Autumn graduation week has drawn to a close, with 6252 graduates from the class of 2010 getting capped in front of proud family and friends. Presiding over the last two ceremonies in a series of 12 held on CPUT's Bellville and Cape Town campuses last week, was the university's Chancellor, Minister Dr Trevor Manuel. Dr Manuel capped just over 1100 graduates of the Education and Applied Sciences faculties in Cape Town on Saturday.

Guest speakers at the morning and afternoon ceremonies respectively were Prof Diale ‘Oupa’ Rangaka, former academic and founder-owner of M’Hudi Wines in Stellebosch and education expert Penelope Vinjevold, Chief Director of Educational Planning: Western Cape Education Department.
 

Twelve inspirational guest speakers, all leaders in their respective fields, delivered memorable addresses to the young graduates last week. They included professional branding and marketing specialist Donna Rachelson, acclaimed Accounting researcher Prof Enrico Uliana, Sikelela Mkhabela, Regional Engineering Manager for Eskom: Western & Northern Cape and the grandson of former President Nelson Mandela, Chief Mandla Mandela. As Graduation Week 2011 concludes, we take a look at a few of CPUT's brightest and best.

Melissa Gardner was awarded the Vice Chancellor’s Medal – the university’s top honour for BTech students. Graduating with distinction in every subject, Melissa had an aggregate of 86% for her BTech: Retail Business Management degree.“I’ve always had a passion for fashion and clothing stores have always interested me. My dad and sister studied at CPUT and spoke highly of the university. CPUT also offered a course that covered all my areas of interest as no other college had done. I considered the co-operative experience offered by the course in 3rd year to be the deciding factor in choosing to study here.

It gave me a great opportunity to gain insight into the industry in my chosen field, an opportunity that no other college offered. CPUT Mowbray had the feeling of a close-knit family and I feel I received a well-structured education, enhanced by dedicated lecturers and excellent hands-on experience. As far as the vibe of the student life went, it was well up to all my expectations - including making the most of the after-hours college parties - the diversity of the college atmosphere was incredible and amazing. Although I plan on studying for my MTech in the future, I’m currently working for Woolworths as a Planner's Assistant, and have great hopes for the future that include climbing the corporate ladder."

Dr Bingwen Yan, DTech Mechanical Engineering. "I believe that CPUT is a place for postgraduate students to grow and develop their potential in both their academic and personal life. In terms of the quality of tuition, input and support from my supervisors, they continuously supported me throughout the research process. Their inputs and contributions toward my study were significant and highly valued.

I'm currently a lecturer in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering. Within the next five years, I aim to become a senior lecturer and associate professor at CPUT. I'd also like to be a leader in my niche academic field and have committed myself to apply my best knowledge in assisting my students.

CPUT is currently the top university of technology in South Africa in terms of research publications, so I'd like to contribute more research papers to be published in accredited journals, so that I can add value to the reputation of our university. I want to see that our university becomes the MIT of the African continent in the future.

Afua Mohamed, the first woman in CPUT's history to be awarded a doctorate in Electrical Engineering. Ms Mohamed's supervisor for her DTech: Electrical Engineering, Prof Kahn, praised the candidate for her thorough and passionate insight into energy management technology.

Jiang Wu, who was awarded a doctorate in Information Technology for his thesis entitled "Development of an agent-based middleware for co-ordination of the real-time control functions in complex industrial systems."

Dean's Medallist in the Faculty of Informatics and Design, Natasha Sarkady, was joined on stage by her delighted and very proud sister as she received the medal from FID Dean Prof Johannes Cronje. Natasha graduated with distinctions in 12 out of 12 subjects, with a final aggregate of 88% over her three year's of study for her ND: Information Technology.

Vice-Chancellor Mazwi-Tanga with Frederick Jantjies, ND: Management.“I’d been working for Nestle food company for some time and decided to improve myself educationally.I started doing the Business Development Programme (BDP) via the Centre for Continuing Education, which through its credits ultimately contributed to me graduating with a diploma in Management. I’m currently doing a BTech in Management on a part-time basis.

Zolani Nicholas Sinxo, ND:Journalism: “I live in Khayamandi, Stellenbosch. I feel so happy that I made it to graduation. It’s been a struggle, three long years of hard work and some sleepless nights, but it’s all paid off today. I’m going to continue doing my BTech this year while working at the Cape Winelands District Municipality as a Communication Officer. I’m also considering doing broadcast journalism – I believe I’m going to go far in that field.

