​Thursday 19 January 2017, 18:00 - 19:00, Danie Craven stadium (informal pre-programme starts at 17:30)

The official welcome of new students (Stellenbosch campus, Tygerberg campus and Faculty of Military Science) and their parents/guardians, student leaders and staff will take place at 18:00 in the Danie Craven stadium on Thursday 19 January 2017.

​"I was both excited and, at the same time, a little intimidated by the responsibility of supervising such a capable and accomplished student," says Dr Brian van Vuuren of Jacqueline Kazmaier, who won Stellenbosch University's prestigious Chancellor's Medal for 2017. Dr Van Vuuren, lecturer in the Department of Industrial Engineering, was Ms Kazmaier's project leader for her final-year "skripsie".

The Chancellor's Medal is the highest honour bestowed on a student by Stellenbosch University and is awarded annually to a final-year or postgraduate student who has excelled both academically and in all facets of campus life. Ms Kazmaier passed all the modules for her BEng degree in Industrial Engineering with distinction. Her average over four years was 89,7%.

For her final-year project, Ms Kazmaier chose a topic proposed by Dr Van Vuuren and PhD student Jancke Eygelaar. The title was A machine learning data analysis decision-support system.

Dr Van Vuuren continues: "Machine learning is a very complex field to make sense of and certainly well outside the scope of the four-year curriculum. Jancke and I therefore knew it would need to be a strong and ambitious student who could drive the project. I didn't know Jacqui very well, but I knew she was a top-tier student and, as such, expected her to choose a seasoned academic and experienced researcher as her project leader. As I am a young lecturer and not very experienced academically, I was surprised (yet naturally thrilled) that Jacqui chose me as her project leader.

"As expected, Jacqui was self-motivated and independent. Jancke and my role as study leaders was therefore more as 'collaborators' than 'supervisors'. She took the project 'by the horns' and ran with it. We didn't even know what the outcome would be - she forged her own path and developed the project according to her vision. All programming, development and implementation was done completely independently and far exceeded our hopes for the project. Then again, with her pristine academic record and positive work attitude, I could see from an early stage that she was going to excel beyond what we had in mind. She received 89% for her final-year project.

"Despite her exceptional academic abilities and independence as a student, Jacqui is incredibly humble and soft spoken. She was always seeking advice and took everything Jancke and I said to heart, although she was more than capable in her own right. She really was a pleasure to work with!"

Ms Kazmaier serves as an excellent example to dispel two myths that say engineers are nerds and that Engineering is for men only. Regarding the former myth: apart from being a brilliant student, she is a well-rounded person. She is a talented photographer and graphic designer. She sings, dances and plays both the violin and the piano. Furthermore, she is a member of the Maties Surfing Society and the Maties Volleyball Society.

Regarding the myth that Engineering is for men only, Ms Kazmaier is the fourth female Engineering student to win the Chancellor's Medal since 2003, the others being Marlize Schoeman (2003), Celeste Barnardo (2006), Lidia Auret (2010). This means that, since 2001, there have been four women Engineering students to win the coveted award compared to three men.

​Read more about this exceptional student here

​​​​The verification of documents for Undergraduate and Postgraduate Degree-seeking International students will take place from Monday 22 to Friday 26 January 2018 at the RW Wilcocks building, Crossley Room 1023.

Students must present the following documentation:

• Valid study visa
• Valid passport
• Proof of South African medical cover
• Proof of full payment (tuition fees, International Registration Fees [IRF], International tuition fees, academic service fees)

Please note: All first-year undergraduate students do not need to apply for their matriculation exemption certificate prior to registration of the 2018 academic year, however, you need ensure you meet the exemption requirements by sending your final results to Ms Talmarkes at ctalmarkes@sun.ac.za, in order to obtain confirmation that registration will be in order.

Contact details:

Undergraduate:

Carmelita Talmarkes

Tel: +27 21 808 2910

Email: ctalmarkes@sun.ac.za

Postgraduate:   

Cindy de Doncker

Tel: +27 21 808 2566

Email: cnm@sun.ac.za

pges@sun.ac.za (when documents are attached)

PLEASE NOTE: All international undergraduate first-year students registering for degree programmes need to follow the faculty welcoming programme. For more information see the following link: www.sun.ac.za/welcome.

​​​Three of the country's greatest problems are intimately linked: drug abuse, crime and violence.  Often in that order.  And this not only has an impact on the wellbeing of the country's citizens, but inevitably also has a negative influence on the economy, which is already weak and tired.

So to break this vicious cycle we need to address the core of the problem: drug abuse.  This is precisely what Dr Burt Davis, lecturer at the Africa Centre for HIV/Aids Management at the University of Stellenbosch (US), has done.

He realised that hackneyed methods of communicating knowledge and information often, perhaps even usually, fall on deaf ears. He undertook intensive research and came up with a first for South Africa.

Davis has just received his doctoral degree at the sixth graduation ceremony at the University of Stellenbosch (7 December) by designing a subtle and scientifically-founded photo-novel dealing with the health risks of using tik. It is entitled “Spyt kom te laat" [“Better safe than sorry"] and has been tested in clinics and community centres in the Western Cape.  His supervisor was Prof. Carl Jansen from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands and an honorary professor at the US.

“Everyone knows that the scope of the problem of tik, particularly in the Western Cape, is absolutely enormous", says Davis. “I believe that education around this problem is the key to success. But if one looks at the pamphlets and brochures about tik at clinics and hospitals, there is often not much to choose from. Especially not in Afrikaans. And so I decided to do something about this myself."

The photo-novel deals with a vicious cycle: how easily and “innocently" someone can fall into the habit of tik abuse; the criminal actions that follow from this; the tragic impact of this at home; and ultimately the arrest. And by then “it's too late to be sorry" …

“I adopted an 'entertainment-education' or edutainment approach. “People enjoy being entertained. By conveying a health message about tik in an entertaining way with a storyline and photographs, people learn about the tik problem without even realising it".

He adds: “It does not help if one does academic research on a community, but it means nothing to the community. That's why I want to try and make my photo-novel available free of charge to community leaders, schools and clinics – or whoever else is interested. But printing the booklets costs money. So what I need now is funding."

He believes (and has demonstrated) that this approach to dealing with the evils of tik can work. His findings have shown that people prefer the photo-novel over the more traditional brochures and that this can be an effective way of communicating health messages related to tik abuse to the community.

Dr Burt Davis is a lecturer at the Africa Centre for HIV/Aids Management at the University of Stellenbosch, and may be contacted at 021 808 3707 or burt@sun.ac.za

​

First-ever dragonfly-drone project needs public support to take flight

• Researchers hope that public support through crowdfunding project will allow them to start a study on East African dragonflies.
• Plan is to use drones to photograph dragonflies, and to ultimately understand the state of wetlands better.
• It is the first time that drones will be used to monitor insects.
• Crowdfunding project on Kickstarter platform ends 22 December 2017.

