Make a note in your diary: The next Maties Marketplace is taking place on 16 April.

And this time the Marketplace will be even bigger and better than previously thanks to a bond forged with the USB-Executive Development (USB-ED).

In only eight months (four events) this popular market has grown from an initial 20 stalls to more than 40 with the last event in March.

The market, a project of the Frederik Van Zyl Slabbert Institute for Student Leadership Development (FVZS Institute) was the brainchild of JD Labuschagne, a junior business developer at Stellenbosch University (SU) who was formerly also involved with the institute.

With the next market the FVZS Institute will work with the USB-Ed's Centre for Applied Entrepreneurship that will bring about 100 students – working in teams of five – to the market. With this kind of co-operation entrepreneurial bonds between students and student leaders on the different SU campuses are strengthened.

According to Mr De Wet Schoeman, director of the Centre for Applied Entrepreneurship his students are young people who decided to take a gap year.

"They are all matriculants who have not yet decided what to do career-wise. With our Gap Year Programme in Entrepreneurship and Management, students are, among other things, taught to understand themselves, to identify their personal goals and how to reach these goals."

The programme also includes psychometric testing, career guidance and life coaching and students are taught about the demands of starting and running a new business.

"Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation is an integral part of the activities and programme offering of the FVZS Institute and the Maties Market is one of the central outputs to reach exactly this," says Dr Leslie van Rooi, the head of the Institute.  "As part of sustaining and growing a culture of entrepreneurship both on and off campus, the Institute will continue to partner with other role-players to invest in the development of socially connected young leaders."

Members of the student body as well as the community have the opportunity to sell and buy at the Maties Marketplace. People usually queue while the vendors are still busy unpacking their wares​ – eager to start nibbling on chocolates, cake, samoesas and other food and to look at and buy clothes, jewellery and art.

"We try to maintain a balance between things to eat and other products," says Emile Naudé, co-ordinator of Maties Marketplace. "However food products are undoubtedly the most popular and we try to keep prices affordable for the student community."

Student vendors at the market, quickly learn from their mistakes and to address and solve problems immediately.

Although the goal is to hold a monthly market, it is not always possible because of public and university holidays.

Local musicians are also given the opportunity to perform at the market – giving them great exposure while they ensure a pulsing background sound while visitors browse, buy and chat.

"We receive a large number of applications for the market. Unfortunately we cannot accommodate everyone and we turn away many people," says Emile.

The market is held in front of the Wilcocks building in Victoria Street. But it seems as if this space might soon become too cramped.

"We are investigating possibilities to move the market to a bigger space," says Emile. 

In the meantime, be sure to come to the next market on 16 April.

​What are the causes of xenophobia, and what does hatred of foreigners in South Africa say about the state of democracy in this country 20 years after its inception in 1994?

These questions are at the heart of a new book, Imagined Liberation: Xenophobia, Citizenship and Identity in South Africa, Germany and Canada, by sociologists Heribert Adam and Kogila Moodley. Published by SUN PRESS, it forms part of a series of publications by the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study (STIAS).

"We have a clear vision to promote research at the highest level on issues of the highest relevance. We cannot shy away from difficult topics. And we have a duty to disseminate this research to the broad public," STIAS Director Prof Hendrik Geyer said at the book's launch in Stellenbosch recently.

Adam and Moodley are STIAS fellows. He is Emeritus Professor of Sociology at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, and she Professor Emerita in the Department of Educational Studies at the University of British Columbia. Most of the research and writing for their book took place during three visits to South Africa from 2011 to 2013 while they were resident at STIAS.

"Imagined Liberation traces how the dream of in inclusive, non-racial democracy faded in South Africa," the authors say in their introduction. This is reference in part to the prevalence of negative attitudes in this country towards migrants from the rest of Africa, and in part to the turn that political developments at the continent's southern tip have taken the past two decades.

They use xenophobia "as a prism for South African society at large" and by analysing the spectrum of attitudes displayed, they "attempt to capture revealing aspects of the current collective mindset, 20 years after the abolition of legalised apartheid."

