CPUT added yet another feather to its cap when the Marketing Department recently launched the country’s first Brand and Digital Research Hub.

The hub will support the university’s strategic goals as well as those of the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences, including focusing on the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Prof Chux Iwu, the Faculty’s Acting Assistant Dean: Research and Innovation, said the Marketing Department is one of the highly-rated departments in the faculty with the most success in terms of research excellence at CPUT.

Iwu announced that the hub will have a slot to present its research work during the annual International Conference on Business and Management Dynamics as from next year.

Marketing Lecturer, Dr Peter Steenkamp, discussed CPUT’s seven research focus areas and added that the areas are aligned to national and international imperatives.

Steenkamp said the objectives of the Hub include exploring and developing a pan-Africanist perspective with regards to strategic brand and digital media management.

He also discussed the hub’s research projects currently being undertaken by the Department’s postgraduate students and academics.

Silulo Ulutho Technologies’ Founder, Luvuyo Rani, said that as a CPUT alumnus he is willing to help in whatever way the University deems necessary in order for the hub to achieve its objectives. “We need more entrepreneurs,” said Rani.

He said he started his multi-award winning business selling refurbished computers to school teachers who only displayed them in their lounges without using them. This led to Silulo Ulutho opening its first computer and internet cafe in Khayelitsha in 2006, where they trained their customers in End User Computing skills.

“Our breakthrough happened in 2010 when they started opening shops in other provinces such as the Eastern Cape,” he said. “We’ve learnt a lot about how to brand something, grow the brand and live it,” observed Rani.

Chris Du Toit, CEO of Graham Beck Enterprises, said that in order to do branding, business owners need to understand who they are. “Create a position for your brand in your consumer’s minds,” said Du Toit. He added that digital technology changed the game of doing business.

The company produces the multi-award winning Authentic Premium Cap Classique range, which is uniquely South African.

Written by Kwanele Butana
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If you are looking for funding or need some advice on all the administration processes linked to your Mtech or Doctoral studies, then a visit to the Centre for Postgraduate Studies is a must.

With branches at the Bellville and Cape Town campuses, this one-stop-shop caters for all CPUT postgraduate students who are in need of a helping hand.

Staffed by experts in various academic fields, the centre is renowned for going that extra mile to ensure the success of each and every postgraduate student.

Recently the centre held welcome and information sessions across the CPUT campuses, which was attended by large numbers of postgraduate students.

Director of the centre, Prof Daniel Makinde urged students to make use of their services and facilities.

Services include assistance with funding, administration, research guidance and mentoring for students and research supervisors. The centre also boasts a study hall for postgraduate students, where they have access to the Internet, various computer programmes and other resources.

“CPUT provides a good environment to study and obtain your qualification,” said Prof Makinde.

Deputy-Vice Chancellor Research, Technology, Innovation and Partnerships, Dr Chris Nhlapo also urged students to make a success of their postgraduate studies.

“This is an opportunity of a lifetime,” he said.

Currently, South Africa produces just over 1000 PhD graduates a year, a low number compared to other developing countries, producing far larger numbers. During the next few years, South Africa hopes to up the number and produce up to 6 000 PhD graduates a year.

Dr Nhlapo said CPUT will play a key role in upping the PhD figures.

“We must make sure more young researchers get into the system,” he said.

By Candes Keating

Written by CPUT News
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The Health and Wellness faculty recently welcomed a bumper class of postgraduate students to its Computerised Tomography course.

CPUT is the only higher education institution in Africa to offer the certificate course and this year the class has students from as far afield as Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia and even Ireland attending.

Computerised Tomography is a radiography speciality that creates a 3-D image of areas in the body and is more accurate at spotting abnormalities in the body.

This course is important to industry as it provides an opportunity for radiographers to enhance their knowledge and expertise and stimulates professional development in Southern Africa.

The course has been on offer since 2008 but is only offered every two years because of the huge workload required of both lecturers and students.

Radiography lecturer Aladdin Speelman says the course enjoys bumper enrolments because of past student recommendations.

“We are heartened by the large number of radiographers from industry who wants to improve their knowledge and skills by enrolling for the course. This course is therefore succeeding in advancing the CPUT brand in Africa,” he says.

Find out more about the Computerised Tomography course

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.