Bongani Tonisi, ND:Management. "I’m currently doing my BTech in Office Management and Technology (OMT). I was Residence and Transport Officer of the SRC in 2008, and last year I became Deputy Chairperson of the SRC on Cape Town Campus. We've done a lot for the CPUT community and now it’s time for us to go into the corporate world and make sure that we plough back into the communities that we come from. I’m feeling very happy for what I’ve just received”. 

Sipokazi Dikile, ND: Cost and Management Accounting. “I feel very excited after this graduation today - I’ve worked so hard for it and I really deserve it. I’m currently doing my internship at HC Accounting in Claremont. I’m looking for a position in an accounting firm as I my dream is to eventually become a Chartered Accountant."

by Jan Weintrob, Thando Moiloa and Thami Nkwanyane.

Written by CPUT News

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Key role-players in government, industry and education are among the guest speakers lined up to address CPUT’s 2010 graduates at the university’s April Graduation Ceremonies, running from 12 to 17 April on the Bellville and Cape Town campuses.

Dr Trevor Manuel, CPUT Chancellor and Minister in the Presidency in charge of the National Planning Commission, will be providing the guest address for graduates of the Faculty of Engineering in a ceremony on 16 April 2010 on Cape Town campus.

Dr Manuel was elected as CPUT’s first Chancellor in May 2008. He is an alumnus of the Peninsula Technikon and served as the South African Minister of Finance for 11 years, before accepting his current ministerial role.

Dr Manuel was in attendance at this year’s opening graduation ceremony on 12 April, where he called on graduates to make a commitment to life-long learning and return to CPUT to further their studies.

Director and co-founder of South African Women in Engineering, Naadiya Moosajee will address Engineering graduates attending the Bellville ceremony on 14 April. Moosajee currently serves on the FIFA 2010 Local Organising Committee and was voted the 2009 Most Influential Woman of the Year by CEO magazine.

Member of Parliament and nuclear reactor design and analysis expert Dr Nqaba Ngcobo will be guest speaker at the Applied Sciences morning graduation ceremony on 15 April. Dr Ngcobo chairs the Portfolio Committee on Science and Technology, a committee tasked with holding several government entities accountable for service delivery.

Sagie Pillay, CEO of the National Health Laboratory Services and former CEO at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, will address Health and Wellness Sciences graduates on the evening of 15 April.

Prof John Volmink, Chairperson of the International Partnerships Network and Member of the Board of the Universal Education Foundation, will be guest speaker at the morning ceremony on Saturday 17 April, where he will address graduates in the Education and Social Sciences Faculty.

Informatics and Design graduates will be addressed by internationally recognised furniture designer Liam Mooney at the 17 April afternoon ceremony. Dr Carla Enslin, Head of the Vega Communications School in Cape Town, will also address graduates in Informatics and Design, as well as graduates from other faculties, in the evening ceremony on 16 April.

Earlier this week, I & J Marketing and Sales Director David Pietersen and Group Executive and CEO of Metropolitan International Mervyn Cookson gave guidance to Business graduates at the Cape Town and Bellville first graduation ceremonies.

“Persevere and never give up, no matter what obstacles you face,” said Cookson, who also emphasised the values of humility, integrity and continuous learning as key to leadership.

Prof Michael Wormald and Prof Glen Holman of the Faculty of Commerce at the University of Cape Town and Gayle Kaylor, Chief Director at the Public Administration Leadership and Management Academy also addressed the Business graduates.

CPUT expects to confer 6 300 qualifications during twelve graduation ceremonies this week, including 62 master's degrees and seven doctoral degrees.

By Ilana Abratt

Written by CPUT News
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CPUT Chancellor Dr Trevor Manuel and keynote speaker Dr Pierre Le Monde asked graduates to use their newly acquired skills to make a difference in their communities and country.

Dr Manuel says graduating comes with great responsibility and reminded the graduates that society has great expectations from them.

Dr Manuel was addressing the first Engineering Graduation ceremony which took place at the Major Sports hall in Bellville. Last night’s graduation was the eighth, in a string of 12 Autumn Graduation ceremonies that started on Monday.

Keynote speaker Dr Pierre Le Monde, Attache for Science and Technology at the Embassy of France in SA, told the gathering he was impressed at how seriously we take graduation ceremonies in South Africa. “I come from a country where graduation is not so formal.

Le Monde says the world is changing very fast and is facing issues that need solutions and added that graduates were central to solving problems.

“You must keep your eyes open, don’t limit your imagination. What you have learnt here is not enough. You have learnt to learn,” he concluded.

The Major Sports Hall erupted in applause when the Dean of the Engineering Faculty, Dr Nawaz Mahomed, announced that Myalelo Nomnqa has been awarded his MTech in Chemical Engineering Cum Laude. Five MTechs in Chemical Engineering were conferred during last night’s ceremony.

