisational support from SAIMECHE aims to provide master’s and doctoral students in Mechanical Engineering the opportunity to attend a conference and to do an oral presentation of their research, thus enhancing their research experience. “We are as ready as we can be to host the conference at this stage,” said Prof Graeme Oliver from the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering.

SAIMechE's statement read: “It also provides an opportunity for students and staff from the three universities to interact. The ability to present and defend their work is a skill that is hard to develop within our students without having them attend such a conference.”

“Actually, this is the primary goal and is inclusive of industry professionals to bring their relevant experiences to the discussion,” added Carl Tshamala, SAIMechE Western Cape Branch Chairman. Last year, the conference was hosted by Stellenbosch University and is expected to be hosted by UCT in 2025.

Around 40 students are expected to submit their abstracts for this year’s conference, which will be reviewed by esteemed field experts from the three universities. Typically, the review is done by staff at a different university to the one attended by the student. Students are given feedback if their abstracts are accepted for presentation at the conference and then resubmit their final extended abstracts that meet the reviewer’s requirements for any corrections.

The extended abstracts are made available as the conference proceedings. Attendees can also sign the register to obtain 1 CPD point as it is supported by the Engineering Council of South Africa. Ultimately the activity promotes and enhances Mechanical Engineering in South Africa.

The Language Working Group recently hosted a two-day Pan South African Language Board (Panslab) Multilingual Pedagogies Workshop for CPUT staff and students at the South African Renewable Energy Technology Centre.

This workshop served the purpose of this year’s annual institutional Language Indaba. The Institutional Language Coordinator at Fundani CHED, Dr Kabelo Sebolai, who welcomed the guests said the workshop was part of the effort to implement CPUT’s policy of multilingualism. “It was aimed at both students and lecturers who are involved in teaching. The decision to run the workshop was informed by a recognition that content lecturers and student tutors are not experts in using language to teach content in a multilingual context such as that of CPUT,” Sebolai noted.

He said the policy could not be implemented effectively in the learning and teaching space “if this kind of training is not provided”.

In her opening remarks, Dr Xena Cupido, Director: Fundani CHED, said: “As we gather to explore the critical importance of multilingual pedagogies in ensuring access to higher education, I am excited about the enriching discussions ahead. In a country as diverse as South Africa, language is more than a tool for communication – it is a bridge that connects us to knowledge, understanding, and inclusivity. Multilingual pedagogies, therefore, are key to making higher education accessible and equitable for all our students, honouring their cultural and linguistic identities.”

Cupido also welcomed the two guest speakers, who facilitated the workshop. Those were: Tholakele Nkwanyana, a lecturer in Language Education: Multilingual Pedagogies at North-West University (NWU). The PhD candidate’s research focuses on the intellectualisation of African languages in higher education. She is also an isiZulu Commissioner for the African Union: Academy of Languages.

Meanwhile, Prof Rosemary Wildsmith-Cromarty is an Applied Linguist and Professor Emeritus at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Wildsmith-Cromarty is currently coordinating research on multilingual pedagogies at NWU. She has served on provincial and national language bodies for isiZulu and English respectively and is on the Editorial Board for Language Teaching: Surveys and Studies.

The topics that were discussed on day one ranged from Introduction to Language Policy and Planning, Language History and Portraits, Multilingualism and Translanguaging.

Day two started with a recap from day one followed by discussions on Deconstructing Concepts, Building Resources - examples from lecturers, and then Creating tools for multilingual pedagogies by Nkwanyana and Wildsmith-Cromarty.

Sebolai was impressed by the debate resulting from the controversial nature of language policies. “The event was a success indeed. Everybody, including the facilitators, felt that the event was a success. The post-workshop evaluation bears testimony to this.”

Friday, 11 October 2024

Sixty-One, Not Done!

He may be close to retirement, but at the age of 61 a CPUT cleaner has earned his matric and is now determined to use the qualification to help others.

Hendry Pietersen is a well-known face at CPUT’s Bellville campus where he keeps a firm hand on all operations of the Sports stadium. This week he was celebrated along with 38 other participants of the Amended Senior Certificate Class of 2024. The programme is offered by Human Capital: Learning and Development and has been operational for five years. It gave staff members the chance to attend classes during the working day, and get individual attention from dedicated teachers.

Pietersen says he dropped out of his Beaufort West primary school in grade 7 because of the 1976 political uprisings.

