​​Innovative use of Information and Communication Technology in learning and teaching should not be about technology per se, but about what we do with it: How we use it in combination with pedagogy; how we use it to pursue knowledge and wisdom in a hyper-connected world.

This was the words of Prof Russel Botman, Rector and Vice Chancellor of Stellenbosch University, at the second day of the Glocal Classroom Seboka held at at the Wallenberg Research Centre at the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study (STIAS) on Wednesday.

Prof Botman shared a line from South Africa's White Paper for Post-School Education and Training, approved in November last year.

"The success of an educational programme will be determined by its pedagogical strength and not by … Information and Communication Technology (ICT), which can sometimes be used poorly or as a gimmick."

"It makes one think, doesn't it?" he continued. "Educational success is dependent on pedagogy, not technology. That's still the foundation of what we do in our sector – pedagogy, the science and art of education. How do we use it in a blended context with technology.

"Of course technology has had an impact – a huge one. But it is not about technology in the first instance – it is about the pursuit of knowledge. This is an important goal, now more than ever. Knowledge is the currency of the Digital Age and its Information Society.

And there is no more pressing need than empowering the y​outh of today to create a better tomorrow. That is why "Improving the quality of education, skills development and innovation" is one of the key priorities of South Africa's National Development Plan (NDP).

He said the needs are great in our society. Unemployment in South Africa stands at 25%, and it is even worse for the 15-34 year age group of which 71% are unemployed. "Education and training of the right kind and quality can help them not only find jobs but also to create their own employment. Generating income this way will be good for the whole economy.

"So, education is the answer – but there is a problem: Currently, only 3% of 20-24 year-olds are enrolled for further education and training programmes. We have to ask ourselves, how do we get to them (the unemployed/ uneducated) and engage them with knowledge."

And this is where Prof Botman sees a big opportunity to use technology. "Innovative use of Information and Communication Technology extends learning and teaching opportunities beyond the confines of the physical classroom. And there is more – technology transforms the learning and teaching experience. It makes it more transparent. The closed classroom of the past becomes the open classroom of the future. Technology opens up education – potentially to the world. The local classroom becomes globally accessible. That's why this initiative is called the Glocal Classroom."

According to Prof Botman the benefit of using technology in this way is that it makes teaching student-centred. The focus is on the learning experience: The purpose of teaching is learning.

"And it makes the learning-and-teaching process a two-way street. Educators and students collaborate to generate and convey knowledge.

"In the Glocal Classroom local insights are unlocked globally, and global understandings impact on local contexts. That is another way in which technology can improve the quality of education – by increasing diversity. A variety of people and ideas is good for excellence because it exposes us to different propositions, different points of view."

The conference, themed Transforming Education through Technological Innovation, springs from four universities on four continents building a global platform for collaboration and interchange on web-based learning.

Apart from the conference in Stellenbosch (where it will take the form of a Seboka) further conferences will be held in Guelph in Canada in May, at Malmö in Sweden in September and ending at Flinders University in Adelaide in Australia, in November.

The four conferences serve as the backbone of the project, sharing overall strategic trends and best practice examples of pedagogical experimentation and innovation. 

​A new SU Facilities iPhone and iPad app featuring among others an augmented reality (live) view of the campus surrounds was launched in March. 

The user experience when in live view is a combination of his/her surrounds in real time, with indicators of the various campus facilities (sports, academic and administration buildings) superimposed over the live view.

The interactive campus map indicates the user's position on campus by means of a blue flashing indicator. When selecting a facility indicator in map or live view, the user has access to various information of the chosen facility. Users will also have access via the SU shuttle route map to information of the various day and night shuttle routes.

"The app puts the university in the palm of your hand," explains Mr Chris Munnik, Chief Director: SU Facilities Management. "With the app, staff and students are able to find classrooms, explore buildings and facilities, learn about campus transport options and report any problems they encounter to Facilities Management's helpdesk. The interactive map interface with augmented reality capabilities will provide a virtual tour of the whole Stellenbosch campus." 

The development of the app is in line with the strategy and vision of Facilities Management to remain the leading campus environment in South Africa, adds Munnik.

Features of the app that will assist students and staff include the following:

• Direct access to the Facilities Management helpdesk
• Direct access to the emergency hotline
• Access to official news and social feeds, including University news articles, FM news articles and institutional Twitter feeds
• Access to information on campus facilities such as floor plans, room numbers, contact details, etc.
• Access to information on FM's services through the "About" screen
• Access to shuttle information such as departure times and departure points
• Improvement suggestions of the FM app via the "Feedback" screen.

Cool updates proposed for the future are the following:

• Campus WIFI hotspot locations
• Live shuttle bus locations
• Student recreational locations
• Campus street search
• Campus route navigation. (GPS)

In the initial test phase, the application is available at the App Store for iPhone and iPad, with the Android version being rolled out later this year. 

Search for the SU Facilities App on the App store.

​Grade 7 learners from the Klapmuts Primary School were the stars at a photo exhibition titled "Danger through the eyes of a child", held on Tuesday (March 25) in the Neelsie Student Centre on the Stellenbosch campus of Stellenbosch University (SU). 

The children had all been tasked with taking pictures of the risks and dangers they face on a daily basis in their community and Tuesday's exhibition was the culmination of this task. 

The photo exhibition forms part of an outreach project started earlier this year by staff members of the Research Alliance for Disaster & Risk Reduction (RADAR) at SU in collaboration with the Cape Winelands District Municipality's Disaster Management Centre.

RADAR'S Patricia Zweig said the project was started as an awareness-raising exercise. Interactive workshops about Everyday Hazards & Vulnerabilities during the Grade 7s' Life Orientation classes were presented by a disaster management officer from the Cape Winelands District Municipality assisted by Zweig and two Master's students, while Hentie van der Merwe of SU's Department of Visual Arts taught the children the basics of good photography. The learners were then provided with disposable cameras and tasked with capturing images that illustrate the hazards and vulnerabilities they live with in Klapmuts. The top 100 photographs were selected to be exhibited at Tuesday's event.