The week-long graduations will see more than 6500 qualifications conferred. The final graduation ceremony will take place on Saturday morning with the Faculty of Education and Social Sciences.

By Thami Nkwanyane

Photos by Clive Galant

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The first in a week-long series of graduation ceremonies kicked off at the Cape Town campus on Monday.

CPUT's biggest faculty, Business, conferred thousands of diplomas and degrees under the watchful eye of CPUT Chancellor and Minister in the Presidency Dr Trevor Manuel.

Guest Speaker Justice Dunstan Mlambo, who is Judge President of the Labour Appeal and Labour Court, addressed the jam-packed hall of eager graduates and parents.

He shed valuable insight into the challenges facing him and South Africa's often criticized law fraternity and urged the new business alumni to respect the legal system and encourage those around them to do so as well.

"If there is a perception that the courts and law are tardy then it results in a loss of economic development," he warned.

Justice Mlambo ended by reminding the graduates to be grateful to their family and friends for the support offered.

"They say it takes a village to raise a child and I ask you to remember who helped you get here," he says.

Human Resources graduate Jamie Leigh Corker is a prime example of the value industry places on a CPUT alumnus.

After only a three-month internship she has been offered a full-time position in the HR department of a busy call centre in Cape Town.

"They phoned me in January and said I was perfect for the position," she says.

The Business Faculty graduation continues in Bellville on Monday evening and in Cape Town on Tuesday morning.

By LAUREN KANSLEY

Pictures by CLIVE GALANT

Written by CPUT News
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“You can make a difference.”  This was the message from CPUT’s Chancellor and Minister in the Presidency: National Planning, Dr Trevor Manuel when he visited Mitchell’s Plain recently.

The event for Mitchell’s Plain Bursary and Role-Model Trust was held at Oval North High School earlier this month.

Business Faculty Dean, Professor Mzikayise Binza, head of the Civic Engagement Unit, Buntu Gwija and other CPUT representatives also attended the event.

Dr Manuel urged all former pupils of Mitchell’s Plain High schools to return to the area and “make a difference”.

He also urged role models to help break the poverty cycle, by motivating and providing opportunities for future leaders.

CPUT alumni and current students offered mentorship, financial support, training and placement opportunities and Prof Binza confirmed his faculty’s commitment to the Youth Unemployment Prevention Project.

UNIFIED SUPPORT: (From left) Business Faculty Associate Dean, Ivan van der Heever; Minister Dr Trevor Manuel; Faculty Dean Prof Mzikayisa Binza and Buntu Gwija.

Other initiatives mentioned on the day included the Post-school Opportunity Seminar held at Spine Road High in January, where school leavers were identified to enter the Business Faculty’s Extend Curriculum Programmes. CPUT staff also facilitated the re-registration of former students who could not continue their studies due to financial or other constraints.

CPUT staff and students interested in the project can contact Faiez Dollie on 021 801 1688 or email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

By Thando J. Moiloa

Written by CPUT News
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Chancellor of CPUT, Dr Trevor Manuel, will confer 6 300 diplomas and degrees on CPUT graduates during the University’s April Graduation.

Of this total, 62 master's degrees and seven doctoral degrees will be awarded during the twelve graduation ceremonies that will take place at the Cape Town and Bellville campuses.

This year’s graduation week commenced on 12 April 2010, with graduates from the Business Faculty taking to the stage to receive their academic qualifications.

The Business Faculty is the largest faculty at CPUT and five of the twelve ceremonies have been set aside for this faculty.

The remainder of the ceremonies will be used to confer degrees in the Faculty of Education and Social Science, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Health and Wellness and the Faculty of Informatics and Design.

Addressing graduates at the first graduation ceremony, which took place at the Cape Town Campus, Vice-Chancellor Prof Vuyisa Mazwi-Tanga said: “This is a very special occasion and day for all of you. It represents the culmination of many years of hard work and sacrifice.”

She also acknowledged the sacrifices made by parents, partners, family and sponsors during the graduates’ years at CPUT.

Prof Mazwi-Tanga said the institution is proud of what the graduates have achieved thus far.

“We hope that we have placed you on a trajectory that will lead you to greater heights,” she said.

Prof Mazwi-Tanga called on the graduates, who are set to go on to occupy influential positions in industry and the public sector, to support CPUT in its mission of creating and applying knowledge that will contribute to economic and social development in South Africa “We hope you will not forget to plough back into the institution,” she said.

Guest speaker at the ceremony, David Pietersen, the Director of Marketing and Sales at I&J, urged students to “dream big.”