Do you want to give an early Christmas present to a researcher who is passionate about dragonflies? Then consider supporting a crowdfunding project that paves the way for a project using drones to photograph and identify dragonfly species found around the wetlands of Mozambique and the lakes of Uganda. If successful, it will be the first time that drone technology is used to sample anything other than mammals and birds.

This slightly out-of-the-box research project is the brainchild of Dr John Simaika, a research fellow of the Department of Soil Science at Stellenbosch University and postdoctoral researcher at IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, and Dr Paolo Paron, also of IHE Delft.

Their crowdfunding project on the Kickstarter platform will run until 22 December, and is called “Drones and dragons: tech for assessing wetland health". The overall goal of the project is to assess the state of wetland areas in the two African countries. It is supported by NatureUganda and the Maputo Natural Historical Institute, as well as the IHE Delft Institute for Water Education. One of the outputs of the projects will be a freely downloadable and shareable biomonitoring app that citizen scientists can use. It will use an online image recognition service.

“We are trying this fairly unconventional fundraising method, because we do not think that traditional scientific funding platforms are geared towards projects of this kind," says Dr John Simaika, co-author of a book that tells how to use dragonflies to assess the state of South African wetlands and rivers.

What needs to be funded?

The project team already has the drones needed to fly with, but are missing one crucial piece of equipment: a 100mm prime lens for the Sony Alpha camera. 

They are also raising funds to cover their running costs, consumables and travelling expenses. They hope to visit Uganda's major lakes and Mozambique's wetlands twice over the course of the next two years, to take note of how the dragonfly variety differs from season to season.

 “Dragonflies are large insects that are relatively easy to spot and to identify in the field, and are excellent indicators of water quality and freshwater health," explains Dr Simaika. “Their presence provides tell-tale information about the state of the environment, because some species are only found in undisturbed areas, while others are able to adapt to changes that are brought on by poor land management practices or human development."  

Drones will be used to take footage of dragonflies, while image recognition software will allow the researchers to count and identify the different species. “This avoids having someone sit for hours to review footage and count insects manually," explains Dr Simaika.

“Areas not easily accessed by foot, such as waterfalls or vegetation in wetlands, can be surveyed using the drones," says Dr Simaika. “Surveys can be repeated in the same areas thanks to the built-in GIS system in the drones. Because the footage is being captured electronically, the data can be uploaded, archived, shared and re-analyzed not only for the presence of dragonflies but other things like plant structure and health, and land cover change."

According to Dr Simaika, the use of such technology makes it possible for non-experts and non-scientists to do the actual monitoring work. “It provides the opportunity for people to become involved in the monitoring of wetland health on a voluntary basis," he explains.

For more information, visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dronesanddragons/drones-and-dragons-tech-for-assessing-wetland-heal or contact Dr Simaika on simaikaj@sun.ac.za.

More information about Dr John Simaika
* He recently received the 2017 Marsh Award for Early Career Entomologist from the Royal Entomological Society, for his contribution to the development of the Dragonfly Biotic Index (DBI), a rapid biomonitoring method using adult dragonflies for streams and wetlands.

Photographs:

Blackwinged flutterer.jpg and Ivory Pintail.jpg

The blackwinged flutterer and the ivory pintail are two dragonfly species that the research team hopes to photograph in Uganda and Mozambique. Photo credit: John Simaika

Drone.jpg

Dr Paulo of the IHE Delft Institute for Water Education demonstrates the type of drone to be used as part of the East African dragonfly study he hopes to pursue in conjunction with Dr John Simaika of Stellenbosch University.

Stellenbosch University (SU) awarded this year several degrees, diplomas and certificates to students with disabilities who succeeded in completing their tertiary studies.  

These students were supported by die Disability Unit at SU that forms part of support services to make SU more accessible to people with disabilities.

Some of the students with disabilities at the graduation ceremonies in December 2017, shared their experiences:

• Kerwin Noemdo (23) is a recipient of a BSc degree in Conservation Ecology during the fifth graduation ceremony.  This Matie sports star has also represented South Africa in several international games, most recently in the 2017 World Paralympics Athletics championships in London.  Noemdo, who hails from Bellville, says more than anything else he is relieved to be graduating.

Says Noemdo: “I had to extend my four year programme to five years because of my participation in several sports events all over the globe.  It's truly a weight off my shoulders to know that I have finally completed the degree because it was beginning to feel as if I'd been here on the Matie campus for ever!"

Noemdo also represented South Africa in the International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports World Games in 2011 and made it as a member of the SA World Championships team in 2013.  And then there was, of course, the World Paralympics Athletics Championships in London in July of this year.

Kerwin competes in shot put and distance games.  He says his sporting ability was recognised by a friend.

• South African Paralympic swimmer, Hendri Herbst, will be making probably his biggest splash to date when he is awarded his LLB degree at SU during its fifth December graduation ceremony of 2017 at 17:30 on 6 December.

Apart from having a Bachelor of Arts degree in Socio-Informatics, Herbst's hard work has seen him walk off with a bronze medal at the London Paralympic 2012 Games and also take a fourth place in the Rio Games last year (2016).

“I think I owe my success to being stubborn.  I love to prove people wrong because of stereotypes, or the perception that if you are blind, you are automatically stupid and cannot do certain things."

The 25-year-old from Worcester in the Western Cape, says his disability drew him to Law.  “Having experienced quite a dose of discrimination myself, I wanted to know more about the Justice system and laws, so that I would be able to defend other physically challenged folks and myself."

He says he found that a lot of it is good on paper but not always so in practice as, for instance, some people still lack the knowledge, especially around the difference between a guide dog and a house pet.

Says Hendri: “There have been instances where I was denied entry to restaurants because of Stan, my guide dog, and that is top of my list when it comes to challenges which I face."

Hendri coyly shares the story of how Stan brought him and his wife together at Stellenbosch.

“I was taking Stan for a run at the Coetzenburg Athletics stadium when he ran into this sweet lady with whom I had a brief chat; afterwards we became friends and a few years later we married.  At present she is based at SU's Tygerberg campus doing a PhD in Human Genetics.

• Siobhan Clulow (22) from Durbanville soon learnt in her teens that life does not always pan out according to plan. At age 17, she was diagnosed with Keratitis, a rare eye disease that causes inflammation in the cornea and leads to a loss of vision.

Siobhan relates: “During my grade 11 exams, I noticed that after studying for hours my vision would become more blurred. I initially thought it was as a result of tiredness, but after a visit to an eye specialist, it became evident that the increased blurred vision was more serious."

After undergoing numerous tests and treatments, doctors recommended that Siobhan have immediate eye surgery to avoid a complete loss of vision.

Says Siobhan: “News like that at 17 was a huge shock to me and my family. I always had 20/20 vision, and then suddenly it was no more the case. I remember when some of my classmates at school learnt about my disease and the operations; they were not too fazed about it all. That's understandable, because at that age everyone is mainly thinking about himself or herself, but, believe me, it taught me resilience and gave me a new perspective on life."