The learners' photos showed fire hazards, abandoned buildings, drug abuse, low-hanging power lines, debris and contaminated water. Chantel de Wee, one of the learners who took part in the project, said she learned a lot from the experience, like how to take pictures and identifying the dangers around her. 

SU's Prof Eugene Cloete, Vice Rector: Research and Innovation, officially opened Tuesday's event. He told the learners that it was inspiring to look at their photos and he urged them to remember to avoid such hazards. Prof Cloete also thanked the project managers for starting this initiative and for the contribution they have made towards a safer environment. 

Cape Winelands District Municipality’s Deputy Mayor Councillor HM Jansen in turn said the partnership was a resounding success and said he hoped that more such initiatives would be tackled in future.

​According to Mr Ronnie Frans, principal of Klapmuts Primary School, there are about 1 534 learners at Klapmuts Primary, of whom 1 300 receive social grants. "Our children live in an environment where poverty is the order of the day and our mission is to break that cycle of poverty. This project has not only helped open our children's eyes to the dangers around them, but also gave them a vision for the future. It is important that our learners get these opportunities and their talents are nurtured. Who knows, maybe they'll end up being future Maties," he added. 

​Despite 70 billion rand spent on land reform since 1994, the people who were supposed to benefit from this process are still poor, said Prof Nico Vink of the Department of Agricultural Economics at Stellenbosch University (SU) on Tuesday (25 March). 

​Prof Hans Strijdom with the Division of Medical Physiology was appointed the project coordinator of a three-year, multi-national study looking at the role of HIV-infection and antiretroviral treatment as possible cardiovascular risk factors. This is one of only 20 proposals to receive funding through the ERAfrica programme from a total of 124 applications, and one of only two involving researchers from Stellenbosch University.

ERAfrica was established by the European Commission and several African partner countries aiming to create long-term research collaboration between European Union member states and associated countries in Africa.

Strijdom and his research partners from Austria, Belgium, Kenya and Ivory Coast will receive an R8-million grant for their study proposal entitled "Vascular endothelial dysfunction: The putative interface of emerging cardiovascular risk factors affecting populations living with and without HIV in sub-Saharan Africa".

The main purpose of the study is to establish whether a relationship exists between HIV-infection and antiretroviral treatment and injury to the cells that form the inner lining the body's blood vessels (endothelial cells). Injury to endothelial cells is often regarded as one of the first steps towards developing cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis, heart attacks and strokes. This study will be the first of its kind to address these questions in populations of three different African countries.

According to Prof Strijdom, this study involving five research teams and institutions from Africa and Europe, is a first for the Division of Medical Physiology, and will definitely enhance the division's reputation as a leading research centre. Furthermore, the objectives of the study align very well with the faculty's vision of contributing to health in South Africa and Africa.

The study will consist of both basic scientific research that will be conducted in the laboratories of the Cardiovascular Research Group (of which Strijdom is the head) located in the Division of Medical Physiology, and epidemiological studies conducted at various health care facilities in Cape Town, Kenya and Ivory Coast.

Prof Gerhard Walzl from the Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics will be the co-investigator of the human studies in South Africa. The study will commence in June 2014.

Photo: Prof Hans Strijdom

Eight of the top performing first-year Matie students are from the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences.

The University's 30 top performing first-year students in the end-of-year examinations of 2013 were recently honoured at a special event hosted by the Vice-Rector Teaching and Learning, Prof Arnold Schoonwinkel.

The occasion not only rewarded the work of the students, but highlighted the role that lecturers play in student success. Students were asked to extend a dinner invitation to the one lecturer who had made the greatest contribution to their academic success, and to explain the reasons for their choice in a letter to the lecturer.

In turn, the chosen lecturers responded by writing letters of recognition and encouragement to the students. Excerpts of these letters were displayed at the dinner.

The Faculty's top achievers include BAcc students Leandri Scholtz (with lecturer Ms Sybil Smit), Angelique Koen (with lecturer Ms Eloïse de Jager), Wei-Ren Mao (with lecturer Ms Mareli Greyling), as well as BCom (Mathematical Sciences) student Elrich Groenewald (with lecturer Prof Lynette van Zijl).

The rest of the group comprises BCom (Actuarial Science) students Chris van der Westhuizen (with lecturer Prof Florian Breuer), Aldu Duminy (with lecturer Dr Karin-Therese Howell), Purishlin Govindasamy (with lecturer Mr Eldridge Moses) and David Job (with lecturer Prof Garrett Slattery).

• To view photographs of the event, click here.

​​​​The Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns (South African Academy for Science and Art) will honour a good number of academics from Stellenbosch University (SU). 

Two award ceremonies will take place – in Stellenbosch (27 June) and in Pretoria (5 September) respectively.​

The SU recipients include Prof Marlene van Niekerk who will receive the Hertzog Prize for Poetry for her volume Kaar.

Other recipients are Prof Terry Robinson of the Department of Botany and Zoology (Havenga Prize for Life Sciences); Prof Marena Manley of the Department of Food Science (Honorary medal of the Faculty Science and Technology); Profs Jacques du Plessis and Gerhard Lubbe (Toon van den Heever Prize for Legal Science); Prof GB Theron, head: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology​ (Albert Strating Prize for preventative medicine); Prof Christo Viljoen, President of the SU Convocation (DF du Toit-Malherbe Prize for Genealogical Research) and Ms Lobke Steyn of the Department of Agriculture, Western Cape, Elsenburg and former student of SU (Junior Kaptein Scott medal – Animal Sciences).

