The Centre for Diversity, Inclusivity and Social Change (CDISC) also referred to as the Transformation Office is within the auspices of the Office of the Vice Chancellor. The mandate is derived from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology’s (CPUT) Vision 2030, the South African Constitution as well as various policy prescripts that call for institutionalisation of transformation. These further strengthen the CPUT transformation goals to enhance ‘oneness’ and ‘smartness’.

The following goals underpin the work of the CDISC:

• GOAL 1: Equity and redress
• GOAL 2: Access, retention, and success
• GOAL 3: Diversity
• GOAL 4: Inclusion and human rights
• GOAL 5: Social cohesion
• GOAL 6: Digital transformation
• GOAL 7: Sustainability

Our Vision

The Diversity, Inclusivity and Social Change envisions a CPUT that recognizes the pursuit of excellence that intersects with a commitment to diversity, inclusivity, and social change in all aspects of university life.

Therefore, we aim: To facilitate CPUT as Africa’s leading Smart Inclusive University that is globally renowned and championing diversity, inclusivity, and social change to enhance human centredness.

Our Mission

CPUT welcomes and enable the contributions of all voices with diverse ideas, knowledge, and perspectives in the pursuit of inclusive excellence.

To this end the CPUT -

Aims to transform its students and promote an academically enriching, inclusive and supportive climate that responds to local, regional, national, continental, and global societal needs.

Our Approach

The Vision 2030 Institutional Transformation Framework is reinforced through three approaches, namely: Transformation, Intersectionality and Gender Mainstreaming.

• Transformation is rights-based, and it requires processes, procedures, policies, programs, and actions centered on economic, social, and political rights in all spheres of life.
• Intersectionality investigates how oppressive ‘isms’ in institutions such as racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, xenophobia, and classism are interconnected. Identifies subordination as not solely an issue of gender, race, disability, or another intolerance, but as a location, often with simultaneous and compounding relationships of subordination.
• Mainstreaming focuses on human rights and social justice perspectives to ensure that women, men and gender-diverse people can influence, participate in and benefit from development processes; and have the agencies to do

Each of these approaches should be viewed with two lenses, a focus on employees and students. CDISC uses a Whole of Society approach (WOSA) which is a strategy that advances participation and collaboration with our internal and external stakeholders. The stakeholders include university structures, other Universities, Government Departments, Corporates, NGOs and the broader society.

CDISC Links