They explore xenophobia "empirically, comparatively and theoretically," covering first base with ethnographic interviews with Grade 11 and 12 learners in Khayelitsha.

"'What do foreigners contribute?' was one of the questions we asked," Moodley recounted at the launch.

"Some respondents emphasised their abilities – that they 'have skills', 'can fix things', 'work together to secure goods cheaply'. Others considered them a burden – they 'steal our women', 'peddle drugs', 'don't pay taxes', 'kill babies' and 'sell body parts'. This was very reminiscent of how anti-Semitism and other forms of racism work."

Prejudice against foreigners from elsewhere in Africa is not confined to the poor. Moodley used the example of a senior politician saying how deeply concerned the government is about the fact that whenever they go to a restaurant they are served by foreigners.

"What about the new human rights culture of a progressive constitution? How could victims of apartheid so easily become victimisers? That is what we wanted to know," Moodley explained.

"There are two answers in the literature – that the country's apartheid past is a root cause of xenophobia, and that the many deficits of the post-apartheid state are key causes of the problem.

"Clearly past habits where 'surplus people' were edged out in the land of their birth do not simply disappear. It is not difficult to see how these patterns persist and can recur. In the post-apartheid era, massive deportation of foreigners took place.

"But anchoring the new xenophobia in the past doesn't explain the specifics of the recent violence towards amakwerekwere in South Africa. Also, how can one explain xenophobia in societies without an apartheid past?"

The authors argue that the ANC, "a once glorified liberation movement", started losing its moral compass once it came to power. As "moral turning points" they list "the HIV/Aids denial, the continuing high crime rate, the corruption crisis and waste of public funds in the controversial arms deal" and "re-racialisation through black economic empowerment."

Analysis of South Africa forms the mainstay of the book, but the other two countries mentioned are given substantial attention as well. In the case of Germany, the treatment of asylum seekers and Islamophobia are highlighted, while Canada is held up as a model for enlightened immigration policies due to the fact that cultural diversity is for the most part celebrated in that society.

According to the writer Breyten Breytenbach (pictured above with Adam and Moodley), who delivered the keynote address at the launch (click here for a copy), "the merit of the book is that it reminds us of the imperative of hospitality and of encompassing differences in background and in origin."

This book is a timely contribution to public debate as South Africans prepare to go to the polls for the fifth time since the country's political transition – with "many former anti-apartheid activists" having become disillusioned and "others still imagining liberation through outdated policies."

For Adam and Moodley this work is more than just another research project. The two had met in Durban in 1966, when Moodley was a lecturer at the then University College for Indians (later the University of Durban-Westville, now part of the University of KwaZulu-Natal), and Heribert was a visiting scholar from Germany. They fell in love, but their relationship fell afoul of the Immorality Act. Moodley was fired from her job and Adam banned from South Africa. They got married in Germany two years later.

For them, the book in effect synthesises their 50 years of academic involvement in South Africa.

* Imagined Liberation: Xenophobia, Citizenship and Identity in South Africa, Germany and Canada is published by SUN PRESS, an imprint of AFRICAN SUN MeDIA. It may be ordered directly from www.sun-e-shop.co.za at a cost of R275, or R220 for the e-book.

​This week, Genadendal opened its doors to more than 80 Grade 12 learners from schools in Cape Town, the Boland and the Overberg by hosting a holiday school in this new HOPE@Maties centre for the first time.

Stellenbosch University's (SU) HOPE@Maties programme is a strategic Schools Initiative through which learners from 10 geographic clusters attend Saturday or holiday schools. Grade 12 learners who maintained an average of 70% in Grade 11 receive the opportunity to attend extra classes offered by some of the best teachers in their area.

Learners from schools such as Bernadino Heights Secondary School (Kraaifontein), Rhodes High (Mowbray), Klein Nederburg Secondary School (Paarl) and Lückhoff High School (Stellenbosch) attended the holiday school in Genadendal. They stayed in the hostel of Emil Weder Secondary School and attended classes in Mathematics, Physical Sciences and Accounting.