Prof Dorothea van Zyl will receive a special oorkonde for her huge contribution as organiser of the SU Wordfest since 1999 and the knowledge that she shares with the SA Academy.

Information about prizes and recipients available in Afrikaans only.

HERTZOGPRYS VIR POëSIE

Die Hertzogprys is die vernaamste prestigeprys in die Afrikaanse letterkundige wêreld en heet na die groot kampvegter vir Afrikaans, genl. J.B.M. Hertzog. Die prys is beperk tot oorspronklike letterkundige werk in Afrikaans en word jaarliks om die beurt toegeken vir poësie, drama en verhalende prosa in dié volgorde. Die prys word toegeken op aanbeveling van die Akademie se Letterkundekommissie.

Die Hertzogprys word vanjaar toegeken aan prof Marlene van Niekerk vir haar bundel Kaar.

HAVENGAPRYS VIR LEWENSWETENSKAPPE

Die Havengaprys is 'n jaarlikse prestigeprys wat toegeken word vir oorspronklike navorsing op natuurwetenskaplike en/of tegnologiese gebied.  Die prys kan net een maal aan 'n persoon toegeken word.

Die prys word toegeken aan prof Terry Robinson, verbonde aan die Departement Plant- en Dierkunde, Universiteit Stellenbosch.

Prof Robinson se bydrae tot die konstruksie van chromosomale filogenieë van 'n groot verskeidenheid Suid-Afrikaanse soogdiere en die ontrafeling van hulle historiese evolusionêre verwantskappe word wêreldwyd hoog aangeslaan. Sy werk sal nog in jare wat kom as 'n buitengewoon betekenisvolle bron van kennis dien, veral omdat dit 'n historiese perspektief van genetiese verwantskappe en veranderinge gee wat tot dusver grootliks ontbreek het.

Erepenning van die Fakulteit Natuurwetenskap en Tegnologie

Hierdie Erepenning word toegeken vir prestasies en bydraes ten opsigte van die bevordering en ontwikkeling van die besondere vakgebied en kan net in uitsonderlike gevalle toegeken word.

Die prys word toegeken aan prof Marena Manley, hoogleraar in Voedselwetenskap, Universiteit Stellenbosch.

Prof Manley is 'n nasionale leier in haar vakgebied. Sy word vereer vir haar wetenskaplik gebaseerde bydrae tot voedselwetenskap. Haar laboratoriumnavorsing lê die grondslag vir volhoubare voedselsekerheid.

TOON VAN DEN HEEVERPRYS VIR REGSWETENSKAP

Die prys word toegeken vir oorspronklike regskundige werke in Afrikaans; en/of vollengte artikels of 'n artikel van hoogstaande gehalte in Afrikaans wat in geakkrediteerde regstydskrifte verskyn het; en/of baanbrekende regsuitsprake in Afrikaans.

Die prys word vanjaar toegeken aan proff JE du Plessis en GF Lubbe, verbonde aan die Universiteit Stellenbosch en redakteurs van en bydraers tot die werk 'n Man van beginsel: die lewe en nalatenskap van JC de Wet.

Die werk is 'n oorspronklike bydrae tot die intellektuele geskiedenis van Suid-Afrika op regsgebied.

ALBERT STRATINGPRYS VIR VOORKOMENDE GENEESKUNDE

Die volgende geld by die keuse van 'n kandidaat: Voortreflike bydraes tot 'n vertakking of vertakkings van voorkomende geneeskunde wat as wesenlike bydrae tot die bevordering van die gesondheid van die gemeenskap en die voorkoming van siekte beskou kan word.

Die prys word toegeken aan prof GB Theron, hoof van die Departement Verloskunde en Ginekologie, Universiteit Stellenbosch.

Prof Theron lewer 'n groot bydrae tot voorkomende geneeskunde op talle terreine, en in besonder tot voorkombare moederlike sterftes in Suid-Afrika. Sy werk word nasionaal, sowel as internasionaal erken.

DF DU TOIT-MALHERBEPRYS VIR GENEALOGIESE NAVORSING

Die prys word toegeken aan prof Christo Viljoen, president van die US Konvokasie, vir die Viljoen Familieregister wat in vier dele verskyn het.

Dit is 'n hoogstaande publikasie en een van die mees omvattende genealogieë in Suid-Afrika. Hy word geloof, nie net vir hierdie monumentale werk nie, maar ook vir sy beduidende bydrae tot die erfenis van die Hugenote.

JUNIOR KAPTEIN SCOTT-GEDENKMEDALJE (Dierkundige Wetenskappe)

Die medalje kan jaarliks toegeken word vir die beste verhandeling wat by 'n Suid-Afrikaanse universiteit vir die M.Sc.-graad ingedien is (om die beurt in die dierkundige of plantkundige wetenskappe). Die medalje word toegeken aan me Lobke Steyn, verbonde aan die Dept. van Landbou, Wes-Kaap, Elsenburg.

Die titel van haar verhandeling is "Supplementation of high fibre concentrate to jersey cows on pasture to overcome winter roughage shortages".

SPESIALE OORKONDE

'n Spesiale oorkonde word toegeken aan prof Dorothea van Zyl vir haar groot bydrae sedert 1999 as organiseerder van die US Woordfees en vir haar kundigheid wat sy op talle gebiede aan die SA Akademie beskikbaar stel.

​More than half of the Western Cape's agricultural science teachers recently had the opportunity to attend their professional association's annual congress in Nelspruit – in part thanks to the support of Stellenbosch University's Faculty of AgriSciences and Kaap Agri who sponsored their air tickets.

Agricultural science teachers from the Cape Metropole, Ceres and George, along with 300 educators from across the country, attended the congress of the Association for South African Agriculture Educators (ASAAE). Together they discussed ways to best present agricultural science training at schools, while experts informed the attendees about study and work opportunities in the forestry and sugar industries.

