1.3. ‘One Smart CPUT’ through the transformative lens of ‘Leaving No One Behind’

commitment to eradicate poverty in all its forms, end discrimination and exclusion, and reduce the inequalities and vulnerabilities that leave people behind and undermine the potential of staff and students as a cohesive university community. Furthermore, it identifies the generation of evidence, data collection and disaggregation through digital transformation within a human rights and social justice perspective.

The lessons learnt from Vision 2020, the emerging technologies and the Sustainable Development Goals have put focus on ‘oneness and smartness’ at the heart of transformation to ensure ‘no one is left behind’. This notion was further elevated following the COVID-19 pandemic which foregrounded the social justice deficits due to socio-economic challenges of students from townships, villages, farms, informal settlements and small towns. This was exacerbated by the sudden shift to online learning without enough time to plan and establish risk-mitigation strategies to address social justice matters. Students risked becoming passive learners, while some deregistered due to socio-economic challenges.

This called for the unpacking of the notion of ‘leave no one behind’ to ensure its integration in teaching, learning, digital transformation and other university responsibilities. Students and staff often get left behind when they lack choices and opportunities to participate in, and benefit from, development progress.

The concept of ‘Leave No One Behind’ has five critical pillars:

(i) Discrimination: This includes bias, exclusion or mistreatment of staff or students based on one or more aspect of their identity (ascribed or assumed), prominently including gender as well as ethnicity, age, class, disability, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, language or related intolerances.

(ii) Geography: This includes staff or students who endure isolation, vulnerability, absent or inferior transportation, Internet or other infrastructure gaps due to their place of residence.

(iii) Governance: This includes staff or students who are disadvantaged due to ineffective, unjust, unaccountable or unresponsive global, national or sub-national institutions, or in other words, those who are affected by inequitable, inadequate or unjust laws, policies, processes, procedures or budgets. In some instances, those who are unable to influence or participate meaningfully in decisions that impact them or their circumstances.

(iv) Socio-economic status: This includes staff or students who face deprivation or disadvantage in terms of income, life expectancy and educational attainment. In other words, those whose conditions are vulnerable, who have less chance to remain healthy, or who lack clean water, sanitation, energy, food security, social protection, financial services and adequate access to education.

(v) Shock and fragility: This includes those who are more exposed to or vulnerable to setbacks due to the impact of climate change, natural hazards, violence, conflict, displacement, health emergencies, economic downturns, price or other shocks (World Inequality Report 2018).

1.4 Digital transformation as tool for ‘oneness’ and smartness’

Vision 2030 Institutional Transformation Framework recognises that rapidly changing digital technology is bringing profound changes to the way students and staff study, work, interact, and conduct business in a university environment. It also acknowledges that a lack of knowledge and information is a powerful barrier to tackling the disadvantages and deprivations that leave people behind.