As a result of the deteriorating effects of the disease, Siobhan had to give up on her dream of studying accounting. Instead she decided on making a difference in the education sector, by pursuing a BEd (General Education) (Foundation Phase) degree at SU which she has passed with seven distinctions. She will receive her degree at the third graduation ceremony of 2017 on 5 December at 17:30.

• Shih-Chien Kao (26) from Taiwan will be awarded his BA degree with majors in Psychology, Sociology and Social Anthropology at SU's seventh graduation ceremony for 2017 on 7 December at 10:00.  Kao, or Jeff as he is affectionately known, says he has found a new home at Stellenbosch University (SU) and plans to further his studies next year.

Jeff says he is over the moon about receiving his degree which has taken him five years to complete with the assistance of his parents and SU's Disability Unit.

Says Jeff: “Although my disability, Quadriplegia, sometimes gets in the way, I was raised to never set limits to myself.  I have never allowed my disability to be an obstacle in my life, or for it to prevent me from obtaining what I want."

Jeff is extremely grateful for the support of his family over the years.

He continues: “When I left Taiwan in 2002 my parents moved to be closer to me and to ensure that I receive the quality education that I deserve, like any other child.  The special schools in Taiwan focus mainly on visually impaired learners, hence the move to South Africa.  I completed my matric in 2010 and in 2013 started studying here.  I knew that I was going to be happy because even on the first day the people were welcoming and warm towards me."

• “Never give up.  Carry on and keep trying, if that's really what you wish to do, and never be afraid to ask for help."

These are  Deané Vertenten's (25) words giving advice to students and especially those with disabilities. Deané received an Honours degree in General Linguistics at SU's sixth graduation ceremony of 2017 on 7 December at 10:00.

After having a challenging start during her first year at SU, when she failed a subject, Deané vowed to not allow the stigma and disappointment of failure to deter her from pursuing a successful tertiary education. 

She puts it as follows: “When something like that happens, you shouldn't worry too much and feel like it's the end of the world. You should rather learn from that experience and just try again."

Deané never planned a university career, but after taking a random aptitude test in high school, which indicated that pursuing studies in the Humanities would be ideal for her, she was motivated to gain entry at a good university.

“I'm the only one in my family that has been fortunate enough to study at a university, and this has been a proud moment for my family and I."

Despite being visually impaired, Deané has continually challenged herself both academically and with regards to leadership.  She has been head student of her residence, Huis De Villiers, and became the first visually impaired student to complete a Postgraduate Diploma in Technology for Language Learning (TeLL).

• While growing up in the small town of Dordrecht in the Eastern Cape, Sydney Berrington (24) always had the dream and passion to one-day help others, and vowed that her loss of sight would not deter her from that goal.

At SU's sixth December graduation ceremony on 7 December at 10:00, she will be awarded her second postgraduate degree, a BA Honours in Political Science.  Sydney also holds a BA degree in International Studies and an Honours degree in Psychology – the latter was awarded her during the March graduation ceremony this year. 

 “Just because I'm blind, doesn't mean that I can't achieve the same level of success or goals as anyone else.  I realise that I need to consider my disability when I decide to take on new challenges, as I won't always get everything done.  However, I don't think I'm so special and don't always wish people to see me as this inspirational figure.  I can still get things done, the same as someone else with a different disability or none at all."

Sydney has achieved much during her studies at Stellenbosch University (SU) – she has chaired DisMaties, a student society at SU that promotes awareness of students living with disabilities and advocates for their issues; she also tutored undergraduate psychology students and worked as a research assistant at Stikland Hospital in Bellville, where she helped women who suffered from trauma and abuse.

Says Sydney: “Since high school I've had this interest in psychology and politics and I knew from the outset that there will never be just one degree that will satisfy all my interests.  Although my ultimate goal is to become a professional psychologist, so I can help others, I still would like to become involved in the political debate to create greater awareness of the barriers disabled people have to negotiate."

• “My guide dog, Genieva, should be awarded her own gown and hood at my graduation," says Claudia Van Rensburg, who will receive her PhD in Musicology at SU's sixth graduation ceremony on 6 December this year at 17:30.

Van Rensburg, whose thesis explores musical strategies of settlement and migration in the Western Cape, said her dog had to walk long distances with her especially when she was still collecting data for her research.  And she did so gladly.

Claudia and Genieva had to travel to places such as Langa in Cape Town to speak to a number of people, including well-known Madosini Latozi Mpahleni who plays traditional instruments like the uhadi and mhrubhe musical bows.

Van Rensburg says: “There is a reason why people do certain things and in my research I analysed why people choose the music they produce and the inspiration behind it.  I checked out music at the local Nigerian church in Khayamandi and compared it with that of composer William Bell, trying to find similarities."

She continues: “I've always attempted to draw inspiration from my father's story, who was born completely blind but despite all of that he was still one of the first few blind people back in his day to attend a university.  I'm always left inspired thinking about his life because in those bygone days there were even less resources available for blind students and the support was non-existent."

Close to 550 degrees were awarded to graduates by Stellenbosch University's Faculty of Education on Tuesday, 5 December. This number included eight PhD candidates.

Among the graduates was Aimée van Reenen, the recipient of the Faculty of Education's Dean's Bursary.

“I'm very excited about begin a graduate. I worked hard for four years and I'm looking forward to start teaching and enriching children's lives," she said.

Charl du Toit, Paralympian and World Champion in the T37 class, who won two gold and one silver medal at the World Para Athletics Champs in London in July, received his BEd Honours degree.

Another graduate was MK Nompumza, who was recently awarded a Mandela Rhodes Scholarship. This scholarship is awarded to individuals that reflect a commitment to the principles of education, reconciliation, leadership and entrepreneurship for postgraduate study at South African universities or tertiary institutions.

MK was “so, so happy" about receiving his BEd degree and will pursue an honours degree in Education Development and Democracy in 2018.

Two Chancellor's awards were awarded to staff in the Faculty.

With some 200 publications from his pen, distinguished professor Lesley le Grange is the most productive researcher in the history of the Department of Curriculum Studies. His innovative work in the field of curricula and teaching makes him instrumental in the University's pursuit of excellence through ongoing curriculum renewal.

Dr Trevor van Louw's outstanding work as director of the Stellenbosch University Centre for Pedagogy (SUNCEP) mirrors his personal conviction that education is key to development and liberation. Under his capable leadership, SUNCEP has established a solid national footprint in the field of educational development. The Centre's two university preparation programmes SciMathUS and HOPE@Maties offer learners an opportunity to improve their Grade 12 marks and turn their dream of accessing higher education into reality.