For most of the teachers it was not attainable to pay their own air tickets to the congress. If they had travelled to the north of the country by road they would have had to sacrifice more valuable class time. After they heard of the problem, Kaap Agri offered to sponsor the air tickets, thanks to an initiative of the SU Faculty of AgriSciences to seek funding partnerships.

"Our teachers are an important link to motivate learners to consider agriculture-oriented studies," says Monika Basson from the Faculty of AgriSciences at Stellenbosch University. "Motivated and informed teachers mean motivated and informed students, and this is so important for an industry where expertise plays an important role in ensure food security in our country."

Since 2009, Kaap Agri has supported student recruitment activities at Stellenbosch University and also the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. This includes bursaries for students from previously disadvantaged communities, as well as sponsorship of activities such as youth camps where learners are exposed to careers in agriculture, among others. "The funds are made available under the auspices of Kaap Agri's 'Care and Grow' initiative," says Johan Engelbrecht, executive manager for communication at Kaap Agri.

There are only 26 agriculture teachers at high schools in the Western Cape. This excludes educators at the difference agricultural schools in the province. "The province only produce about 1000 matriculants in this field every year, compared to about 40 000 in Limpopo, for example," says Andries Smuts, curriculum advisor at the Western Cape Department of Education. "That is why the support our teachers received was so invaluable; it helped and inspired them to keep their subject alive in township schools, among others."

For the past three years, the Faculty of AgriScience has offered curriculum-based training to Western Cape agriscience teachers during the June holidays. According to Basson the focus of this enriching experience falls on work that are presented to Grade 11 and 12 classes. The three-day training sessions are presented by lecturers of the Faculty of AgriSciences.

For more information, contact Ms Monika Basson at mh@sun.ac.za or 021 808 2978. 

Photo caption
Ready to go: On their way to the congress were Ms Cynthia Mseleni (Kayamandi High School, Stellenbosch), Ms Salmon and Ms Nela (Hector Peterson Memorial High School, Kraaifontein), Mr John Muller (Skurweberg Secondary School, Ceres), Ms Frans (ImiZamo Yethu Secondary, George) and Ms Alice Manqola (Inkwenkwezi Secondary School, Du Noon). Photo: Provided

​

​​​A postharvest researcher in citrus from Citrus Research International (CRI) seconded to the Department of Horticulture Dr Paul Cronje recently received recognition for his research excellence by being awarded the prixze for best scientific paper as published by a member of the Southern African Society for Horticultural Sciences (SASHS).

To be eligible for this award the paper should have been published in an accredited, peer-reviewed national or international scientific journal during the period June 2012-June 2013. Co-authors on this winning paper were Dr Graham Barry and Prof Marius Huysamer. The paper as published in the "American Society for Horticultural Sciences" is titled "Canopy position affects pigment expression and accumulation of flavedo carbohydrates of 'Nules Clementine' mandarin fruit, thereby affecting rind condition". 

This research addressed the importance of the energy balance within the citrus peel, as well as the negative impact of an insufficient carbohydrate pool on the incidence of physiological defects. "Peel defects are one of the most important factors that can detrimentally affect the profitable export and marketing potential of South African produced citrus," indicated Dr Cronje. 

The announcement was made at a gala dinner of the "Combined Congress" (20-24 January 2014) that was held on 23 January in Grahamstown. The "Combined Congress" is a joint congress of the Southern African Society for Horticultural Sciences, the South African Society for Crop Sciences, the Soil Science Society of South Africa as well as the Southern African Society for Weed Science.  This congress is the annual highlight of the Plant- and Soil Scientific community and was attended by approximately 400 delegates.  Science of high quality was communicated through 175 scientific- as well as 80 poster presentations at the Grahamstown congress.

The main theme on the congress was "Promoting Sustainable Agriculture Together". This theme aimed to emphasize the need for government departments, the private sector, as well as academic institutions to effectively form partnerships which can assist in the development and promotion of sustainable agriculture practices to ensure future food security in southern Africa.

"Pipes galore! Pipes coming and pipes going. Where on earth are all these pipes leading to?" That was the question brewing in Jannie Barnard's mind the first time he entered the Department of Chemical Engineering in 1983. "I am a born mechanician and was completely confused when I encountered all these pipes in the then Department of Chemical/Metallurgical Engineering, now Process Engineering." But he soon found his feet and made his mark over the years. After 38 years of service at Stellenbosch University, of which the past 31 years were spent at Process Engineering, Mr Barnard retired at the end of March 2014.

In 1974 he completed his apprenticeship at Bruply, the local sawmill. In 1976 he joined the Workshop of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stellenbosch University, where he worked for seven years. In 1983 he was appointed as Senior Mechanician at the Department of Chemical/Metallurgic Engineering. In 1985 he was promoted to Chief Mechanician. From 1988 he was responsible for the management of the Workshop as well as the manufacturing, setting up and installation of equipment and apparatus for laboratories, final-year projects and research projects.

At his farewell function on 25 March the Chair of the Department of Process Engineering, Prof André Burger, said: "It feels like a brother leaving home. There are a legion of engineers out there who now know all about pipes and things thanks to Jannie's guidance. There is not one laboratory in this Department where one would not find his fingerprints. We were fortunate that students could walk into the Workshop, draw a few lines, and Jannie would take it further and manufacture the equipment. His contribution was IMMENSE.

The Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Prof Hansie Knoetze, who worked with Mr Barnard for many years, thanked him and wished him a blessed retirement. He also praised him: "If you wanted something neat and with fine tolerances, you asked Jannie to do it. He was proud if the quality of his work. He could manufacture first-rate equipment from the sometimes-inadequate ideas and sketches provided by students. Some of the things he built are still standing and his monuments are a testimony of his good craftsmanship. Some of the equipment that was produced in this Department is unique of its kind. This has enabled researchers and students to do cutting-edge research. This Department is the only Department of Chemical Engineering in the country that still has a workshop. This fact shows how important this facility is for the Department and the Faculty."

