CPUT’s first December Graduation kicked off today with the capping of Faculty of Informatics and Design students in the Major Sports Hall on Bellville campus.

In total some 5 220 graduands from six faculties will be capped at 12 ceremonies, which will include the conferring of 49 Masters and 10 Doctoral degrees over four days.

“Graduation is a major highlight of the academic year and we are very pleased to end off this rather challenging year with such a big celebration of our students’ achievements and our institution,” says Acting Vice-Chancellor Dr Chris Nhlapo.

Nhlapo will be present at all 12 ceremonies, some of which will be presided over by CPUT’s new Chancellor Thandi Modise.

He looks forward to sharing in the joy of the graduands and their families. “I am greatly honoured to witness our students reaching the pinnacle of their academic journeys so far. It is indeed a great cause for celebration and I feel really privileged to have a front-row seat,” Nhlapo adds.

The Faculties of Business and Management Sciences, Informatics and Design as well as Education will award Dean’s Medals to their outstanding students.

There will be three ceremonies per day at 09:00, 14:00 and 19:00 and all ceremonies will take place on Bellville campus.

Each ceremony will be live streamed.

Use the hashtags #WeAreCPUT and #CPUTsummerGrad2017 when posting memories on social media.

Written by Abigail Calata

The Faculty of Informatics and Design is gearing up for the most exhilarating week of their calendar- the annual FID Open Day.

The event is the culmination of a year of hard work by staff and students and runs from tomorrow through to Friday.

The exhibit features work from our Graphic, Jewellery and Surface Design students along with the Fashion, Photography, Journalism, Architecture and Multi-Media departments.

It offers industry partners and media an opportunity to mingle with staff and students.

The event also gives the public and staff members a chance to see some of the most cutting-edge design concepts- many of which have won exclusive prizes throughout the year.

This includes the winning AngloPlat collection which our Jewellery Design lecturer Vassiliki Konstandakellis and students recently scored top prizes in.

The stunning designs which are based on Zulu culture were even featured on the lifestyle programme Top Billing.

The best designs from our Fashion Department like award-winning denim dresses will also be featured.

The event takes place at the Cape Town campus’ Multipurpose Hall and starts at 17.30 with an award ceremony taking place shortly after.

By LAUREN KANSLEY

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Professor Johannes Cronjé, Dean of Informatics and Design at CPUT was recently named the top ICT educator in Africa.

The announcement was made at the 10th Annual African ICT Achievers Awards, which was held in Johannesburg on 28 November 2008. The awards recognise companies and individuals who have had a significant impact on the ICT industry in Africa.

Prof Cronjé’s passion for ICT in education along with his ground-breaking work in this field ensured that he clinched this prestigious award.

His interest in this field developed more than 15 years ago, when he was lecturing at the then Technikon Pretoria.

“I just believed that there must be better ways of getting high quality learning to take place than putting a talking head in front of a class,” he said.

This determination to impact on teaching and learning saw Prof Cronjé become a pioneer in ICT in education, with many of his innovations becoming standard practice in classrooms across the globe. In 1997 he ran one of the first Internet-based classrooms in the world and was also a pioneer of “peer teaching” in the field of ICT, where learners would sit two to a computer and assist one another.

“I further developed methods of teaching students outside regular contact time by using social software sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Youtude and Del.icio.us,” he said.

Prof Cronjé has also developed a popular website, Research Methods Online where students can access resources for their postgraduate studies. During the past few years he has also used his skills and knowledge to impact on the broader community.

“I regularly meet on a one-on-one basis with schools and provinces who invite me,” he said.

He was awarded a C rating by the NRF, has conducted extensive research in ICT, published extensively and presented papers at hundreds of national and international conferences.

He has also acted as a consultant in the area of using computers to reach out to various African countries.

Prof Cronjé said he is honoured by the award and “believes that it is an affirmation of the work” that his students have completed under his leadership. To date 150 of his students have been awarded master’s degrees, 35 have been awarded doctorates, while four have gone on to become professors.