​Famous South African documentary photographer, artist, activist and historian Omar Badsha; prominent medical researcher Glenda Gray; and champion for more sustainable societies Markus Reuter were honoured by Stellenbosch University on Friday (8 December 2017) for their outstanding contribution to society. They were awarded honorary doctorates at the eight and last graduation ceremony of SU's December graduation. At the same ceremony, 827 students in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences (Group B) also received their degrees, diplomas and certificates.

Mr Omar Badsha was awarded the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil), honoris causa in recognition of his pioneering work in documentary photography in South Africa. As one of the country's foremost documentary photographers, Badsha has been capturing images of South Africa's history for decades. Among these are a collection of photographic essays entitled A Letter to Farzanah (1979), produced with the late Fatima Meer, and Imijondolo (1984), a photographic record of his work in the Inanda area in Durban. The former was immediately banned at the time. In the 1980s Badsha co-founded Afrapix as well as of the Centre for Documentary Photography at the University of Cape Town. He headed the photography unit of the Second Carnegie Commission on Poverty and Development, and in 1999 founded the highly successful and award-winning history project, South African History Online (SAHO), the largest history website on the African continent.  Badsha still manages SAHO, holds exhibitions locally and abroad, and in 2015 he was awarded the Arts and Cultural Trust Lifetime Achievement Award for Visual Arts by the Department of Arts and Culture.

Prof Glenda Gray, Chief Executive Officer and President of the South African Medical Research Council, received the degree of Doctor of Science (DSc), honoris causa for her ground-breaking research in the prevention of mother-to-child transfer of HIV. Recognised internationally, Gray established the Wits Perinatal HIV Research Unit at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in 1996. She was also head of the clinical development of the South African AIDS Vaccine Initiative's HIV vaccines and conducted the first tests in South Africa and the USA. Gray is a co-recipient of the Nelson Mandela Health & Human Rights Award for research on mother-to-child transmission of HIV and the 'Heroes in Medicine' award from the International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care. As an example of dedication to the improvement of the quality of life of people living with HIV/AIDS, she was mentioned in Time Magazine.

Prof Markus Reuter, Director at the Helmholtz Institute for Resource Technology in Freiberg in Germany, was awarded the degree Doctor of Engineering (DEng), honoris causa for his outstanding contributions to the science and technology of the production and recycling of metals, as well as to the integration of academic research and practice. His work on recycling, design for recycling, and resource efficiency has contributed towards the creation of processes and tools to develop a sustainable society. Born and bred in Stellenbosch, Reuter has been attached to several prominent tertiary institutions not only in South Africa, but also in Europe, China and Australia. He has supervised 130 postgraduate students, published more than 200 articles in peer-reviewed subject journals, and has more than 200 publications in reviewed international conference proceedings. Reuter holds 37 patents in 5 patent families, and was the main author of the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) Report on Recycling (2013). This report was downloaded 400 000 times between April 2013 and October 2015. Through his work in academia, industry and government he reaches and inspires key role players at all levels, and empowers young engineers, industrialists and policy makers to make informed decisions to help society apply scarce resources more sustainably.

Judge Mervyn King, a former judge of the Supreme Court of South Africa, will receive his honorary doctorate at SU's March 2018 graduation.

This week SU awarded a record number of degrees and diplomas – 5720 compared to 5300 in 2016 and 5020 in 2015. The number of doctorates (142) and master's degrees (545) also increased.  

• Photo: Mr Omar Badsha, Proff Wim de Villiers, Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Glenda Gray and Markus Reuter at the graduation ceremony.
  
• Photographer: Stefan Els
  

​It's not every day that engineering students are challenged with concepts more at home in Social Sciences. But with the Eng. Curriculum of the SU it is the case with a specially developed module, namely Complementary Studies.

And what initially sounds strange is exactly in line with Stellenbosch University's (SU) aim to give students an education and exposure that is as wide as possible – and relevant in our society with its unique challenges.

When Dr Leslie van Rooi, Senior Director of Social Impact and Transformation, and Monica du Toit, Head of the Transformation Office, take their place in front of the class, it is to challenge the engineering students to think even wider than what their lecturers expect from them. The course aims to make students more aware of their role in the wider society – as involved citizens but also as trained engineers who can make a difference with their unique skills.

“In our discussions in class we grapple with the realities on campus and in social media and it is challenging, especially at the start, but we do get to new possibilities," says Monica. “I like the fact that engineers in essence are 'doers'." She says the students have again convinced her that one of our country's greatest assets, is its engineering students – especially when it comes to the much needed changes in our society. “They have skills to live close to the experiences of regular people while, at the same time, think innovatively about solutions."

For their final assignment the students were divided into groups and asked to tackle different social challenges by looking at it afresh. In this way one group decided to use 'big data' to get access to information that will help universal access for the users of buildings and amenities. With a special app named Enable, users can indicate places where they have difficulties with access. The information on the app, which makes use of GPS coordinates, is in the public domain where all – from building owner to architect, engineer and others with disabilities – can access it and learn from it.

Another group thought about the way engineers can help in creating better integrated communities. And, they found, engineers do not always think of the bigger issue but would rather solve a specific problem as cost-effectively and efficiently as possible. But during their discussions as part of the Complimentary Studies course they realised that the focus – also for engineers – should always include the human aspect and shouldn't 'only be about technical skills.

Prof Anton Basson, Vice-dean: Teaching & Quality Assurance says students in the Faculty of Engineering are exposed to contemporary societal issues in their third and fourth years. “These modules, which all engineering students must do, expose our graduates to the complex social issues that they will encounter when they enter engineering practice. Our graduates often fulfil leadership roles and these modules raise their awareness of the complexities of gender, racial, access and social responsibilities that challenge leaders."

Leslie, who has been presenting the course for four years, says it is part of the University's goals to equip students with a complete set of skills. “For the University it is important to equip students with skills and the possibility to make an impact on the various levels of our society. This specially developed curricular module gives all engineering students the opportunity to do exactly that." The Faculty of Engineering, together with the Engineering Council of SA, gives the necessary guidance in this regard.

​​Stellenbosch University (SU) won the most awards at the annual Marketing, Advancement and Communication in Education (MACE) Congress Awards Ceremony held at the Johannesburg Country Club on 30 November.

The MACE Excellence Awards recognises and celebrates excellence and the achievements of specialists and practitioners in the higher education sector. The prestigious awards event formed part of the annual MACE congress hosted by the MACE Board and Wits University from 29 November to 1 December.

Out of SU's 30 entries, the university received 11 merit awards, 5 excellence awards, 6 gold awards and 3 special awards. According to Dr Phumzile Mmope, Senior Director: Corporate Communication, this is evidence that the university's Integrated Communication Strategy and encouraged collaborations with faculties and other key divisions, is starting to bear fruit for the Corporate Communication Division.

“This year we entered the awards together with colleagues from the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS), Research Development as well as Development and Alumni Relations Divisions (DAR). The entries from FMHS, Research Development and DAR contributed to the final amount of awards won. It is an honour for Stellenbosch University to be recognised for its excellent contribution to the marketing, advancement and communication practice.