Prof Knoetze supported this statement by mentioning that years ago the Department wanted to acquire a reactor for a research project, but was unable to afford it at the cost of R1,4 million. However, Mr Barnard built a reactor for about a tenth of the price, and moreover, this reactor was better that the expensive one!

"Thank you Stellenbosch University! It was an honour to work here. I enjoyed it and learnt a great deal in the process. I learnt from the best of the best," Jannie Barnard said at his farewell. "I felt safe here. I am very grateful, because the personnel benefits with which I walk away today are phenomenal. It feels as if the University is now starting to work for me."

Photo collage:

Far left, pipes galore. At Jannie Barnard's farewell he can be seen with (from the left) Prof André Burger, Chair: Department of Process Engineering; centre at the bottom with his wife, Ros; centre top with Jos Weerdenburg, who is taking over the management of the Process Engineering Workshop; and far right with the first Head of the Department of Chemical Engineering, Prof Nico Louw, and his wife.

​Steinhoff Maties hosted Hermanus in a Boland League match this weekend with the knowledge that after their bonus point win the previous day against Paarl a win would see them be crowned Boland League Champions for the third year in a row.

Hermanus won the toss and elected to bowl first. They were rewarded with the early wicket of the in-form Mark van Heerden (1) and this brought the highly talented young Keegan Petersen to the crease. 

Petersen and the senior-pro Wickus van Vuuren set about building a partnership against some decent new ball bowling from the Hermanus openers. Their partnership of 110 was ended with van Vuuren chipping one to mid-wicket for a grafting 50. Uwe Birkenstock joined the fray with a brisk 30 and Emile Kriek also scored a valuable run a ball 40* with the clinical Petersen racing to 118 off 136 balls. Maties concluded their innings on a very challenging 267/4 in 50 overs.

The Hermanus chase started very slowly as they lost three early wickets with Riyaad Henry and André Odendaal applying early pressure as they bowled with great accuracy and skill.

A rebuilding partnership for Hermanus added 60 runs to take them to 80/5 but the introduction of Eddie Schutte into the attack led to a flurry of wickets as he claimed 3/16. Hermanus fell well short at 140 all out handing Maties a bonus point win and their third consecutive Boland League Trophy with three games in hand.

​​A new three-year EU FP7-IRSES Ecodry Project "Sharing best agroecological practises for resilient production systems in dryland and drought conditions" was recently launched at Coventry University, UK. This new joint exchange project aims to enhance understanding and share knowledge on strategies to build the resilience of farming systems to natural and man-made impacts in dryland and drought situations, including climate change, through collaboration of joint research and capacity building activities between participating universities. These institutions include: the Centre for Agroecology and Food Security at Coventry University, UK; University of Extremadura, Spain; University of Yucatan, Mexico; University of Stellenbosch, South Africa; and National Centre for Research and Development-Badia Research Programme, Jordan.

The launching workshop for the EU FP7-IRSES Ecodry Project was held at Coventry University, UK, from 24-27 February 2014, and was attended by two delegates from Stellenbosch University, namely, Mrs Julia Harper (Food Security Initiative Manager) and Dr Ailsa Hardie (Soil Science). During this workshop all the partners presented talks on the research conducted at their respective institutes and the scope of the Ecodry research collaboration was decided upon. This project will allow PhD students and researchers from the non-EU partner institutes to travel to EU partner institutes (in England and Spain) to conduct research on the main theme of the IRSES Ecodry project for up to 8 months each year for the next three years. The EU partner researchers and students can also travel to the non-EU partners, and a research sharing workshop will be held annually at one of the non-EU institutes. The Ecodry Workshop will be held at Stellenbosch University in 2016.

For more information on the Ecodry project please visit http://coventry.wistia.com/medias/wflkexx1a2 or contact Julia Harper: jrs@sun.ac.za​

​​​​Opinion piece by Prof Samantha Sampson originally published on World TB Day, 24 March 2014.

As a TB researcher, I vacillate between awed admiration for and incredible frustration with the bacteria that causes TB, Mycobacterium tuberculosis. While there is a battery of effective anti-TB drugs available, drug-resistant strains of M. tuberculosis are becoming increasingly common, with the incidence in South Africa reaching alarming proportions.  There are estimated to be over 13,000 cases each year of multi-drug resistant TB (MDR-TB), resistant to at least 2 important front-line TB drugs.  In the current worst-case scenario, strains could be resistant to up to 10 different anti-TB drugs, making it enormously challenging to treat patients infected with these strains, and treatment failure is common. Some researchers have suggested the term totally drug resistant (TDR) to describe such strains. However, this label is controversial, with organisations such as the World Health Organisation discouraging its use, partly to avoid these patients being viewed as lost causes. Worryingly, work by researchers at Stellenbosch University and elsewhere has demonstrated extensive transmission of drug-resistant M. tuberculosis strains, suggesting programmatic failings.

Following decades of intensive TB research, there is fresh hope– several new and re-purposed drugs are currently undergoing clinical trials, many right here in South Africa, with promising results.  However, there are still many challenges to be addressed. One major obstacle is the accessibility of these new drugs. Promising candidates are often prohibitively expensive, or not yet approved for widespread use. There are important lessons to heed from the HIV field, specifically in the area of treatment activism. It is encouraging that activist organisations such as TB Proof and the Treatment Action Campaign are making inroads into calling for universal access to new and effective TB interventions.  However, as scientists and citizens, we too have a responsibility to ask the difficult questions and advocate for improved TB treatments for all.