Prof Cronjé plans to continue his work in ICT in education.

“My plans are to continue investigating, specifically the use of mobile devices and web 2.0 applications – that is cellular phones and Facebook – in education,” he said.

By Candes Keating. Marketing and Communication Department

Photograph: Prof Johannes Cronjé, Dean of Informatics and Design, displays his African ICT Achiever award.

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The Headspace exhibition brought together the work of students of Photography, Fashion, Graphic Design, Surface Design and Industrial Design in an explosion of colours, textures and shapes.

The exhibition, which was spread across three floors of the Design Building on the Cape Town Campus and two floors of the adjacent Student Centre, opened on 18 November 2008.

The title ‘Headspace’ alludes to the idea that, regardless of the discipline in which a student works, the creative process starts in the same place – the mind.

Dean of Informatics and Design Prof Johannes Cronjé opened the exhibition with a reminder that for the local design industry to flourish, South Africans should make a concerted effort to purchase the work local students. “It is part of our mission not just to be doers of jobs but to be creators of jobs,” he said.

The Industrial Design display exemplified the importance of students being able to both express their creativity and produce work that is functional and marketable. Vikki du Preez, who teaches History of Design, referred to two third-year projects – a prototype of an alarm clock and a model of a gaming console – to illustrate this point.

For the console, students were encouraged to come up with the most unusual concept they could imagine, and did not need to fit the device with working parts. For the clock, however, they had to work within the constraints of actual technology, and bring creative energy to a fully functioning object.

At the Graphic Design exhibition, artwork was not only on display but also being created. Third year student Kyle “Van Eck” Pase, whose interest lies in finding connections between graphic design and graffiti, was at the opening to paint his interpretation of the Headspace concept. Fellow third year Justin Poulter, who designed the poster used to promote the exhibition, created a dynamic accompanying mural on the opposite wall.

One of the primary features of the Fashion exhibition was the focus on providing a sound theoretical underpinning to commercially viable work. BTech student Nadia Lemmer created a sensuous range of garments for the fuller figure, influenced by the writings of Naomi Wolf. Also responding to the needs of contemporary women was Saara Jappie. Her vibrant Eastern summer clothes were conceptualised so that young Muslim women could wear stylish designs without compromising their values.

The Surface Design exhibition demonstrated the path that a student takes to developing a personal style. The first and second year displays saw students exploring the basic elements of design such as contrast and movement. The third year work brought the focus back to the designer as an individual. Students placed drawings of birds in an environment that represented the space in which saw themselves, and printed the results onto fabric. The material was stretched over three-dimensional frames resembling Herero figures. The overall effect was that of an African Village of surface designs.

The Photography exhibition also presented the results of individual creative journeys. In many cases, students travelled to remote locations in the country to capture the atmosphere of a place or a sense of the people who live there. The displays covered a variety of genres, including documentary, portrait and fine art photography.

“Each student has a body of work that speaks of personal development,” said Photography Lecturer Colin Adonis.

Jewellery Design opened its exhibition on 17 November 2008, prior to the Headspace launch.

Many of the students who exhibited at Headspace are in their final year of study and will enter the industry in upcoming months. The exhibition provided a taste of the exciting work that can be expected from this new generation of young designers.

By Ilana Abratt

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For the first time in CPUT’s history, the institution hosted 235 primary school learners for an educational campus tour in early August. Staff members of eight departments namely - Marketing; Jewellery, Fashion, Industrial and Graphic Design; Somatology; Environmental Health and Management; Food Technology; Civil Engineering; Horticulture and Analytical Chemistry - on both the Cape Town and Bellville campuses, welcomed Grade 6 and 7 learners from the Sun Valley Primary School, Fish Hoek into their lecture rooms and laboratories.