“I am humbled and motivated by this token of recognition of our collective talents and expertise. The merit, excellence, gold and special awards are not only a great prestige and a mark of excellence, but also a tremendous boost for us to continue to make a meaningful contribution, to excel and aim for even bigger accomplishments at Stellenbosch University and in the sector," Dr Mmope added.

Ronel Bester, Strategic Relations Manager at the FMHS, says the congress offers the ideal opportunity to attend lectures and workshops on the latest trends in the industry as well as to get practical advice from experts in the field of marketing, advancement and communication. “It also creates a very productive opportunities to network with colleagues from other institutions, to get advice and share best practice.

“For our team it is very satisfying to enter because it reminds us of why and how we developed communication products and how it ties in with our faculties' strategy. It also gives us the opportunity to rethink our strategy, come up with new initiatives and to continuously improve our work. It is a privilege to win awards and get recognition for our hard work, especially because it shows that our work compares well with the best local and international standards."

MACE is a membership-based organisation and fulfils a leadership role in the higher education, TVET, and private education sectors within Southern Africa. It aims to add value to practitioners in marketing, advancement and communication through high-quality development programmes, facilitating networking partnerships and transformation, as well as promoting best practice among these professions at its member institutions.

SU's awards are:

11 Merit Awards

• Digital internal newsletter News/Nuus@StellenboschUni
• Digital external newsletter Vivus (from Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences - FMHS)
• General campaign @StellenboschUni
• General campaign #NolimitSU Campaign
• General campaign #WomenofSU Campaign
• General campaign for communicating science to the public
• Skills in News Media Writing for 'PhD just about biltong for Maxine'
• Skills in Videography for the Short Feature 'Rubix Cluster Mannequin Challenge'
• FMHS Annual Publication 2016
• Digital Alumni newsletter: e-Matieland
• Homecoming / Tuiskoms: Alumni event at Woordfees

6 Excellence Awards

• Stellenbosch University Integrated Annual Report 2016
• Research at Stellenbosch University 2016 (Research Development)
• Matieland 2016
• Digital internal newsletter Info@StellenboschUni
• Digital internal magazine Life/Leef@StellenboschUni
• Skills in Writing for the FMHS Annual Publication 2016

5 Gold Awards

• Digital internal newsletter Impromptu (FMHS)
• Skills in News Media Writing: The Smart water meter - every drop counts
• Skills in Photography for Matieland Photos
• Skills in Long Feature Videography: New image recognition software for white sharks
• General campaign: Are South Africa's great white sharks heading for extinction?

And also the following special awards:

• Severus Cerff Award (recognition for outstanding performance among practitioners in Higher, Technical and Vocational Education and Training) for consistently delivering high quality entries - 11 Merit Awards, 6 Excellence Awards, 5 Gold Awards
• Carl and Emily Fuchs Business Issue Award - for showcasing how marketing, advancement & communication professionals play a vital role in adding to the dialogue on key issues affecting society
• Outstanding Research Award for Matieland 2016

The conversion of Afrikaans text to braille – and vice versa – can now be done at the click of a mouse.

This is thanks to a program developed by a computer science student from Stellenbosch University (SU), De Pallier Gerber, as part of his final year project for the Pioneer School for the Blind in Worcester. Gerber was awarded his BScHons-degree in Computer Science during the December graduation ceremony this week.

According to Mr Hannes Byleveldt, vice-principal of The Pioneer School for the Blind in Worcester, the program will have an immediate impact on teaching at the school.

“At present the preparation of lesson material is a very time-consuming process. Everything we prepare for the learners, first needs to be converted via a program so that it can be printed in braille by a special printer, after which the material is distributed in class. The program that we are currently using is not 100% accurate and someone has to proof read everything. The learners then complete the exercise or test on an electronic braille writer. Then it has to be converted to text for the teacher to mark their work.

“This process is not only time-consuming, it also requires vast amounts of paper and hampers the learning process and interaction in class. Braille experts are also not always readily available, which causes a further delay," he adds.

With Gerber's program a teacher will be able to compare what the learner has written in braille with the Afrikaans equivalent on the same computer screen next to it and give feedback immediately.

“This means I will now be able to teach like any other teacher in a mainstream school," he emphasizes.

The program will also shorten the time that the school has to wait for new text books in Afrikaans to be converted to braille.

The program is also the first of its kind to make provision for different levels of contracted braille in the process of converting text between Afrikaans and braille.

Gerber explains: “I wrote the program in such a way that there are different levels of complexity between Grade 1 and Grade 2 braille. A teacher can now prepare text and then decide, with the click of the mouse, on which level they want to present it."

Another advantage is that the program can be adapted, by a teacher, to accommodate new language rules in Afrikaans or braille. It even takes into account complex rules of pronunciation, which influences the conversion of text to braille.

Mr Byleveldt says after the pilot phase the program will be installed on all their computers. They plan to start using the program in the class room in the first quarter of next year.

Prof Lynette van Zijl, a researcher in SU's Computer Science Division specializing in assistive technologies, says they will continue to support the school until the program runs smoothly. It will then be distributed to other institutions and schools.

Mr Paul Greyling, principal of The Pioneer School, says they are excited about the world of possibilities this program opens up for learners who want to complete their high school education in a main stream school: “We cannot offer all the subjects a learner needs to qualify for admission to university. This program opens up so many possibilities. We cannot wait to start using it."

​Media enquiries

Mr Hannes Byleveldt

Vice-principal: The Pioneer School for the Blind

T: 023 342 2313

E: hbyleveldt@pioneerschool.org.za

Ms Tammy Watson

Braille specialist

T. 023 342 2313

E: prinsipaal@pioneerschool.org.za

Mr. Paul Greyling

Principal: The Pioneer School for the Blind

T:  023 342 2313

E:  prinsipaal@pioneerschool.org.za

Prof Lynette van Zijl

Division Computer Science, Department of Mathematical Sciences

Stellenbosch University

T: 021 808 4232

E: lvzijl@sun.ac.za

​

De Pallier Gerber

E: dpgerber@gmail.com

On the photo, from left to right: Mr Paul Greyling and Mr Hannes Byleveldt from the Pioneer School for the Blind. In front sits De Pallier Gerber and at the back stands Prof Lynette van Zijl from SU's Computer Science Division. Photo: Wiida Fourie-Basson 

The digitisation of the humble daisy granny square was one of the challenges that Prof Lynette van Zijl from Stellenbosch University's Computer Science division put to her Honours class at the beginning of this year.

At first glance, it sounds simple: “Basically, we want to digitise a pattern in order to extract meaning from it," she explains.

But while the techniques to do so for one dimensional linear diagrams are fairly well understood, it is another kettle of fish when dealing with a multi-layered non-linear diagram such as the diagram for a crochet pattern.

Adri Lochner, who graduated with a BScHons-degree cum laude in Computer Science this week, decided to tackle the granny square problem as her BScHons project for the year. Not because she can crochet, but rather to learn more about machine learning and optical recognition.