The enormous complexity of TB demands creative and integrated approaches. If we consider the deadly synergy with HIV, it is evident that we cannot view the TB epidemic in isolation. There is an increasing push to integrate TB and HIV care, to treat the patient, rather than treat two separate diseases. The benefits of such an approach have been demonstrated by a Médecins Sans Frontières-supported study in the Ubuntu Clinic in Khayelitsha, a densely populated urban area on the outskirts of Cape Town. Recently, the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA) published results from the so-called SAPiT trial, demonstrating the value in co-ordinating anti-retroviral and anti-TB treatment, particularly in MDR-TB patients. This latter study highlights the importance of considering the impact of anti-retroviral therapy on new TB drugs and vice versa.

The examples above emphasise the world-leading TB research that is being conducted in South Africa, much of it fitting the "bench to bedside" approach. To achieve TB control, it is critical that basic research synergises closely with practices in the healthcare facilities.  There are few places in the world where there are such rich opportunities to do exactly this type of cross-cutting TB research as South Africa. Within my own institution, Stellenbosch University, I work within a team of world-leading scientists undertaking research on a wide range of TB-related questions, spanning disciplines including host genetics, immunology, bacteriology and clinical testing of new drugs and diagnostics. This microcosm of TB research affords many opportunities for multi-disciplinary national and international collaborations, a cornerstone of successful TB research.

The ability to do world-leading TB research here in South Africa requires sustained government support, and there are encouraging signs in this regard. A recent join MRC-NIH funding call has generated significant interest, and the outcomes of these awards will be keenly followed. At Stellenbosch University, within the Department of Biomedical Sciences, we are privileged to have been awarded 3 SARChI (South African Research Chairs Initiative) Research Chairs focusing on different aspects of TB research. This represents a significant investment by the Department for Science and Technology and the National Research Foundation. These research chairs focus on host immunology, bacterial biology and animal TB. They are providing new impetus to an already outstanding TB research environment, with the hope that new knowledge generated will ultimately aid efforts to combat TB. As a researcher just starting my independent career, I am thrilled to have been given this opportunity to hold one of these chairs. While I have benefited from the experience of working in world-leading TB laboratories in the USA and UK, I am excited and humbled by the opportunity return to South Africa after 12 years to do TB research. It is both a privilege and a responsibility to do this type of research in South Africa; TB is not an abstract or academic concept here -  while there are significant challenges, we are spurred on by the stark reality of the human suffering caused by this disease.  

Author: Professor Samantha Sampson

Bio: Prof. Sampson is a TB researcher with expertise in mycobacterial genetics, microbiology, immunology and animal models of TB. With a strong international collaborative network, her work is frequently cross-disciplinary; she has published with clinicians, epidemiologists, engineers, animal and public health experts, molecular biologists, and immunologists. Prof. Sampson obtained her PhD from Stellenbosch University, with a focus on genetic and phenotypic characterisation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. She subsequently gained over 10 years of international research experience. While at the Harvard University School of Public Health, she worked on the development of novel TB vaccine candidates, as well as their safety and efficacy testing in a range of infection models. In 2006, she was awarded a Wellcome Trust Research Career Development Fellowship, and moved to Imperial College London. Here, she initiated research aimed at dissecting the TB host-pathogen interface, and also contributed to the development of reporter technology for in vivo imaging of mycobacterial infection. She was recently awarded a SARChI Chair in Mycobactomics, whereupon she returned to South Africa to establish her own research group focused on TB host-pathogen interactions within the DST/NRF Centre of Excellence in Biomedical Tuberculosis Research in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University.

​​​​​The Nedbank National Championships for the Physically Disabled is being hosted at Coetzenburg from 31 March to 2 April 2014. Programme.​

The athletics programme for the evening of Tuesday 1 April should be of particular interest to spectators as it will include some of the more high profile athletes as well as a number of promising future stars. 

The event sees over 900 competitors competing in seven sport codes: athletics, swimming, judo, goal ball, boccia, seven-a-side football and cycling (for juniors).

In addition to the various provincial teams a team from Namibia is also competing in the event which kicked off with an opening ceremony held at Stellenbosch's Town Hall on Sunday 30 March. 

They will compete during the 18:00 to 20:00 time slot.

Some of the aforementioned athletes will use this event as a springboard for potential honours at the 2014 Commonwealth Games to be held in Scotland later this year.

Photographs: Paralympians Ilse Hayes and Hilton Langenhoven in action. Photo credit: Gallo Images.

​​This year's Stellenbosch University Open Day is around the corner and prospective students and their parents or teachers are invited to visit Stellenbosch University on Friday 11 April from 09:00 to 16:30 to find out everything they need to know about being a student in Matieland.

The Open Day is free of charge and learners can visit over a hundred information stalls to find out more about the different fields of study offered by the University. Prospective students are encouraged to first stop by the welcoming tent in front of the Conservatoire on the corner of Victoria and Neethling streets where they will receive information packages.

The Open Day is also the ideal opportunity for prospective students to enquire about what the admission tests entail and to ensure that they know what the admission requirements for 2015 are. ​

Information stalls

Open Day visitors will be able to visit more than 100 information stalls! These include the ten academic faculties, the respective departments, the various SU support services, e.g. Bursaries and Loans, Student Fees, Maties Sport and Academic Support, as well as Maties student bodies, e.g. the Student Representative Council, residences and societies.

Accommodation is crucial for all prospective students. For this reason there will be stalls for enquiries about University residences, as well as private accommodation options. All the residences will be open for viewing. Some of the other stalls include facilities available for handicapped students, the library, Centre for Student Counselling and Development (CSCD), the Language Centre and the First Year Academy.

Several other educational institutions will also be present, e.g. Boland College and the Isa Carstens Academy.

Information sessions

Apart from the information stalls, all the faculties and the Centre for Prospective Students will also be presenting information sessions during the course of the day.