During the visit, learners were exposed to the different teaching environments of the various departments and were given an overview of each course. Student Recruitment Officer in the Marketing and Communication Department, Thandokazi Mtshekisa, said this new initiative serves as a great starting point for CPUT to target younger learners and possibly influence their choice of a tertiary institution and career path. 

“This is the first time that CPUT hosted a primary school for a campus visit and it is definitely the start of many more. I believe that it will motivate them to make an educated and more informed decision when they eventually start thinking of career options. We also wish to instill the value of higher education at an early age.”

Food and Technology lecturer at the Bellville campus, Anthony Obilana, was one of many staff members who welcomed this new initiative.

“I was very impressed with the learners’ enthusiasm. They seemed really keen to learn more about the course and also interacted very well with the staff. I think it is important that children get this kind of exposure from a young age.”

The Grade 6 learners have enjoyed a practical in the Food Technology lab on the Bellville campus.

Dean of the Informatics and Design Faculty, Professor Johannes Cronje said campus tours, such as these, serve as a great way to market the Faculty and the Institution.

“The learners showed much interest in the courses. They were very inquisitive and asked a lot of questions. As a faculty, we encourage learners to come and visit to see what we have to offer and how our students work within our environments,” he said.

The school’s Grade 6 and 7 Head, Allison Nuttall, who accompanied the learners on the tour said: “The girls especially enjoyed visiting the Civil Engineering, Horticulture and Food Technology departments, which helped them realise they have other career options.”

One learner, who particularly enjoyed the tour, was Grade Seven learner, Jaimie Kruyer. She said although she is still undecided about her future career path, the visit to CPUT helped her to realise more options.

“It was a really good educational experience. I learnt a lot about all the different courses, especially within the Technology sector, which I never knew one could study for. It was a lot of fun,” she enthused.

By: Sonia Koopman

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As Cape Town officially submits its bid to be World Design Capital in 2014 this week, there is a gathering momentum around CPUT’s involvement in a proposed design and informatics hub in the East City. With government and industry partners raring to go, CPUT’s Faculty of Informatics and Design (FID) are helping to spearhead the drive to create The Fringe: Cape Town’s Innovation District.

An area in which design and innovation can flourish, The Fringe will give credence to the university’s mission – to be at the heart of technology education and innovation in Africa. Reporting directly to FID Dean, Prof Johannes Cronje, on this project is Associate Professor of Informatics, Shaun Pather. One of Pathers' roles within the FID is to make strategic partnerships a reality, thereby bridging the all-important gap between research and innovation. Pather is passionate about The Fringe, saying, “CPUT is involved because teaching and research does not and should not happen in a vacuum. We can’t innovate in a vacuum, we need to be more closely aligned to our Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Media and Design industry partners, many of whom are already right here in our 'back yard'. We therefore see ourselves as a key partner in making The Fringe a reality.”

Pather is quick to emphasise the “triple-helix” of stakeholders driving the initiative – a coalition of academe, industry and government/civil society. ”The Fringe is a Cape Catalyst Initiative, a unit that recognises the importance of various creative industries to grow our provincial economy, and is supported by Provincial Government. The project is managed by the City’s Cape Town Partnership, with CPUT forming the third strand of the helix driving the creation of The Fringe.”

According to Prof Cronje, “As a key partner, we’re proposing our own contribution to the Fringe – the CPUT Design Park and Innovation Hub (DPIH). The intention is to create a business “design-park” model, a space in which everybody comes to play. We envisage an iconic architectural point, so that when people look at Table Mountain, they too will see this visionary creation. Right now we feel that our Cape Town campus has its back turned to the city. But the DPIH will change all that, becoming a space in which all higher education institutes, industry and civil society can share.”

An opportunity for CPUT to consolidate existing initiatives in the Design, ICT, Media and Business disciplines, the Design Park is fully supported by Executive Management, and institutionally is under the stewardship of Dr Chris Nhlapo, DVC Innovation, Research & Partnerships. It is hoped the project will position CPUT as a lead regional University, stimulate and manage the flow of knowledge and technology to companies and markets, and create opportunities to take research output to innovation stages. In addition, senior students will reap the benefits of being nurtured into design entrepreneurs, while the incubation and start-up of small and micro innovation-based companies can be fostered.

