The Faculty of Applied Science is taking bold steps to increase the number of doctoral graduates in South Africa.

Currently, South Africa produces just over 1000 doctoral graduates a year – a dismal figure compared to other countries producing far higher numbers. According to the Department of Science and Technology (DST), this figure is way below the number of doctoral graduates required for the growth of the South African economy.

With CPUT committed to addressing local and national problems, the Faculty of Applied Science has put in place strategies to increase the number of doctoral graduates.

Prof Michael Mcpherson, Faculty Research Coordinator said they have submitted an application to the Department of Education for the approval of several new programmes at the Doctorate of Technology level. 

“By offering more doctoral programmes we will be able to broaden our research base,” he said.

Doctoral programmes are planned in the Departments of Agriculture, Horticulture, Food Technology and Nature Conservation. The faculty already offers doctoral programmes in Chemistry and Environmental Health.

Prof McPherson said they are also in the process of recruiting post-doctoral fellows, who will play a critical role in the contribution of research and supervision of doctoral students.

The faculty has also increased its staff profile by employing several researchers who hold doctoral qualifications while a number of existing staff members have improved their qualifications up to doctoral level.

These initiatives will go a long way in improving the faculty’s research output, said Prof McPherson. Currently the faculty boasts the second highest research output at CPUT in terms of journal publications, conference proceedings and book publications.

The faculty’s initiatives are being supported by Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research, Technology Innovation and Partnerships, Dr Chris Nhlapo.

“Efforts by Prof McPherson are lauded as these can only expand our research base and increase our research output,” said Dr Nhlapo.

The faculty’s initiatives are also in line with the CPUT 10-year Research and Innovation plan, which was tabled in September of this year. The plan outlines strategies that will ensure CPUT produces more doctoral candidates, research output and patents.

“The generation of new knowledge by researchers is highly acknowledged, lauded and fully embraced by my office. It is indeed the only way of building a globally competitive faculty,” said Dr Nhlapo.

By Candes Keating

Written by CPUT News
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Students at CPUT are poised to become national leaders in technology innovation.

This comes after students showcased their skills in the National Innovation Competition (NIC).

The competition sees tertiary students from across South Africa develop business plans that outline technology innovations.

This year CPUT students came up with a number of innovative ideas, ranging from keys that buzz in the dark to water purification systems.

The competition was launched in 2005 by the Innovation Fund, which is an agency of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) aimed at driving innovative technology development programmes.

Speaking at the NIC awards ceremony, which took place on 13 October 2009 at the Cape Town campus, National coordinator of the competition, JP Kloppers said they were impressed with the entries.

Of the 20 applications, the top three ideas were selected for prizes.

Electrical Engineering students, Solomon Smit and Morne Roman, clinched first prize and walked away with R50 000.

Their plan outlined the development of a key match system, which would aid individuals to find the correct key when opening a door at night. The key match system would also prove beneficial to visually impaired individuals.

The second prize winners were Industrial Design student Micah Donnoli and Interior Design student Alika Dobie, who developed a water purification system that could be used in informal settlements.

Third prize winners were Business students Emang Mochwhanaesi and Percy Moila who developed a scanner calculator that is attached to shopping carts.

The scanner calculator allows shoppers to scan their own products and pay at the till without having to unpack the trolley.

Kloppers said even those who did not win must go ahead and develop their ideas.

With the local legs of the competition wrapped up, the winners of each tertiary institution will compete against their counterparts at the national round of the NIC.

The first prize is R300 000, which must be used to develop and commercialise the winner’s idea.

Prior to the national competition that takes place in March 2010, the winners will participate in an accelerator workshop.

“The idea is that they update and grow their business plan into a fuller and more robust plan,” said Kloppers.

Manager for Institutional Transformation, Social Cohesion and Diversity at CPUT, Geroge Mvalo, who is the chair of the institutional steering committee of the competition, said they were impressed with the calibre of students.

Mvalo said they recruited outside experts to scrutinise the plans and assist with selecting the winners.

He said the competition must be sustained by CPUT in order to promote entrepreneurship through innovative ideas.

By Candes Keating

Written by CPUT News
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CPUT, in collaboration with the Department of Science and Technology (DST), the Department of Economic Development and Tourism, local industry and various tertiary institutions within the Western Cape recently launched the Western Cape Regional Innovation Forum at the Breakwater Lodge, V&A Waterfront.

The Forum, the theme of which was ‘Innovation through Cooperation’, has been developed to activate the Regional Innovation System (RIS) by facilitating a comprehensive engagement of Western Cape businesses, institutions and government (collectively known as Triple Helix stakeholders).

The Forum will provide a unique opportunity to network, cement and exchange opportunity and know-how as a contribution to both regional and national innovation.

This collaboration and networking among the Triple Helix stakeholders is critical for economic growth and wealth creation, particularly in the advent of Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) and the new IPR Act 51 of 2008. The latter encourages universities to manage their intellectual assets appropriately. Academically it is also important for local universities to establish linkages with industry to bridge the innovation chasm.

Welcoming the guests, CPUT Vice-Chancellor Prof Vuyisa Mazwi-Tanga, mentioned that CPUT has been asked to be the coordinator of the project. She said the event marks the significance of how the problems relating to health, poverty, unemployment, and service can be solved through collaboration and partnerships. Prof Mazwi-Tanga said there was a strong correlation between innovation and economic growth.