The inauguration of the centre was celebrated with a special function in the Moravian Church in Genadendal on Thursday 3 April. This event was attended by the Rector and Vice-chancellor of SU Prof Russel Botman, as well as representatives of various divisions of the university, the Western Cape Education Department (WCED), the local community and the Moravian Church.

"You are at the right place," said Rev Chris Wessels of the Moravian Church. "Genadendal is the cornerstone of education in South Africa." This town housed the first training centre for teachers in the country.

Ms Jenny Bridgeman of the WCED's Overberg office said a holiday school in Genadendal is the right way to go to grow the number of learners from rural areas who qualify for university.

Prof Botman described the Genadendal centre as HOPE@Maties' biggest centre of excellence. He thanked the learners for committing their time to their studies and for making it possible for the university to support them.

He said HOPE@Maties focuses on two words: Access and success.

"Talent is evenly spread throughout society, but not opportunities and not money. These are the two things we focus on: We make sure that you don't let opportunities pass you by and we make sure that there is financial support to help you gain access to university." 

Prof Botman added that the programme doesn't only look at talent, but also at the potential of learners to be successful at university. He ensured the learners that they will receive lots of support and that SU's first-year through-put rate is the best in South Africa.

"We want people committed to their own future​. People who say: I want to achieve something in this life and I want to be a leader in this country in some way or another."

The learners agreed that they didn't mind spending their holiday in the classroom.

Joshua Matthee from Wellington Secondary School said the holiday school was a "very good experience". "Here you learn who you are, what you can do and who you want to be. It is definitely worth it."

Sikelela Tabata from Lückhoff High School said the holiday school is hard work, but worth it. She is very motivated to do well. 

For Anelisa Mxathule of Rhodes High, the most important thing is that she has realised what she is struggling with and what she has to work hard on.

HOPE@Maties was very successful in 2013. Six HOPE@Maties learners appeared on the WCED's merit list for 2013. A group of 34 learners were A candidates and there were 157 subject distinctions.

​​Watch out for charlatans and medical fraudsters who can rob you of your hard-earned money and even put your life in danger with their hogwash and unscientific claims.

This is the warning in a new book Kwakke, Kwinte en Kwale: Hoe ʼn onsinverklikker joú lewe kan red, by science journalist and lecturer, George Claassen. Claassen is a professor in science journalism and journalism ethics at Stellenbosch University.

His book, published by Xlibris, was launched on Saturday (5 April 2014) at Protea Bookshop.

Claassen said he wrote Kwakke, Kwinte en Kwale "to fight against charlatanry in South Africa because it threatens the lives, financial positions and wellbeing of too many people".

"Charlatanry is not so harmless and the things quacks say are extremely dangerous," he added.

According to Claassen, charlatans make preposterous claims based on principles which haven't been scientifically proven.

He added that they like to present uncertainties as certainties.

Claassen said people are vulnerable against false claims because they do not know how science works.

"Science affects us directly and even though it works with uncertainties, it remains the reliable way to find out what is right."

And how do we expose charlatans? By becoming active citizens and lodging complaints with regulatory bodies such as the Advertising Standards Authority of South Africa, said Claassen.

Award-winning science journalist of Die Burger and Media24, Elsabé Brits, led the discussion at the launch of Claassen's book and said it is definitely something that one should have on your bookshelf.

It is a quick guide to distinguish between the false claims of charlatans and that which is true, she added.

• Kwakke, Kwinte en Kwale: Hoe ʼn onsinverklikker joú lewe kan red is published by Xlibris. It is available at most bookstores at a cost of R185.​

​​The Listen, Live and Learn (LLL) Programme at Stellenbosch University (SU), which started as the first of its kind in South Africa in 2008, manages to prepare students as agents of change in society where they help to build and support thriving communities.

This is one of the findings of Dr Munita Dunn in her recent Master's degree on stereotypes and prejudices among students living in LLL houses at SU. Dunn is the Deputy-Director of SU's Centre for Student Structures and Communities.

LLL houses are living spaces where senior students based on diversity factors such as race, gender and field of study live together for a year according to a central theme such as community service, leadership, culture and media. These students take part in a series of discussions around the central theme and also invite academics, entrepreneurs and experts to participate.