Cape Town will know by the end of June 2011 whether it has been shortlisted as a candidate for World Design Capital 2014, and by October this year whether its bid has been successful. While the development of The Fringe isn’t dependent on the successful outcome of the bid, it does add impetus to activities driving its creation.

“It’s ambitious,” says Pather, “but it’s do-able. And its aims and goals underpin President Jacob Zuma’s recent State of the Nation speech, which focused heavily on job creation. At the heart of job creation is knowledge production and innovation, which underscores the University’s mission, and the goals of government more broadly.”

By Jan Weintrob.

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Prof Melius Weideman, an acclaimed researcher in the Information and Communication Technology field, has recently authored a book that provides an in-depth look at website visibility.

The 222-page book, titled Website Visibility: The theory and practice of improving rankings, was officially released on 1 October 2009.

Aimed at students, academics and practitioners, the book focuses on identifying and evaluating the elements which contribute to an increase in ranking on a search engine result page.

Prof Weideman, who is the Head of Research Development in the Faculty of Informatics and Design, said: “The fight for the top spots in search engine result pages is intense - research has shown that 67% of users on average click on the first two results of a search engine result page.”

By securing one of the top spots on a search engine result page, website owners can be assured of increased exposure.

Although several books have already been published on the topic, this is the first one that marries the academic to the practical side of website visibility.

The book, which was published by Chandos Publishing of Oxford, UK is also the first sole-authored, fully peer-reviewed research book from inside the CPUT community.

Each chapter has been peer reviewed by two individuals. In addition, the book as a whole has been peer reviewed by another three experts.

The 10 reviewers were academics and practitioners from South Africa, the UK and the USA.

The book contains several real-world case studies and research on website visibility elements, and their effects on rankings.

Prof Weideman said it can be used as a research resource, a course textbook at a higher education institution or a guide to top management of a company with a commercial web presence.

The book, which took Prof Weideman two years to write, is a result of many years of research on website visibility and search engines.

During the past few years he has also authored several journal articles and delivered conference papers on the topics of website design and search engines.

This includes a Keynote Tutorial (July 2009) in Cambridge, UK, on website design for Visibility and Usability.

However, Prof Weideman said writing a book is a “venture not to be taken lightly.”

“The scarcity of focused academic books is proof of the difficulty of finalising this kind of task. However, it provides a vehicle for channeling one's research work and results into a highly useful product,” he said.

Parts of the book were written while lying in hospital after a high-speed crash during the 2008 ABSA Cape Epic extreme mountain bike event.

Some chapters were edited on his cellphone, while spending many hours on buses and trains in Munich during his 2008 three-month Fellowship at the Munich University of Applied Sciences.

""Some of the final proofreading was done with a headlamp at night, after eight or nine hours of hard cycling, lying in a small tent during the 2009 Cape Epic. This time I completed it after much suffering but without medical problems,” he said.

Prof Weideman said although the writing process was challenging, it was a good experience. He said CPUT academics with some accredited research outputs must consider this avenue of publication.

For more information on the book and to order a copy, please visit http://www.book-visibility.com.

By Candes Keating

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Talk about a close shave! On Saturday 16 February, Dean of Informatics and Design, Prof Johannes Cronje, had his 3-year-old ponytail shaved off as part of the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA) Shavathon.

The same day, numerous other concerned people throughout the country came together in shopping malls to have their heads shaved or sprayed in aid of cancer research. The donated hair is being used to create wigs for burn, scar, alopecia (hair loss) and cancer patients.

Prof Cronje believes in the social responsibility of leaders. He has also participated in AIDS testing on 11 September 2007 and feels that this was another way to show concern for the community at large.

To find out more about the CANSA Shavathon, go to http://www.shavesa.co.za.

