Cape Peninsula University of Technology

The Research Directorate plays an important role in assisting CPUT to establish itself as a University of Technology (UoT) that pursues excellence in research, in striving to be at the heart of technology and innovation in Africa.

The vision of the Research Directorate is to create an enabling environment for CPUT to achieve its research and innovation goals. Its mission is to promote research, innovation and uptake for social development.

The Research Directorate executes its mandate by, inter alia, providing researchers with support through research grants management, research finance administration, publications management, application of the Research and Information Management System (RIMS), research capacity development, and recognition of research excellence by means of annual research awards in areas such as publication, postgraduate supervision and industry funding.

With Prof Dina Burger as the Director, the Research Directorate carries out its functions within the following sections:

Reception

This section provides administrative support to the Director and Research Directorate staff.

Secretary: Ms Edwina Pedro

Research Finance

The Research Finance section manages the Directorate’s budget and deals with claims from researchers who have been awarded research grants, scholarships linked to research grants, and grants for conference attendance.

Coordinator: Ms Amelia Rorwana

Administrators: Ms Shafeeqa Dramat, Ms Phatiswa Swaartbooi, Mr Marvin la Meyer

Grants

The Research Grants section manages CPUT research grants such as the University Research Fund (URF), the Academic Exchange Programme and ConfCom, as well as various National Research Foundation (NRF) grants. This section also handles applications for NRF rating, arranges grants application workshops and maintains the Grants section on the Research Directorate website.

Manager: Ms Tania Holmes-Watts

Coordinator: Ms Pumza Makaula

Publications

This section manages the annual submission of accredited research publications to the DHET to claim research subsidy. It also records and publicises the research, innovation and uptake performance of the CPUT research community through the Annual Research Report. This section also arranges workshops in research writing and publication, maintains the Publications section on the Research Directorate website, and arranges the annual CPUT Research and Innovation Day.

Coordinator: Ms Lara Lee Smith

RIMS

CPUT is a member of the RIMS Consortium, a web-based system initiated by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and hosted by the NRF. The purpose of RIMS is to provide a common application platform to support research processes. In the Research Directorate the RIMS section is tasked with keeping up-to-date records, assisting the Publications section with the capturing of publications output, and assisting the Grants section with research proposal development and proposal tracking.

Coordinator: Ms Luyolo Kamati

Research Capacity Development

This newly established section will play an important role in strengthening the research capacity of researchers in order to enhance research and innovation output, increase the number of NRF-rated researchers, and improve staff qualifications. It will be tasked with the development of a strategy and interventions to build research, innovation and uptake capacity at CPUT.

Manager: vacant