Currently 165 students are living in LLL houses, 119 of whom in the newly built LLL complex. The complex comprises 11 separate LLL houses as well as 15 "houses".

Through her research, Dunn wanted to determine whether higher levels of interaction among a diverse group of senior students, who lived in LLL homes in 2013 and participated in various activities, could help break down stereotypes and prejudices.

She used electronic questionnaires to measure students' tolerance in terms of gender, race, language, socio-economic status and nationality.

As to why she did the study, Dunn says: "SU's position in the rapidly changing context of higher education necessitates transformation, the promotion of diversity as well as the social integration of all students. It is therefore important to determine whether the LLL programme does help to make SU more diverse, to break down stereotypes and to change discriminatory behaviour."

Her research showed that closer interaction between LLL students did not immediately reduce stereotypes and prejudices about gender, language, race, socio-economic status and nationality.

According to Dunn, it can be attributed to students' personal development, especially during the so-called crisis phase that forms part of the adjustment process.

She says the crisis phase usually follows the honeymoon phase when students are euphoric and excited about the diversity and uniqueness of the LLL environment. Dunn adds that it is difficult to link these phases to a specific period because they depend on the group's development, and are also different for each individual student.

"In the crisis phase of adjustment, students are confronted with the reality of diversity and the challenge to adapt to it. They experience frustration, disappointment, impatience and tension, and also try to understand themselves within a diverse context."

"My research has shown that although students initially functioned as individuals, they later focused more on collaboration, achieving common goals and critical dialogue."

Students are thus in a process where they develop as agents of change, added Dunn.

She says the contribution that LLL houses, as learning communities, make to the development of students inside and outside the classroom should not be underestimated. A learning community, as a network of relationships, helps bridge the gap between students' learning experience both inside and outside the classroom.

Dunn says although her research highlighted certain shortcomings of the LLL programme, especially concerning the adjustment of students and the support they need in this regard, she was able to gather valuable information about students' interpersonal and intrapersonal development, as well as the programme's content and outcomes. 

She mentions that the shortcomings have already been addressed in the training programme LLL students will follow in 2014. 

According to Dunn, the concept of LLL houses deserves more attention in higher education because it "prepares students for the reality and diversity of society, and is part of another type of housing on campus that focuses on the development of senior students and the associated skills."  

She says her study wants to help start a conversation about the importance of learning communities as part of a co-curricular approach in higher education in South Africa. Besides the curriculum, a co-curricular approach focuses on developing students' academic, personal and leadership skills, social tolerance and community engagement.

• Photo: Munita Dunn in front of Waldenhuis, one of the LLL houses​ in Victoria Street.
  
• Photographer: Stefan Els

Although South Africa is not doing too badly after 20 years of democracy, we will have to work harder to stay on course. 

​This was more or less the thread running through the messages of three former Stellenbosch University (SU) professors at a special Stellenbosch Forum panel discussion in SU's JS Gericke Library on Monday (7 April 2014).

​​​A "WorkMode" app has landed two Maties computer students in the final stretch of the Ericsson Application Awards for 2014, after out-competing 142 students from 63 countries.

Rijnard van Tonder and Jacques Marais entered the competition as Team WorkMode with an Android app that enables a company to more easily adopt out-of-the-office policies by keeping track of their employers' whereabouts and tasks. View a YouTube video of the app at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfUFVEmD-Pc&feature=youtu.be

Rijnard and Jacques are MSc students in the Computer Science Division of the Department of Mathematical Sciences at Stellenbosch University. The honours programme at SU includes a section on the development of mobile apps.

The theme for the competition was Apps for Working Life and had to "contribute toward making the next generation of working life one where people can innovate, collaborate and balance their lives outside work better".

The other four finalists are teams from Germany, India, Bangladesh and Finland.

The two top teams will be announced on 24 April 2014 with the award ceremony taking play in May. The winning team will receive EUR 25 000 and the runner-up EUR 10 000. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/Ericsson.Application.Awards.

Rijnard van Tonder is also one of six finalists in the IBM Master the Mainframe contest.