By Amelia Smith

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Mr Bryan Ramkilawan, lecturer in the Department of Informatics and Design, was recently elected as a member of the Cape Town Fashion Council.

The Cape Town Fashion Council was born in 2005 when it became necessary to create a body for fashion designers in the Western Cape. The council consists of fashion designers, a clothing or textile manufacturer, a retailer, a media representative, the provincial government as well as Clotex and Wesgro. The Western Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism has agreed to fund the Council.

The purpose of the council is to grow opportunities for the Western Cape clothing and textile industry nationally and internationally. The Cape Town Fashion Council aims to promote the interests of the fashion industry in the Western Cape and provide buyers with easy access to detailed information about local designers through maintaining a professional presence on the internet.

The Council also liaises with financial investors to build investment schemes to support and finance designers and is focused on skills development of designers’ specifically practical business skills such as exporting products, marketing and negotiating skills.

Mr Ramkilawan studied fashion in Natal and has been working for 13 years. He lectures Creative Design and Computer Studies (Cad) to second year, third year and BTech students.

“This is a nice achievement,” said Mr Ramikilawan. He was nominated by people within the fashion industry who have worked and dealt with him and know his capabilities.

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The Faculty of Informatics and Design has found a new home for the departments of Interior Design, Architectural Technology, and Town and Regional Planning.

These departments, which were previously based on various CPUT campuses, are now housed in the recently opened Foreshore Campus, also known as the Thomas Pattullo Campus.

The official campus opening on 17 November 2008 coincided with the week-long Faculty of Informatics and Design exhibition of students’ work. The opening ceremony itself was preceded by an awards ceremony that acknowledged the sterling works of students within the three departments housed in the Thomas Pattullo Building.

In celebrating the opening and exhibition, guest speaker Malcolm Campbell, President of the South African Council for the Architectural Profession, said the building was historic and appropriate as it previously housed the offices of the Industrial Council for Building. He said its function is aligned with the original function of the building.

Campbell noted that it was unique for three related departments to be put together. “We need to celebrate that,” he said.

Campbell said, “There is no skills shortage in architecture, but people have not been trained adequately or have not upgraded their skills. The challenge of this institution (CPUT) is to play a role.” He said retraining will be easy with the location of this building in the CBD, next to all transport modes.

Prof Johannes Cronjé, Dean of Informatics and Design, commented on the appropriateness of housing the three departments at the same venue. He noted,""Cross-fertilisation is taking place here with students getting interested in what is being done at other floors.""

“We promised students last year that there’ll be an amalgamation and difficulties. In spite of that they are still producing the best work,” he said.

By Thami Nkwanyane

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CPUT is celebrating the promotion of three Professors positioned within the faculties of Engineering and Informatics and Design.

Recently, CPUT staff members Gary Atkinson-Hope, Theo Haupt and Melius Weideman were promoted to the rank of Full Professor within their respective departments and disciplines, after decades of dedication to their research.

After matriculating, Professor Gary Atkinson-Hope worked in field of electrical engineering for eleven years before realising his affinity to the world of academia. He obtained a Higher Diploma in Electrical Power Engineering and then entered the South African Institute of Electrical Engineers as a Graduate Member as a result of his academic achievements in advanced studies. In 1973 he was appointed as a lecturer at the Cape College for Advanced Technical Education (CCATES). While lecturing over the next few years Prof Atkinson-Hope completed a National Technical Teachers’ Diploma and went on to graduate with a BProc Law degree at the University of South Africa in 1983.

Prof Atkinson-Hope was appointed at the then Cape Technikon as a lecturer in 1989 and by 1993 he had obtained a Master’s qualification. A year later, he became Head of Department of Power Engineering with the vision and mission to develop power systems skills in this important field and to undertake and promote research. Then within a decade, Prof Atkinson-Hope obtained a MSc and a PhD in Electrical Power Engineering and was then promoted to Associate Professor in 2004 and in August 2008 was promoted on merit to Full Professor by CPUT with over 25 years of experience.