She says the biggest challenge was to think of different ways by which one could recognise the diagrams: “Then there were several sub-problems which had to be solved in order to achieve better results. Each of these sub-problems were like a project on its own!"

Lochner used a supervised learning algorithm (based on Support Vector Machines) and “trained" it to recognise and correctly classify each of the individual symbols used in crochet patterns. For example, the symbol for a slip stitch is a black dot and for a chain stitch it is an oval. She used a dataset of 57 600 images and split it up into a training, a validation and a test set.

But how do you train an algorithm to recognise the combination of three double crochet stitches? In her solution, she draws a “bounding box" around each connected component. The three double crochet stitches for a daisy petal thus become a single component.

But it was the simple chain stitch that caused the biggest headache. The algorithm could not separate individual chain stitches from each other. She then removed the largest outer contour of the image, thereby separating the chain stitches from each other:

In the end, the recognition method she used achieved an accuracy level of above 70%.

Prof Van Zijl says molecule and circuit diagrams present the same problem: “We want to be able, one day, to convert complicated images to text and vice versa. This would open up many new possibilities, such as improved searching through images, improved classification of images, and improved access to diagrammatic information for the blind.

However, at the moment, the general recognition of a complex diagram such as the humble daisy square still has a long way to go, she concludes.

Lochner, a former learner from Stellenbosch High School, is now on her way to Pretoria where she will start working as a software engineer. In the near future she wants to continue with postgraduate research and perhaps continue in the field of diagram recognition.

Enquiries

Prof Lynette van Zijl

T: 021 808 4232

E: lvzijl@sun.ac.za

Stellenbosch University (SU) awarded 5 720 degrees, certificates and diplomas at eight graduation ceremonies in the Coertzenburg Centre in December 2017.  That is 420 qualifications more than in December 2016, and 700 more than in December 2015.  The December 2017 total includes 142 doctoral and 545 Master's degrees.

Prof Wim de Villiers, Vice-Chancellor and Rector, delivered the welcoming address at six of the graduation ceremonies, while the Chancellor, Dr Johann Rupert, welcomed guests and students at two ceremonies.

Prof Wim de Villiers:

•  “Like a tree that gets new leaves for the 100^th time, Stellenbosch University's Centenary (in 2018) heralds a new beginning, and at the same time an acknowledgement of the growth, hard work and important lessons of the past 100 years."
  
  
•  “Our achievements – of which there were many – we will undoubtedly celebrate.  However, there were also serious challenges and mistakes.  It's important that we acknowledge these – as we indeed already have done and will continue to do – in order for us to apply on the road ahead what we learnt from the past."
  
  
•  “All the tests you wrote, the assignments you completed, all that lab work and examinations have come together in something great and wonderful. If you hang on to that incremental approach, you will achieve even greater things in life.
  
  
•  “Today marks the culmination of an incredible journey for our new graduates, and the beginning of another. They have come so far, but unfortunately, difficult financial circumstances might prevent some from entering the next stage of their lives. We have launched a fundraising campaign to help them overcome the final hurdle. The campaign is called #SU99. We are overwhelmed by the almost R999 999 that has been raised thus far"
  
  
•  “Our own Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences is a recognised hub of global excellence in many areas and has been the launching pad for a number of ground-breaking initiatives. So, the qualification that our students will receive today, will enable them to stand tall on the world stage. And it (ground-breaking research with social impact) results from staff and students at the University always identifying problems and looking for solutions."
  
  
•  “The biological clock is involved in many aspects of our complex physiology. A large proportion of our genes are regulated by the biological clock. So, since this discovery, circadian biology has developed into a vast and highly dynamic research field, with significant implications for our health and wellbeing – and some of that research is taking place at this very University.
  
  
•  “South African schools face huge challenges, which means that unfortunately, some learners don't receive the education they need to gain entry into university. The talent development and university preparation programmes in our Faculty of Education are aimed at addressing this problem."
  
  
• “Stellenbosch also makes an impact as the only university in the country to offer Military Science."
  
  
• “The unique relationship between Stellenbosch University and the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) represents a strategic alliance to contribute to peace and security on our continent."
  
  
• “The Faculty of AgriSciences always comes up with interesting PhD's, which usually make the news headlines – just what one can expect from doctorates in biltong, Karoo lamb, pomegranates, milk and honey ... I mean, really!  And let's not even make mention of bees and ticks!  That's what you'd refer to as research with bite!"
  
  
•  “A word about the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.  They have so many graduates that they have two ceremonies."
  
  
• “To come to university is an important stage in life for many … but there are often significant stumbling blocks to overcome.  Being physically challenged is something that many of our students face."
  
  
• “SU strives to ensure that being physically challenged is not a barrier for a student to gain admission. We have had students who are physically challenged on campus as far back as 1970."
  
  “I am glad to say that this year, the Disability Unit within our Centre for Student Counselling and Development is celebrating its 10th anniversary – that's a decade of helping to level the playing field for our students who are physically challenged."

Dr Johann Rupert:

• “We trust that the qualification you have gained will bring you great benefits."
  
  
• “For those of you who will be involved with accountancy and auditing, do all in your power to ensure that integrity, responsibility and accountability triumphs at all times, especially in view of the fact that you are in the front line against dishonesty, corruption and self-enrichment."
  
  
• “I never said radical economic transformation is theft."
  
  
• In congratulating the new graduates, Dr Rupert encouraged them to work on “radical economic growth that is distributed fairly. “
  
  
• “Carry on learning because if you stop you will be left behind. Stay curious and have empathy with your fellow human beings and the planet. With empathy and curiosity, you will go a long way."
  
  
• “Remember what you have learned, but forget it all. In five to ten years' time most of what we know now will be totally irrelevant."

​If you want to listen to the full welcoming addresses, click here.

Stellenbosch University (SU) is one of the higher education institutions in South Africa that consistently produces the most PhDs in the country. Some of these doctorates are also awarded to students from other African countries. One such student is Dr Bilungi Alain Useni from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) who obtained his doctorate in Animal Science on Wednesday (6 December) at SU's fifth graduation ceremony of December 2017. The first Congolese to be awarded a PhD in SU's Faculty of AgriSciences, Useni did research on the importance of energy supplementation for milk production and fertility of dairy cows.

Success at SU

Born in the city of Kolwezi and trained at the University of Lubumbashi in Lubumbashi in the DRC, Useni's association with SU goes back to 2007 when he started as a special student in the Intensive English Programme at the University. The following year, he enrolled for a MSc (Agric)-degree in SU's Department of Animal Sciences under the supervision of Dr Francois van de Vyver. Useni completed his master's degree in March 2011.

In April 2011 he was accepted by the Western Cape Agricultural Research Trust as a PhD-student to conduct research on the fertility of dairy cows at the Elsenburg Research Farm of the Western Cape Department of Agriculture (WCDA). Through the project, he gained experience and mentorship in dairy farming. 

