Message from the Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Technology Innovation & Partnerships

MESSAGE FROM THE DEPUTY VICE-CHANCELLOR: RESEARCH, TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION & PARTNERSHIPS (DVC: RTIP)

Dr David Phaho

CPUT researchers, scholars and postgraduate students have continued with driving our research and innovation agenda.

This report covers CPUT’s research and innovation activities during the academic year 2020. The year kicked off with news of the rapid spread of a virus first detected in Wuhan, China. Little did we know that the whole world would be profoundly impacted by this once in a generation ‘black swan’ event.

The impact of Covid-19 on higher educational institutions has been predictably acute. In a sector which requires access to lecture rooms and face-to-face engagements, the advent of Covid-19 and the restrictions it imposes presented serious challenges for the sector. As the pandemic required the closing down of facilities including our campuses, the need to provide students with reliable, enabling devices and internet access to ensure that their academic progress would not be impeded became an institutional priority. Restrictions to campuses imposed a particular burden on our postgraduates who require around the clock access to research facilities as well as constant travel requirements for fieldwork, conferences and other activities underpinning the research endeavour.

The support for postgraduate students, championed by our Centre for Postgraduate Studies (CPGS), for them to progress with their academic endeavours even during the Covid-19 pandemic is noteworthy. CPGS, working with the Faculty Deans and other key players, implemented contingency measures such as online workshops as well as continuous engagement between postgraduate students and their supervisors albeit remotely. These initiatives have enabled our students to continue with their studies even during the lockdown periods. Specifically, the carefully designed online workshops and seminars delivered by experts focusing on key skills such as Proposal and Publications Writing, Research Methods and the Use of Online Library Resources, were found to be very effective in keeping postgraduate students engaged and motivated during 2020.

The impact on our research agenda, just like the postgraduate progress, has been felt far and wide. Notwithstanding these challenges, CPUT researchers, scholars and postgraduate students have continued with driving our research and innovation agenda. The upward trajectory in research outputs, increased number of postgraduate students as well as national and international innovation platforms spearheaded by our world-class researchers and scholars bears testimony to this. These colleagues who not only established and manage world-class research programmes continue, albeit with limited resources, to drive ground-breaking and high-impact research in areas of national priority. From the positive health effects of Rooibos Tea to Smart Energy Grids, we should be proud of the work our esteemed colleagues are doing across all our faculties, centres and institutes.

Impressive progress in our technology transfer and commercialisation initiatives continues. For a university of technology, we punch way above our weight when it comes to income from licensing of our innovations. In the innovation space, our world leading nanosatellite constellation programme is a vivid illustration of how

far CPUT has come as institution dedicated not just to basic research but also to innovation and commercialisation of our research outputs for the benefit of all South Africans. The pending launch of additional nanosatellites clearly shows that our institution continues to strike a fine balance between basic research and technology innovation for the greater good of society. The envisaged impact of our nanosatellite programmes on national economic imperatives such as Operational Phakisa cannot be underestimated.

The ‘new normal’ in which we live has had some positive impacts on our ways of working at CPUT. The institution in response to the prevailing conditions embraced a new spirit of collaboration and innovation across our institution. Proactive engagement and adoption of far-thinking strategies by Executive Management, Faculty Deans and other key stakeholders has enabled us to proceed in a responsible way with our research activities in support of our academic agenda. Furthermore, our ability to steer the institution through this unchartered terrain is in no small measure of the remarkable work of our Covid Command Health Cluster, which has brought together all relevant key players to ensure that our academic programme progress efficiently while the institution strictly adheres to government-mandated safety and health protocols.

The relentless drive for research excellence has now found renewed impetus in our newly minted decadal Strategy Plan called V2030. Amongst the forward-thinking objectives of this vision, is that it puts a premium on Smart RTIP. This ensures the relevance and excellence of the knowledge that CPUT produces through the development of a range of activities in line with the needs of industrial revolutions, industries and circular economy developments, underpinned by the efforts of worldclass researchers. In the plan, CPUT has also prioritised the development of a new generation of researchers, enhanced postgraduate experience, and quality research outputs for the next ten years.

In closing, I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the entire CPUT community who continue to show remarkable resilience during this trying time. The unimaginable loss of life wrought by Covid-19 has no doubt adversely affected our colleagues as well as stakeholders beyond our fence-line. However, the institution still has a lot to celebrate and draw comfort from, in our stellar research, innovation and creative outputs as well as continuing student successes. As we pivot towards our new decadal plan, I have no doubt our research agenda will grow in leaps and bounds, even as we wait in anticipation to welcome the dawn of a yet undetermined post-Covid-19 era.

JOINT MISSION WITH SAHRA TO RESTORE HERITAGE

Adv Lungisa Malgas and Dr David Phaho

DVC: RTIP Dr David Phaho has endorsed a partnership with the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) to ensure that our heritage infrastructure and artefacts are properly maintained and restored for the benefit of all South Africans. The two parties recently held a joint webinar in which Dr Phaho and SAHRA CEO Adv Lungisa Malgas signed an MoU to formalise the collaboration.

A delighted Dr Phaho said the objective of the partnership was to work with SAHRA to leverage CPUT expertise in preserving the integrity of the national heritage for posterity. He continued, “Historic buildings, monuments and other structures are not just important for tourism but serve as a window to our past and must be preserved for generations of South Africans who will come after us.” He went on to say he looks forward to seeing the academic outputs and tangible impact of this collaboration on broader society.

Adv Malgas said the purpose of this partnership was to formalise the relationship between CPUT and SAHRA as the two entities have been collaborating and consulting over the past few years. “We plan to continue to support CPUT and its students pursuing their studies in heritage conservation. But most importantly, we are exploring the feasibility of establishing a Centre for Sustainable Heritage Research and Management with CPUT.”

Through this partnership, CPUT researchers and affiliated scholars at other institutions will have an avenue through which to pursue cutting edge research in the heritage space. It is envisaged that the centre will provide ample training for master’s and doctoral students in this important field of study.

Adv Malgas noted that SAHRA is the custodian and authority for a number of heritage sites and properties. In order for these structures to remain sustainable, SAHRA would require a tremendous amount of research and consulting capacity, which CPUT could provide. “Furthermore, the envisaged institute could become an internationally recognised centre for heritage innovation. However, the main incentive for both our entities is advancing heritage management in South Africa,” she said.