Prof Melius Weideman is an HOD: Research Development in the Faculty of Informatics and Design. After spending a number of years in industry, working in electronics and design, he joined the then Cape Technikon in 1984. He graduated with a PhD in Information Science from UCT in 2001, and was appointed as Associate Professor in 2004. Current research interests include website visibility, search engines and usability design, and many of his local and international publications focus on these issues. Prof Weideman manages two websites. One contains information relating to research matters, including funding, and the other supports his about-to-be-published academic book. This second website will also provide free access to relevant full-text academic publications.

During 2007 he was selected from 40 international applicants to become the first Fellow at the Munich University of Applied Sciences, and he spent some months teaching and doing research there in 2008. That year, he also did a series of workshops on invitation at an Austrian University, focussing on Internet and website marketing. Currently, he leads the NRF niche area of FID, and has collaborative links with industry and local and international universities through work and consultation done on improving their websites.

Located within the Faculty of Engineering, Prof Theo Haupt serves as Co-ordinator for the Southern African Built Environment Research Center (SABERC), as well as President for the Association of Schools of Construction of Southern Africa (ASOCSA). Prof Haupt is a Visiting Professor at the University of Johannesburg ’s Department of Construction Management and Joint International Co-ordinator for the CIB TG59 – People in Construction.

Presently, he acts as Editor-in-chief for the Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology (JEDT) and Editor for the Journal of Construction (JOC). Prof Haupt has written for and edited several books, journals and delivered numerous conference papers and lectures both locally and abroad.

The Inaugural Professorial Address of Prof Theo Haupt will take place on 20 November 2008. For more information, contact the Marketing and Communication Department on (021) 959 6286.

By Thando J. Moiloa

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The cream of the Informatics and Design Faculty’s student creations will be on display at the annual year-end exhibition.

The exhibition is open to the public and launches at the Multipurpose Hall in Cape Town this evening at 5.30pm and runs through to Friday.

Guests can expect to see creations by the Graphic Design, Photography, Industrial, Surface and Interior Design students and the event is a must for anyone interested in pursuing a design programme at CPUT.

The highlight of this evening’s proceedings is the annual fashion show which showcases designs from third-years and BTech students.

The Jewellery Design studio will also be open to the public and anyone interested in bespoke and custom-made items is encouraged to view the intricate work.

The Jewellery Design exhibition has been open for viewings since last week and the expensive creations have already gotten the attention of industry experts keen to snap up graduates for work placements.

The programme consistently ranks tops amongst Jewellery Design programmes nationally and this year students won a number of top competitions like Plat Africa and AngloGold.

Written by Lauren Kansley

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Liaises with the media and writes press releases about interesting developments at CPUT.

There are still a few hours left to catch the annual Student Exhibition for the Informatics and Design faculty today.

The exhibition has been running since Tuesday evening and ends at 3pm on Friday.

A highlight of the event is always the year and B-Tech fashion show and as usual a medley of big industry names attended to view the students work earlier this week.

This year, world famous designer Gavin Rajah had a front row seat while designers for upmarket brand Carducci were also in attendance.

Jewellery, Industrial, Surface and Graphic Design are all exhibiting and the photography portfolios of final year students are also available for viewing.

FRUIT FANTASY: A bright and breezy creation from a third-year student

BEIGE BEAUTY: Shades of nude are always popular

INSPIRING: An unusual silhouette

DESIGNER: A third-year student with her creations

CHAIN GANG: Accessories complete the look

TARTAN TEASE: A bold statement from a third-year designer

ORIENTAL: This creation has a Japanese theme

SPACE QUEEN: This designer looked to outer space for inspiration

INNOVATIVE: The yellow balloons made this collection unforgettable

CARNIVAL: A purple creation from a third-year designer

Written by Lauren Kansley

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Liaises with the media and writes press releases about interesting developments at CPUT.