Useni says his decision to study at SU was based on the culture of academic excellence and cutting-edge research in agriculture at the institution. He also wanted to improve his English language proficiency.

Looking back on his journey, Useni says it wasn't always smooth sailing.

“At the beginning of my postgraduate training at SU, life was not always easy. Because my mother tongue is French, I struggled with English. Coming from a big family, I missed the social connection with my relatives."

“But, I was fortunate to have had the support of one of my brothers who was already in Cape Town when I arrived in South Africa."

Despite his initial struggles, Useni endured and even ventured outside his studies in agriculture. Always ready to broaden his horizons, he completed short courses in Leadership through community interaction, HIV peer education and gender facilitation, HIV counselling, Afrikaans for beginners and Global citizenship. He worked for SU's HIV co-ordination office on their HIV campaigns and outreaches, and also helped Matie Community Service in supporting local schools with student-led volunteer learning and interaction initiatives. As if this wasn't enough, Useni also found time to represent SU at the New Hope Summits.

Juggling many balls at once seems to come natural to Useni.

While working hard on his PhD, he received a teaching and development grant from the Department of Higher Education and Training (2013-2016) that allowed him to assist academics in tutoring, marking, practical work and teaching certain modules related to his expertise in Animal Sciences.

Useni puts his success and cultural integration at SU down to always having a cheerful disposition, hard work and perseverance.

Support

Today Useni is grateful to his parents for instilling in him the desire to use education as a means of making progress in life and helping to create a better society.

He is also full of praise for his wife Rachel, a medical doctor, to whom he has been married for 5 years. She also an alumnus of the University of Lubumbashi.

“She has been very supportive towards my studies and is the one who used to worry much about all the stresses of my studies. Without her support, life would have been very difficult. She is really an angel and a blessing to me. Rachel has also blessed me with two kids, Joshua who is 3 years and Amelia who is 4 months."

He holds in high regard his mentors, Dr Carel Muller at the WCDA and Prof Christiaan Cruywagen at SU's Department of Animal Sciences, for giving him the opportunity to do his doctorate.

Useni says he doesn't regret for one moment his decision 10 years ago to make SU his home. “It formed me from humble and challenging beginnings to the person that I have become today."

Having achieved the pinnacle of academic success, Useni feels that he has repaid the confidence his family and many others had in him.

“Through this academic achievement, I believe that I've made my family and anyone who invested directly or indirectly in me very proud, many thanks! Enkosi kakhulu! Baie dankie! Merci beaucoup! Asantesana!".

Regarding his future plans, Useni says he would like to work in the Southern African agricultural industry and use his knowledge to help find solutions for some of Africa's problems, especially those related to agriculture.

• Photo: Dr Bilungi Alain Useni with his wife Rachel and their two children Joshua and Amelia at the graduation ceremony.
  
• Photographer: Stefan Els
  

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the full article here.

Many South Africans are going hungry. At the same time obesity rates are rising. This is unsurprising - both are forms of malnutrition and tend to go together. The coexistence of poverty and obesity is a global phenomenon.

Poverty leads to food deprivation and under-nutrition, which in extreme cases leads to stunting. Research suggests that under-nutrition in early life may play a role in promoting adult obesity. Studies on three continents show that nutritional stunting, usually caused by chronic under-nutrition, is associated with adult fatness.

A number of theories have been offered to explain the relationship. The most basic look at access to nutritious and quality food. These arguments hold that the most food insecure, who are often the poorest, do not have sufficient access to quality food.

In 2014, over 10 million South Africans, 19.7% of the country's population, reported having inadequate food access. Factors such as accessibility, affordability, and quality of available food are part of the reason why over three million people (6.5%) reported had severely inadequate food access.

And the health department has raised the alarm bells about the significance of the obesity crisis facing the country. Studies have reported that the overall prevalence of overweight and obesity is the highest among South African women. Data from the department shows that obesity increased dramatically – from 27% to 39.2% – among females between 2007 to 2013.

Obesity also poses a range of health problems. For example, it's associated with type II diabetes and heart disease.

But there are solutions. Some include legislation and taxes that discourage unhealthy eating and advertising such as sugar taxes, regulating food advertising and labelling and mass media campaigns. Nutrition education can guide people to make the best possible food choices with the money they have available.

In addition, school based interventions that promote healthy snacks with fruits as opposed to sweets have been shown to be effective.

What's driving obesity

Urbanisation is an important contributor to rising obesity prevalence. Around 64% of South Africans live in urban areas and the United Nations projects this will reach 77% by 2050. Urbanisation is a way to escape poverty and potentially offers better job prospects. But it also creates the conditions for obesity.

There are notable differences between eating patterns in urban and rural areas. In towns, people tend to eat readily available fast food, sugar-sweetened beverages, fried chicken and white bread. Food like this introduces more sugar, salt and saturated fat into people's diets.

A typical “low quality" meal consists of mostly mealie-meal, bread or rice, with very little animal protein or vegetables to provide nutrients. The meal is also usually prepared with cheap oil and lots of salt.

People in urban areas also tend to be less active than those in rural areas, because of the nature of their work.

Possible solutions

Legislation and taxes are very important. Laws can influence how advertising is done, and taxes can influence the consumption of unhealthy food and drinks.

Last year South Africa implemented legislation in a bid to reduce the intake of salt and this year it has turned its attention to a tax on sugar. Sugar taxes were conceived as a way to reduce consumption of sweetened beverages.

On top of this the country has introduced policies to address malnutrition. The two biggest ones are the Integrated Nutrition Programme and National School Feeding Programme.

A school feeding scheme's primary objective is to alleviate short-term hunger, enabling children to learn. School based approaches and community initiatives have shown encouraging results in South Africa. They have relieved hunger and increased school attendance.

The percentage of learners in South African public schools who receive daily school meals increased from just over 50% in 2007/2008 to 70% in 2010/2011.

But the government can do more to teach people about affordable nutrition – particularly about eating pluses and legumes which are a rich in nutrients and are affordable.

We know from national food intake data that South Africans eat too little fruit and vegetables.. Food gardens in urban and rural communities could help.

There is no single or simple solution to the obesity or under nutrition problems. It is complex and there has to be a multifaceted approach. Policy makers, state and local organisations, business and community leaders, school, childcare and healthcare professionals, and individuals must work together. A fundamental component of nutrition education is to guide people to make the best possible food choices with the money they have available for purchasing food. The effectiveness and sustainability of education programmes can be enhanced if nutrition education is integrated into other food production and public health programmes.

Photo credit: Pixabay

​Stellenbosch University, in partnership with Western Cape Government After School Game Changer, Community Chest and Rutgers University (USA), have just launched a special programme for practitioners who support learners in the after school space around the pillars of sport, arts, academic enrichment, reading and life skills. 