“When I tried to return to school after two years it didn’t work because I has seen too many things,” he says.

This strong political ethos has inspired Pietersen throughout his life. He has dedicated his career to trade union work, has done qualifications in paralegal work, and now armed with his matric he aims to do courses on labour rights to help people in his neighbourhood of Mitchell’s Plain.

“When we were insourced at CPUT we wanted to be part of you. Thank you to CPUT for listening to us and making these learning opportunities available,” he says.

“My advice to anyone who also wants to do this is to read, read and read some more.”

Keagen Pieterse, who is employed as an assistant handyman, is the only participant in the programme who is now enrolled as a student at CPUT.

After receiving his Matric he enrolled in Project Management and is now on his way to a formal higher education qualification.

“After all these years of watching graduation and helping to set up the events, I knew that I wanted that for myself. It makes me emotional to know that I never gave up and did it,” he says.

CPUT and Flensburg University of Applied Sciences (FUAS) recently participated in a regional week-long workshop at Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST). The event included various activities like presentations, community site visits and project development.

The workshops were a continuation of the overall project deliverables with specific focus on the following Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs): SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation; SDG 7: Affordable and clean energy; and SDG 11: Sustainable cities and communities and SDG 17: Partnership for the goals as outlined by the United Nations.

The visit to Namibia entailed a packed programme with opening remarks provided by Celeste Espach, Acting Executive Dean: Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, NUST and Prof Kay Pfaffenberger, overall project lead, FUAS. Both emphasised the importance of partnerships and the critical need of the project to improve the current circumstances within various communities. Day one saw discussions around the dissemination plan of project outputs which had Jacques Korrubel, NUST as Programme lead. A draft dissemination plan was presented by David Haarhoff, project support and researcher, and Jacqui Scheepers, CPUT project lead. Haarhoff, indicated that “working on trans-disciplinary cross-border projects requires a clear plan of how we achieve our project deliverables with the end goal in mind, it also allows one to be weary of cultural differences which is imperative for project success. The overall respect amongst the project team is commendable and each contribution is valued”.

Day two of the workshops saw a myriad of presentations inclusive of case studies aligned to the broader project by NUST colleagues which was then followed by CESAR Project Mapping/Modelling and Partnerships, facilitated by Jacqui Scheepers.

Research forms a critical part of this project. Day three encompassed how the SDGs integrate with research outputs in the various fields. Presenters included Prof Bongani Ncube, CPUT and Trudy Theron-Beukes, NUST, who focused on research within the clean water and sanitation sector and the impact thereof. Dr Marco Adonis shared research themes within the affordable and clean energy space, followed by Dr Nicholas Pinfold on urban and regional planning linked to SDG 11: sustainable cities and communities. Also presenting was Dirk Muller (FUAS), and Prof James Katende and Ms Geraldine van Rooi, both from NUST. The host University, NUST also shared the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment research framework which was presented by Dr Eric Yankson.

Day four covered staff skills development and how service-learning could integrate to the overall project specifications and deliverables. Scheepers presented current Service-Learning modules for staff at CPUT and Walter Kohlhofer, Mechanical Engineering facilitated a discussion on gaps in the programme. The project team further concluded that a comprehensive feedback/update session will be provided to executive management at NUST.

Stakeholder engagement is critical when one embarks on projects of this nature. NUST arranged a host of presentations done by the City of Windhoek in the following fields: Human Settlements: Settlement Section, Human Settlements: Urban Planning, Environment/ Health, Electricity and Economic Development.

These sessions saw vigorous engagement by all partnering universities and a great amount of knowledge sharing persisted throughout the presentations.

Throughout the week the delegation also embarked on various site visits in and around Namibia which included the NUST Fab Lab, which offers community and student entrepreneurs opportunities in prototyping, wood and plastic manufacturing, bringing innovation to life, contributing to a more enhanced sustainable city and community. The delegation also visited The City of Windhoek Water Reclamation Plant site visit, City of Windhoek Sanitation Station, Hifikepunye Pohamba informal settlement, CoWHK Buy Back Centre, Bokomoso, eBikes 4 Africa. The site visits were concluded by visiting Groot Aub Settlement – mini-grid electricity plant led by Katende from NUST.

Scheepers emphasised the critical role of global muti-stakeholder engagement and inter-university collaborations in attaining the SDGs through the vehicle of Service-Learning. The international DAAD team will once again be hosted by CPUT in November 2024 where further work will be conducted on the project and partnership models.