CPUT is using innovation to accomplish disability inclusivity with its Informatics and Design as well as Engineering faculties collaborating to build a car adapted for people with disabilities.

This pioneering project is headed by Professors Mugendi M’Rithaa (Department of Design) and Oscar Philander (Adaptronics/Engineering).

The project is linked to Nicky’s Drive, a registered non-profit organisation founded in 2011 by Nicky Abdinor. The organisation aims to fund car adaptations for people with disabilities within South Africa.

CPUT is working with Nicky to further develop the sophisticated technology she uses to drive.Her physical limitations only allow her to drive using a joystick hydraulic steering system with her right shoulder.

Unfortunately, the technology for such a steering system is not available in South Africa and her vehicle was adapted in the United Kingdom. “I initiated a fundraising project to plan for the future – I knew that one day I would need to have a replacement vehicle adapted in the UK,” she says.

Nicky's new car project will be on show during the CPUT Disability Driving Expo which will take place on 7 March 2013.

The CPUT Disability Unit recently held a meeting where the project’s team briefed guests from the disability industry and other partners about the progress it has made on the car.

The team, which includes some BTech students from the two departments, told the guests that a great deal of work has gone into the project and assured Nicky that her car will be ready in February.

Prof M’Rithaa says the project bodes well with CPUT’s strategic objectives of enhancing social good, producing innovative products that have a potential Intellectual Property and that the project will be shared with the whole world in 2014 when Cape Town hosts the World Design Capital.

Kwanele Butana.

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A highlight on the Informatics and Design faculty calendar, the show truly reflected the sheer professionalism displayed by the students.

Industry role-players, family and friends attended the show that is the culmination of the student’s hard work, perseverance and sacrifice.

The theatrical show showcased the work of close to 30 students, who have worked tirelessly at putting together their innovative designs.

As with previous CPUT fashion alumnus, the class of 2012 is set to take the fashion industry by storm. 

Designs expressed vibrancy through colour and construction

Mystery and intrigue were two themes that were expressed strongly 

Flowing fabrics and soft colour palates were echoed through many designs  

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Creating innovative learning spaces using emerging technologies was the theme that carried through at CPUT’S recent Teaching and Learning with Technology Day.

Held on the Bellville Campus, the event was organised by the Educational Technology Unit, Fundani, and the Centre for e-Learning and proved to be a great success.

Understanding the changing technological times that educators are currently faced with, many of the speakers noted the options available to lecturers and also discussed the responsibility that comes with using these new and innovative options.

Lectures and workshops highlighted various factors in using rising technologies. Examples of these include Facebook, YouTube as well as the option of making podcasts available on Blackboard. The options are endless and exciting and are set to transform classrooms and engage students in a way that was not comprehendible a few years ago. 

According to Fundani: “More and more lecturers internationally, nationally, and CPUT are using emerging technologies that are gaining momentum in Higher Education and are not yet fully understood and fully researched, to create exciting learning spaces for their students.”

Keynote speaker, Dean of Informatics and Design, Professor Johannes Cronjè, noted that educators need to look at innovative ways of teaching, making a special mention of Apps that are easily available on most devices and how it can assist the student and lecturer and essentially change the classroom.

The event served as an exciting space and platform to share, showcase, train and engage the various options available and those being used at CPUT and left those who attended excited and inspired.

By: Nurahn Ryklief

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Staff and students returning to the Cape Town campus today will be welcomed by an unusual art installation.

A corner of the Student Centre now features an interesting origami wall thanks to first-year Surface Design students.

Informatics and Design students work has traditionally been displayed within their department but an initiative is underway to ensure many more common spaces around campus get an image makeover.

Surface Design lecturer Julia Brewis says her first-year students worked for hours installing the paper piece which features horns and is based on the concept of water.

“The folding piece starts from the ceiling and cascades down the wall onto the floor space covering the entire pillar. Sharp spiked cone elements also protrude from the pillar,” says Brewis.