The Extended Education Practitioners Programme aims to recognise, celebrate and upskill the unsung heroes, the practitioners, who do this work.  It will equip them to design and execute quality programmes to close this opportunity gap and create a better experience for learners.

Together with its partners, the SU hosted the first 57 delegates who will participate in this 18-month certificate course on 20 November. The course content will focus on the development of skills such as dealing with complexity, problem solving, decision making, whole child development, working with difference, communication, project management and administration.

“The value lies in how it will help to further professionalise and capacitate those who play a vital role in the after school and extended education space,” comments Chrischar Rock, Programme Manager for the Extended Education Practitioner Training Programme, which is located within SUNCEP, the Stellenbosch University Centre for Pedagogy, a division within the SU’s Faculty of Education.

“By developing and accrediting the programme, the SU shows that it is serious about implementing our Social Impact Strategy Plan because through education we are impacting different communities,” says Dr Leslie van Rooi, Senior Director for Social Impact and Transformation. “By doing it in partnership, unlocks countless other possibilities.”

Learners from disadvantaged backgrounds have a 6 000 hour educational gap by the time they reach high school. This gap comprises the missed reading in the home, Early Childhood Development (ECD), family holidays, visits to museums, parks and galleries and missed extra-murals. Extended Education Practitioners help close this gap by exposing learners sport, arts, academic enrichment, reading and life skills after formal school hours. 

The Western Cape Government’s Chief Director for their After School Game Changer programme, Jacqui Boulle, says they are delighted to be partnering with Stellenbosch and Rutgers Universities to launch the Extended Education Practitioners Programme. “This pioneering provides people working in the sector access to develop themselves and at the same time improve the support they provide to learners. It is the first step in a bigger programme to professionalise and build the sector.”

The programme includes five residential blocks of four to five days each, as well as study and assignments in participants’ own time. It will be housed within SUNCEP, the University’s is the Centre for Pedagogy in the Faculty of Education. 

While the after school activities fill learners’ afternoons with positive and enriching activities, the underlying goals include the improvement of attitude to learning, better school results and reduction in risk-taking behaviour.

A new era of unforeseen complexity requires the continuous production of new knowledge and higher education, the agency in society most saliently responsible for new knowledge, should be included in the traditional tripartite structure of government, business and labour. This is what Dr Morne Mostert, Director of the Institute for Futures Research at Stellenbosch University (SU), told researchers and policy makers at the International Labour Organisation (ILO) symposium on Skills and Jobs Mismatch: Job-rich growth for Sustainable Development hosted in Geneva, Switzerland from 27-28 November 2017. 

Dr Mostert, the only representative from an African University, presented a paper proposing a new pentagonal model for social engagement.

He told delegates there is a growing sense in developing economies, and in some leading economies in North America and Western Europe, that governments no longer directly represent the needs and ambitions of the general citizenry. Dr Mostert proposed the extension of the tripartite structure to include two additional prominent actors; academia and citizen participation bodies.  

​Dr Mostert's participation in the ILO symposium expands SU global thought leadership footprint and illustrates the international social impact that Stellenbosch University has on global social dialogue. It follows his recent membership on the ILO's international panel of experts on the Future of Work, for which he presented a paper in Turin, Italy on Transitionary competence: a framework for cognitive competence as critical dimension for pro-silent socioeconomic participation. Prior to Turin he presented what is now known as the Madrid Scenarios – options for Alternative South African Futures at the International Organisation for Employers (the global home of business) in Spain.

Photo: Dr Morne Mostert (far left) and other speakers at the International Labour Organisation symposium​

​Staff and students at Stellenbosch University (SU) produced a record number of opinion editorials and feature articles as well regular columns for the print and electronic media in South Africa and further afield in 2017 – that we know of.  A total of 190 opinion editorials and feature articles  and 83 columns appeared in the popular media compared to the 183 and 69 in 2016. a frontrunner in research and a place of thought leadership.

Some articles were by new doctoral graduates making their PhDs accessible to a non-academic audience. Others were by established scientists sharing particular research findings with the public. There were also articles linked to national or international days. And there were opinion pieces about topical issues or current affairs.

The record number of articles and columns again confirms that SU is a place of thought leadership.

Our staff and students write academic articles for accredited journals and also perform very well when it comes to sharing their insights with the general public.

As an established research-intensive university and a frontrunner in research, SU has been maintaining the highest research output per capita of all universities in the country for several years. For this measure, the Department of Higher Education and Training looks at publication outputs (journal articles, books and chapters), as well as research master's degrees and doctorates.

This research excellence is being complemented by the University's strong presence in popular media thanks to contributions by SU staff members and students.

​Click here for the list of popular media articles picked up by Corporate Communication, which facilitated the placement of many but not all of these contributions. It is quite possible that there were other articles as well. And this list also does not include regular blogs by SU academics. 

​More than 100 staff and students attended the first Transformation Indaba hosted by the Transformation Office at Stellenbosch University on 29 November 2017. The Indaba brought together University stakeholders and transformation committees to share their experiences and practices, to consider opportunities that may advance the Transformation Plan and to make recommendations to the Institutional Transformation Committee on the support required to realise the Transformation Plan in 2018.

The one-day Indaba comprised of six themed presentations from various institutional experts. These themes included reflections on the status of transformation in Higher Education, leadership lessons, decolonization of the curriculum, visual redress, universal access for disabilities, addressing rape culture and building an enabling institutional climate and culture.

“The energy and solidarity of community willing to share responsibility for transformation at this event was probably more powerful than any document or presentation," said Monica du Toit, Head of the Transformation Office. “We immediately realised that participants came to contribute and deliberate and that the time allocated would not be sufficient," she continued. “When staff and students show this kind of commitment after a year of challenges and hard work, it speaks for itself."

Prof André Keet from the Ministerial Transformation Oversight committee emphasized that Stellenbosch University as in an ideal position to give a shock to itself and be bold in 2018. Prof Jimmy Volminck encouraged leaders to be willing to continuously listen to its staff and students and acknowledge and learn from previous mistakes. The Indaba further showcased the work of innovative academics like the Decolonize STEM working group  and participants recommended that the next Indaba prioritizes student led presentations and engagements too.

According to Dr Leslie van Rooi, Senior Director for Social Impact and Transformation, the Indaba showed us how far we've come. “It allows us to see what we should focus on, and what we should do more or less of. Moreover, it allows the greater university community to collaborate on a new SU that wants to give shape to its mission and vision because it allows everybody to be part of the transformation process."

Comments from participants:

“The real value was congregating as a community who shares a focused vision of a more equitable campus to share the successes, current challenges and way forward for all the different stakeholders.

“The initiative was heartening, perhaps most of all because we talk more about the need for transformation than the doing of it. This was a practical way forward, and suggested the same to others. It was good to see the people on campus who are also working hard towards a better environment."

“Thank you for all the effort this time of the year. More opportunities to share with support and academic staff need to be created in order to bring everybody on board. Silos do not work and in the time that we work, we need to work more collaboratively together".