Campus tours and entertainment

When you have all the information you require or would like to start your day with a little exercise, you can go on a guided campus tour. Where better to obtain information than from current Maties? To top this all MFM, our own campus radio station, will broadcast from the Neelsie. Cool prizes will be up for grabs.

Where?

The Open Day is hosted on and around the Rooiplein on the Stellenbosch Campus. Admission is free and parking will be available close to the Neelsie Student Centre.

Get more information here.

Visit www.maties.com for:

• The Open Day programme 
• Information sessions schedule
• Parking map
• Guidelines to use the Open Day to your full advantage

Or contact the Centre for Prospective Students at 021 808 4709 of 021 808 2631.

MORE INFORMATION

How to get the most out of the Open Day

With more than 100 information stalls at the Open Day, it will be a daunting task to reach everyone, says Mrs Magdel Pretorius of the Centre for Prospective Students and organiser of the SU-Maties Open Day.

"A good tip is to use the available floor plan to reach the stalls relevant to you," she says.

"The stalls are also placed in such a way that interest fields are grouped together. In this way learners can identify certain fields of interest beforehand. These include fields in the Physical Sciences and Technology; Biological and Medical Sciences; Business and Economic Sciences; the Humanities and the Creative Arts."

And, she adds, it will also be of great value if learners ask the right questions. Examples are:

• What are the admission requirements for the programmes?
• What interests should I have to enjoy this programme?
• Which skills will I learn within the programme?
• What are the job opportunities for someone with this qualification?

According to Pretorius learners could also consider forming groups with fellow learners who have similar interests and obtain important information by also listening to others' questions.

"We also suggest that learners aim to have conversations with the Faculty officers at the stalls, as opposed to only collecting books and pamphlets. Learners' questions are best answered in informal conversations such as these. Learners could also request follow-up appointments and ask representatives of a specific Faculty or Department to visit the school after the Open Day."

Learners should also consider career counselling (this includes psychometric assessment and personal consultation) should there still be uncertainty about their possible career choices. This can help learners to become more aware of less-known programmes, rather than only focusing on the options of which they have already heard.​

A Sustainable Agriculture Indaba will be held on Tuesday 15 April in Stellenbosch and will bring together representatives of the agricultural and food sector and academics from Stellenbosch University.

The Indaba is part of the Programme in Sustainable Agriculture which was launched in February 2014 at Stellenbosch University in conjunction with Conservation South Africa and Wageningen University in the Netherlands.

"Through the Indaba we want to bring together researchers, students and those working in the agricultural and food sector to take stock of the work thus far, and to build consensus about what we should do further research on," says Prof Ken Dzama, who leads the Sustainable Agriculture Programme at Stellenbosch University. "We hope it will inspire further real-life case studies for our students to work on."

Among the speakers at the Indaba will be three PhD students who are part of the Sustainable Agriculture Programme. Ms Emma Vink will give an overview of socio-economic issues within sustainable agriculture. Ms Annelin Davids will speak about sustainable smallholder sheep farming in the Western Cape, while Ms Rhoda Malgas will focus on the rooibos tea industry.

The postgraduate programme offers masters and doctoral degree study opportunities, while relevant shortcourses are also now being developed. The focus is on the scientific principles by which to manage land and food production systems in a sustainable way to optimise productivity in the long term. It integrates various disciplines and departments of the Faculty of AgriSciences at Stellenbosch University.

Six MSc students and three PhD are already part of the Programme. The research projects they undertake all have a strong industry focus. As part of the integrated learning process of the Master's degree programme, for instance, students are expected to work in collaboration with stakeholders in a transdisciplinary fashion to put sustainability ideas into practice to solve specific farming or food manufacturing problems. Many of the projects currently being pursued were inspired by the specific needs of farmers and producers who took part in a previous workshop held by the Sustainable Agriculture Programme in September 2013. These include soil health, biodiversity management, waste management within the local agricultural industry, systems thinking, and the viability of using local genetic resources in light of global warming changes.

•  The Sustainable Agriculture Indaba takes place on 15 April from 09:00 to 13:30 at STIAS (www.STIAS.ac.za). Lunch will follow the proceedings. To attend, contact Julia Harper, Program manager Sustainable Agriculture at Stellenbosch University by Friday 4 April on jrs@sun.ac.za.
• For more information about the postgraduate degree programme in Sustainable Agriculture, contact Prof. Ken Dzama at kdzama@sun.ac.za or 021 808 4740 or Rhoda Malgas at 021 808 3299 or rmalgas@sun.ac.za at Stellenbosch University.

Media enquiries:
English: Prof Ken Dzama
Department of Animal Sciences, Stellenbosch University
kdzama@sun.ac.za or 021 808 4740

​​Is South Africa better or worse off after 20 years of democracy? Is the current political landscape an outcome of specific decisions that were taken (or not) in 1994?

These are just some of the questions panellists will try to answer during a special Stellenbosch Forum discussion on Monday (7 April 2014). The event, which commemorates our country's first democratic elections held on 27 April 1994, takes place in the Auditorium of the JS Gericke Library at Stellenbosch University (SU). It starts at 13h00.

Proff Willie Esterhuyse, Willie Breytenbach and Sampie Terreblanche will discuss the topic "South-Africa: 20 years later". 

The Stellenbosch Forum lecture series was started in 1990 and provides regular opportunities to staff and students at SU, as well as interested people from the public, to learn more about the relevant, world-class research that is being done at SU. 

• Contact Felicia McDonald at 021 808 2581 or fmcdonald@sun.ac.za for more information.

More about the speakers

Willie Esterhuyse is Emeritus Professor of Philosophy and Business Ethics at Stellenbosch University (SU). He is a well-known ethical and socio-political commentator and has published widely on politics in South Africa. A staunch critic of Apartheid, Esterhuyse was involved in secret talks between leaders of the ANC and the then National Party in the late 1980s. These talks laid the foundation for negotiations that would eventually led to a democratic South Africa.