Marjorie Pyoos, Deputy Director General at the DST, said CPUT played a significant role in mobilising institutions in the Western Cape. She drew an analogy to Finland, which is dependent on forestry but became a key role player in the world economy because people are seeking innovative solutions.

Pyoos said the recent economic recession should not be seen only as negative but also as a challenge to reverse our situation and grow economy. She said the people of Finland came up with technological ideas.

Piet Barnard, Director of the Technology Transfer Office at the University of Cape Town, said they were getting 60% of foreign funding for research from local government, NGO, and national government.

Among the other people who spoke at the launch were Shamil Isaacs of the CPUT Clothing and Textile Technology Station, Phindile Tshabangu from the University of Stellenbosch and Khalid Khan from the Department of Economic Development and Tourism. Their presentations showcased strategies, opportunities and possible collaborations within the Triple Helix stakeholders. There were also group discussions on strategic implementation of these activities.

During his vote of thanks, Dr Chris Nhlapo, CPUT Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Technology Innovation and Partnerships, thanked everyone who attended the forum and reminded the guests that 55% of all National Research Foundation (NRF) ‘A’ rated researchers come from the Western Cape.

By Thami Nkwanyane

Written by CPUT News
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The CPUT Technology Transfer Office recently hosted an engagement session by members of the National Department of Science and Technology (DST) on the Intellectual Property Rights from the Publicly Financed Research and Development Act.

The Act, which comes into effect on 15 April this year, regulates the manner in which Intellectual Property emanating from publicly funded research is identified, protected, utilised and commercialised.

Addressing CPUT researchers and other staff members on 11 March 2010, DST Specialist in Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Nomkhosi Madwe said the Act aimed to tackle inconsistencies in the way in which institutions manage intellectual property in South Africa.

She said the legislation would help pass on the social and economic benefits of publicly funded research which emanates from academic institutions to South African society.

The DST representative cited the example of the successful rise of the biotechnology industry in the United States, which could be attributed to similar legislation.

According to the DST, although their Department’s budget for publicly funded research is currently R4 billion, only 5% of current South African patents are based on research derived from government funding.

Under the Act, each institution that receives public funds is obliged to create capacity by, for example, setting up a Technology Transfer Office to assist researchers at the institution with matters pertaining to the protection and commercialisation of their research, the implementation of the Act and the regulations in general.

The Act entitles researchers, whose intellectual property was derived from publicly funded research to 20% of initial gross revenue from the commercialisation of that intellectual property and 30% of nett revenue. In such circumstances, ownership of the intellectual property lies with the institution.

In projects that are jointly subsidised by the government and private donors, the Act allows for joint ownership of intellectual property.

Intellectual property not derived from government sponsorship does not fall under the Act.

“The Act should not be viewed in isolation. It is part of a ten-year innovation plan. We are trying to move South Africa from a resource-based economy to a knowledge-based economy,” Madwe said.

Theo Hendrickse, outgoing Director of the Technology Transfer Office, responded to the presentation by acknowledging that although this is new territory for CPUT, getting the process right would greatly benefit the institution’s stakeholders.

“This is not about compliance. This is about change management” he said.

Hendrickse indicated that the DST presentation was the first of many conversations that the Technology Transfer Office would facilitate at the institution in connection with this new legislation.

By Ilana Abratt

Written by CPUT News
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CPUT hosts the DST-UNESCO Engineering Week on Bellville campus from 17 to 20 September 2018.

Prof Mellet Moll, Acting Dean: Faculty of Engineering, explained that the annual Engineering Week is sponsored by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) and is done in collaboration with a host university. “It is a great honour for CPUT to host the event this year,” said Moll.

The week focuses on addressing the challenges of the engineering profession in Southern Africa and the rest of the continent and is also aimed at attracting learners to subjects such as Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. The event (DST-UNESCO Engineering Conference) rotates among the nine provinces of South Africa.

The DST-UNESCO Engineering Conference starts with a day-long student conference on 17 September, with students from Engineering Faculties from all South African Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) invited to take part.
“Postgraduate students from engineering faculties of South African HEIs submitted abstracts and the best submissions will be presented, with prizes for the best paper and best poster presentation plus a student function which provides a chance for the students from various institutions to network”.

“The formal proceedings of the student conference will be run by academic from CPUT, UCT and Stellenbosch in collaboration with engineering students who are members of CPUT’s SRC,” said Moll.
The main conference will take place from 18 to 20 September and is free and open to all people involved in the engineering profession including industry and academia as well as people in related disciplines who are interested in the topics that will be discussed.

“We have a line-up of speakers from across the spectrum including the DST, SANSA, NRF, ECSA, CPUT, our neighbouring universities UCT and Stellenbosch as well as industry specialists.”

“Engineering finds itself in a changing landscape, especially with the advent of the Industrie 4.0 era. A lot of things have to be reframed so we selected the theme ‘Enabling the Fourth Industrial Revolution for Sustainability and Economic Growth’,” said Moll.

“The conference is divided into sub-themes which require dialogue, especially within the southern African context. These include Industrie 4.0 itself, Energy, Water, Environmental Engineering, Infrastructure, Beneficiation, Space Science, Women in Engineering and Engineering Education.”

*Students can visit the DST-UNESCO career exhibition in the Major Sports Hall on Tuesday 18 September and Wednesday 19 September between 9:00 and 16:00.

Written by Theresa Smith
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