She says she hopes many more faculties and not only FID students will take up the challenge of beautifying their common areas.

“We want to personalize the space and encourage creativity and dialogue because our campus lacks creative involvement,” she says.

“We are all very excited and hope that other disciplines will be inspired to do something.”

Her colleague Elna Lubbe says the installation will be moved to the Council Chambers soon to enable staff at the Bellville campus to view the work.

A second round of installations including wool hangings by second year Surface Design students will be displayed shortly.

By LAUREN KANSLEY

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Hundreds of qualifications were conferred during the CPUT Spring Graduation on the Bellville Campus today.

The event is one of the highlights of the CPUT academic calendar and provides the university with an opportunity to celebrate and recognise the achievements of students from all faculties.

During this year’s Spring Graduation CPUT will confer 989 diplomas and degrees, including 45 Masters and Doctoral degrees, in two ceremonies on the Bellville Campus.

This was the first graduation which Chancellor Thandi Modise presided over since her installation as CPUT chancellor, and marks a new era for the university.

Modise, who is also Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, has succeeded former Finance Minister, Trevor Manuel, who was the inaugural chancellor at CPUT.

The morning ceremony saw qualifications being conferred to students who completed academic programmes in the faculties of Applied Science, Business and Management Sciences, Education, Health and Wellness Sciences as well as Informatics and Design.

Acting Vice-chancellor, Dr Chris Nhlapo, told the audience that the day represents several years of study which required sacrifices not only from the graduates but also from their partners and family members.

“The number of our graduates show that we are making great strides in research and innovation,” said Nhlapo.

In the afternoon ceremony graduates in the Faculty of Engineering will be capped, including 21 Masters and Doctoral degrees.  

Written by Kwanele Butana
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Four years and over R500 000 later, what started out as a way of introducing Industrial Design students to industry has become a viable business model.

The R5K project tasks students with earning at least R5 000 by selling industrially designed products to a South African market.

In some cases groups have earned R140 000 with a single product and many designs continue to sell long after students have graduated.

The ingenious idea was the brainchild of Informatics and Design staff members Johan van Niekerk, Mugendi M’Rithaa and Bart Verveckken.

Previous popular designs was the Well Hung hook which allows you to hang a bag of groceries from a car seat headrest and Spoked, an adjustable cork bicycle handgrip.

This year students are once again thinking outside of the box with designs like a repurposed SAB keg braai, a food dehydrator and a pair of braai tongs (with a twist).

Production on prototypes start soon and the products will go on sale later this year.

The R5K project also caught the eye of the World Design Capital organisers and is a recognized project on their calendar of events helping to give greater attention to all the excellent similar projects being produced by the institution.

Visit www.imaginethat.org.za for more information on all CPUT’s WDC projects. 

Written by Lauren Kansley
Tel: +27 21 953 8646
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Liaises with the media and writes press releases about interesting developments at CPUT.

The importance of family and a support network was emphasized during the ninth graduation ceremony which took place in Cape Town this morning.

Graduates from the Informatics and Design Faculty were addressed by guest speaker Gina Levy during the ceremony.

Levy herself straddles many design disciples in her professional and personal life, working as an architect, film and screenwriter, photographer and dancer.

She urged graduates to continue to do their best in their professional careers and 'Pay it Forward' to future generations.

"You are the people who have the chance to change the trajectory of not only your life, but also that of your siblings and your children," she says.

Levy's message was especially pertinant to one gradute in the audience.

Charity Chiuwye graduated her BTech in IT alongside her husband Takaua Chandiwana who graduted her Masters in the same course.

The Zimbabwean couple battled visa issues and raising two young children to get to that proud moment.

"It was very difficult because my youngest is only five months and I was pregnant while I was studying," she says.

"But you have to study to make your life better."

Written by Lauren Kansley
Tel: +27 21 953 8646
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Liaises with the media and writes press releases about interesting developments at CPUT.