Willie Breytenbach is Emeritus Professor of Political Science at US, specialising in African politics, comparative democratisation and development and security issues. He is a regularly guest on Radio Sonder Grense where he shares his views on politics in South Africa. Breytenbach is a recipient of the University Rector's Award for Teaching Excellence, as well as the Golden Key Award for the best lecturer in the Faculty of Arts & Philosophy.

Sampie Terreblanche is Emeritus Professor of Economics at SU and one of the country's eminent thought leaders on Economic History and Economic Systems. He has written numerous books and articles on economics. Terreblanche was also involved in secret meetings with the ANC at the end of the 1980s.

​ 

​​​​"The success of the Stellenbosch University Wordfest is a feather in the cap of not only the organisers, but the University as a whole." This was the words of Prof Eugene Cloete, Vice Rector: Research and Innovation and currently acting Rector.

"The contributions of among others the Departments of Afrikaans and Dutch, Drama and Music as well as the Frederik Van Zyl Slabbert Institute for Student Leadership Development and the Student Representative Council have all made it possible to again host a very successful Wordfest.

"It is a privilege for Management to congratulate the organizers, and in particular Prof Dorothea van Zyl, the retiring director of the SU Wordfest, with an excellent festival. The University would also like to thank a number of sponsors – apart from the SU itself – among others Die Burger (Media24 and Naspers), Sanlam, the ATKV, kykNET and the Dagbreek Trust, without whose support the festival would not have been possible."

This year, the SU Wordfest celebrated the wonder of words in every way. All previous records were once again broken and the festival maintained its reputation as the only Afrikaans festival that is growing significantly – as it has been over the past few years since 2009.

On Sunday, 2 March, four days before the festival kicked off, ticket sales had already exceeded the total number of ticket sales for 2013. Eventually 21,4% more tickets were sold, which meant an increase of 35,6% in rand value.

The final attendance statistics cannot be calculated yet, but the previous number of 102 000 festival visits (visitors per venue at a time) was definitely exceeded.

The more than 500 programme items were attended very well, with extra chairs being added in some venues. About 35 productions were sold out beforehand, and even more shows sold out during the festival. Free performances, like the series of talks presented by the Moederkerk in Stellenbosch, were also packed.

During the festival, the Wordfest and WOW Project provided employment for about 3 500 artists and a staff component (technical services, student assistants, cleaners, waiters, security and other services) of about 3 200 people.

This year, the festival site changed: RSG News and RSG moved to the Erfurthuis, which has been the new home of the Wordfest and WOW Project since June 2013. The Erfurtkafee was a great success, with scores of people visiting the whole day in the company (and fantastic food) of the kykNET Kokkedore.

Several festivalgoers, however, asked that the Plataankafee return, and in 2015 the Wordfest hopes to include the Sasol Art Museum again as a festival venue.

The ATKV Book Store, a tent and restaurant next to the Book Tent where the writers' festival is presented, was also a huge success, selling the most books ever.

Lekke Neh, who managed the restaurant, was extremely popular and many festivalgoers spent time here before and after shows. De Vette Mossel was a feast from early till late, with scores of students attending the Blues evenings, which were all sold out. Also fascinating was the magicians (in line with the festival theme) who often performed magic tricks.

The art exhibition in the PJ Olivier Centre was also popular. Twenty-five artists, along with festival artist Diek Grobler (whose work almost sold out) exhibited their work. Artwork of more than R200 000 has already been sold, and about 1 200 visitors viewed the artworks. The exhibition runs until 27 March.

For the first time, the Stellenbosch community participated in great numbers. About 950 people attended the Long Table at the opening of the festival, as well as 1 000 people at the Street Soiree in Church Street. About 36 guest houses provided accommodation, and Lekkeslaap reported an 85% capacity during the Wordfest.

As always, Prof Dorothea van Zyl, who retires as festival director in 2014, announced the festival dates and theme for 2015 on Sunday, 16 March. This will be discussed with the incoming festival director before the information will be officially announced through the media. Therefore the festival theme of "Sweet Sixteen" and dates of 5 to 15 March 2015 might change.

​Dr Robin Dyers, a registrar in Community Health at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at Stellenbosch University, led his team of "hackers" to win second place in South Africa's first Health Hackathon, hosted by the Bertha Centre at UCT Graduate School of Business.

The team, consisting of a programme developer, a technologist, a researcher and a clinician, "hacked" the problem of long waiting times for elective surgery in the Western Cape by designing a web-based patient prioritisation application, that also earned them the awards for "Best Health System Strengthening Innovation" and "Most Scalable Innovation".

Although originally hacking refers to breaching network security to access protected information, nowadays hackathons are being held to find digital solutions to everyday problems using computer technology.

Each team taking part in the hackathon had 25 hours in which to solve its health problem and develop a working prototype, which had to be presented to judges the following day.

According to Dyers there were solutions for all types of health and health-system problems, including waiting times, patient satisfaction and diabetes monitoring. The organisers awarded each of the teams prizes based on particular qualities of the solutions and presentations, but only three teams, of which Dyers' was one, went through to the final round which was held at the Inclusive Healthcare Innovation Summit in Cape Town.

A team that developed an Emergency Centre Tracker to assist emergency centre staff with triaging took first place, with Dyers' team in second place, and in third place was a team that developed solutions for healthcare staff evaluation via cellphone and innovating ways of managing elective surgery waiting lists. 

"The Hackathon proved a challenging and stimulating example of how, in a relatively short period of time, by applying varied skills and intense concentration, health care problems, which, in the normal course, would take many months, even years, to work through, might effectively and expeditiously, be addressed and solved," says Dyers.