This year’s conference is themed Research, Innovation & Technology for African Development. 

The U6 consortium is a collaboration of six universities: CPUT; Jaramogi Oginga University of Science and Technology (formerly Bondo University College), Kenya; Kwara State University, Nigeria; The University of The Gambia; University of Cape Coast, Ghana; and University of Ilorin, Nigeria.

The consortium was launched in 2012 at the University of Ilorin in Ilorin, Nigeria and was established to foster academic linkages and educational collaboration among the six universities.
Dean of Applied Sciences Prof Olalekan Fatoki says the consortium has actually grown to encompass eight institutions since it was launched, but the name has stayed U6 to reflect the founding universities.

The two new universities to join the consortium are University of Calabar, Nigeria and University of Eldoret, Kenya.

“There have always been bilateral relationships between the universities, like Nigeria with Ghana, or South Africa with Nigeria. We realised that in many instances they had the same collaborations and conferences and that there was more strength in a collaboration between all the universities than just two at a time,” Fatoki explained.

He is the chairman of the international organising committee of the U6 Conference and his faculty will be instrumental in organising the conference, which will be held on the District Six Campus from September 4 to 6.

The local organising committee of the U6 Conference has put out a call for the submission of abstracts in any of the following thematic areas:
Climate Change/ Environmental Issues (Oceans Economy/ Blue Economy, Water & Sanitation, Energy Efficiency & Sustainability)

• Global Health and Wellness
• Agriculture & Food Security
• ICT, Tourism, Business & Governance
• Gender, Social Issues and Education for Sustainable Development

Fatoki said they hope scientists who specialise in ICT, social science or the humanities, engineers and health practitioners all consider submitting an abstract for consideration.

“Anyone with an interest in those fields should consider applying. This will be a multidisciplinary conference,” he explained.

Abstract submission deadline is June 15. Check the conference website for the abstract submission page.

Written by Theresa Smith
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Provides coverage for the Applied Sciences and Engineering Faculties and the Wellington Campus.

CPUT recently hosted the 8th ‘multidisciplinary ‘U6 Plus International Conference at District Six Campus and this year’s conference was themed: Research, Innovation and Technology for African Development.

The U6 Plus consortium is a collaboration of more than seven universities: CPUT; Jaramogi Oginga University of Science and Technology, Kenya; Kwara State University, Nigeria; The University of The Gambia; University of Cape Coast, Ghana; University of Ilorin, and University of Abuja, both in Nigeria.

The consortium was launched in 2012 at the University of Ilorin, Nigeria and was established to foster academic linkages and educational collaboration among the six universities. The original name, the U6 consortium, reflected the six founding universities; the consortium has since expanded to encompass more than seven universities and is now known as the U6 Plus.

“The success story has been the establishment of the Herbal Research Centre domiciled at the University of Ilorin,” said its current Director, Prof Learnmore Kambizi. The researchers from member institutions have since published 15 scientific articles on a collaborative basis under the U6 Plus consortium. Member institutions host the U6 Plus International Conference on a rotational basis.

The conference was officially opened by the current Chairperson of the U6 Plus Consortium, Vice-Chancellor Prof Chris Nhlapo. High-quality papers were presented at the conference, with all the subthemes covered. The Local Organising Committee (LOC) was well prepared for a hybrid conference. However, 90% of the papers were presented in person. “There was a lot of interest in this conference from many African universities and the pace that was set by CPUT can propel the U6 Plus Consortium to another level,” said Kambizi.

The conference was a huge success as attested to by all the seven vice-chancellors who made their remarks at the closing ceremony. The active involvement of postgraduate students and emerging researchers was evident which “is a good sign for continuity of the consortium. “Just like other departments at CPUT, the Department of Horticulture was well represented with eight papers presented by postgraduate students,” Kambizi noted.

The unwavering support given to the LOC by Nhlapo and the whole CPUT Executive Management of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology “is highly appreciated”. “This kind of support enabled the successful hosting of the 8th U6 Plus Conference in style. Active involvement of LOC members across all our faculties was very conspicuous and this is commendable,” Kambizi remarks. He added that over 40 full papers were submitted to be published in the proceedings of the first U6 Plus International conference.

Written by Aphiwe Boyce

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