An alumnus of CPUT, Pietersen said: “Make yourself a promise today that you will write down your dream.”

He said graduates must not let their dreams be shattered by alcohol or drug abuse, which is currently rife amongst South African youth.

Pietersen, who has held several top positions in industry also urged Business graduates to not just settle for secure employment at companies but to go on to create employment for other South Africans.

“What this country needs are entrepreneurs. The formal sector does not have the capacity to take up all the demands for jobs,” he said.

He said it takes courage to leap into the world of entrepreneurship as you have to have a successful business idea.

“Don’t look for the big ideas. Many successful entrepreneurs started with humble ideas,” he said.

Pietersen also called on graduates to develop a “proudly South Africa culture” by supporting South African entrepreneurs.

“When a new business starts up, support it as is may be one of your fellow alumni,” he said.

Dr Manuel, who presided over the graduation, also encouraged graduates to pursue their dreams.

“I want to plead with graduates to take heed of the advice of the guest speaker. Commit to your dreams.”

He called on graduates to make a commitment to life-long learning and return to CPUT to further their studies.

Written by CPUT News

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The Cape Peninsula University of Technology has ushered in a new era with the appointment of Dr Trevor Manuel as the institution’s first Chancellor.

This historic appointment comes just over three years after the Cape Technikon and Peninsula Technikon merged to form CPUT.

Addressing more than 400 guests, which included academics, government ministers and business people, Dr Manuel said: “I am indeed honored and privileged to have been called to serve this University as its Chancellor.”

Dr Manuel, who has a relationship with the institution that spans more than three decades, said that as Chancellor he will make an impact on CPUT during his term. He said while chancellors are not involved in the day to day management of institutions, they do have an important role to play.

“My responsibilities are at a higher level,” he said.

Dr Manuel said he will ensure that CPUT stays on course with its mission of producing skilled graduates, who will ensure technological advancement and economic growth in South Africa. However, he said: “If higher education is to play its role in technology changes and supporting economic advancement, then we need to continue to build more direct links between ‘learning’ and ‘doing’.”

These links must be developed through cooperative education, which sees higher education institutions working closely with the industry, in order to ensure students are appropriately skilled and that industry benefits from their expertise.

The newly installed Chancellor said the university already has an “excellent record of partnership with industry” and stands at the forefront of cooperative education practice in South Africa .

“This is a great foundation on which to build, and I believe the economic expansion underway and the skills challenges we face signal that this is exactly where we need to concentrate our planning and investment for the decade,” he said.

Dr Trevor Manuel also urged the institution to widen access to technical skills and applied knowledge, through various long and short courses.

With education being a vehicle not only to improve the economy, but also to uplift individuals, the rollout of programmes to ensure learners who would normally not qualify for engineering and science programmes, must be looked at, said Dr Manuel.

“Without progress in education, without rapid progress in both the quality of schooling and access to higher education opportunities, there is no plausible prospect of rising prosperity or broader participation in the modern economy,” he said.

However, Dr Manuel said he is positive that CPUT can address all the challenges facing higher education and is looking forward to “share in the journey that lies ahead.”

Education Minister Naledi Pandor, who addressed delegates, said CPUT will benefit from having Dr Manuel as their chancellor.

“I know for every graduate that will kneel before your stool, your presence here signifies for them excellence, opportunity and success,” she said.

Vice-Chancellor of CPUT, Prof Vuyisa Mazwi-Tanga, said the appointment of the chancellor is a milestone for the institution.

“This completes the circle of the establishment of CPUT as a university of technology,” she said.

Prof Mazwi-Tanga said the university is now standing on a threshold, “ready to launch itself to greater heights.”

By Candes Keating, Marketing and Communication Department

Written by CPUT News
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Family members and other well wishes are set to descend on CPUT’s Bellville Campus to celebrate with the class of 2014 who will graduate on Friday.

The Spring Graduation ceremony is the final graduation ceremony for the year, following the Autumn Graduation, which took place in April this year.

This year, CPUT will host a morning and afternoon ceremony and will confer 697 qualifications, of which 29 will receive MTech qualifications and five will receive Doctorates.

Qualifications will be awarded across the faculties, with the morning ceremony reserved for those who completed programmes in the Faculties of Applied Sciences, Business, Education and Social Sciences, Health and Wellness Sciences, and Informatics and Design.

Students who completed programmes in the Faculty of Engineering will take center stage at the afternoon ceremony.

The class of 2014 will be capped by CPUT Chancellor, Dr Trevor Manuel, who will preside over the ceremony.

Annually close to 10 000 graduate from CPUT.

**Watch this event via live broadcast on our CPUT Live Video Streaming website.

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.