​​​Stellenbosch University computer science student Rijnard van Tonder showed his mettle on the global stage when he landed second place in the IBM Master the Mainframe world championship, missing first place by only two points.

The announcement was made at a gala event in New York City on 8 April, celebrating the 50^th anniversary of mainframe computing. The first place went to Yong-Shiang Shi from Taiwan.

The championship is described as the largest and most competitive mainframe computing competition in the world, and attracted more than 20 000 entries from around the world.

Writing in an e-mail from New York, Rijnard says the judges awarded points to each of the six finalists on a scale from zero to one thousand: "There was a difference of only two points between myself and the number one spot, which is really small. But I guess that's the name of the game!"

Computer Science lecturer Steve Kroon says they are all immensely proud of Rijnard's success: "He has a history of excellent achievement academically, as well as previous successes in various competitions and challenges. His enthusiasm will be missed at our Computing Club, where he was a regular contributor. We are sure Rijnard will make a great success of his future endeavours".

Rijnard is also a finalist in the Ericsson Application Awards for 2014 as part of Team WorkMode with Jacques Marais. They are both MSc students in the Computer Science Division of the Department of Mathematical Sciences at Stellenbosch University. 

​​Do you have a business idea you're passionate about and think will work? Come and pitch your innovative idea at the Stellenbosch University LaunchLab's Pitching Den – you might just be the winner of seed funding, mentorship and space to get your idea off the ground.

Sponsored by Microsoft BizSpark and Innovus, the Pitching Den will be hosted over the next three weeks of April at the LaunchLab's Show & Tell venue, in the Admin A Building on the Stellenbosch University campus. Students as well as non-students will have the opportunity to pitch viable business ideas and possibly win support to develop these innovations.

"Participants will enter their business idea by doing an informal pitch in front of a camera at the LaunchLab," explains Philip Marais, Manager of the LaunchLab. "We will have a three-week intake of ideas, after which a week will be taken to filter the ideas and choose the finalists. The ideas will be judged according to their feasibility as well as the quality of the market research that was done. A panel of judges will choose the five best ideas from the final pitches, which will each win R10 000 in seed funding, mentorship and space in the LaunchLab to develop their ideas further."

In addition to pitching to be one of the five best ideas mentioned above, participants can also participate in the following challenges:

• Deloitte Challenge
  

• SA 1 Challenge
  

Each participant will receive feedback from the judges on the merits of his/her idea.

• Innovators can sign up for a time slot at the Pitching Den here (Just click on the "Sign-up" button)
• For more information, please visit the LaunchLab's website HERE.

MORE INFORMATION

Place, Date & Times of Pitching Den

The Pitching Den will run between 12pm and 2pm in the LaunchLab's Show & Tell room, Admin A, Stellenbosch University campus, on the following dates:

• Week 1: 8 - 10 April 2014
  
• Week 2: 15 - 17 April 2014
  
• Week 3: 22 - 24 April 2014
  
• Selection process: 28 April - 2 May 2014
  
• Final presentations: 8 May 2014
  

ABOUT LAUNCHLAB

The LaunchLab is a business hub for a community of entrepreneurs. The LaunchLab does not merely provide rented space and ICT infrastructure but, more importantly, creates an environment through the programmes that it offers that accelerate entrepreneurs to a new level. 

The constructive and critical role that African institutions of higher education can play in the continent's development will be deliberated at an international conference to be held in Stellenbosch in the week of 13 April.

• Themed Science for Society: Higher Education as builder of Hope, the 7^th AC21 International Forum 2014 is hosted by Stellenbosch University (SU) and will take place at Spier outside Stellenbosch from 13-16 April 2014.

The AC21 International Forum is the annual meeting of members of the Academic Consortium for the 21st Century (AC21). This year's forum will host more than 70 delegates from 17 countries.

Established in 2002, AC21 is a network comprising educational, research and industrial organisations from Australia, China, France, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, Lao Peoples Democratic Republic, South Africa, Thailand and the United States.

"Higher education institutions in Africa face an unprecedented opportunity to play a constructive and critical role in Africa's development. After decades of decay Africa is now the fastest growing continent. This is mirrored in science: Africa's research output grew 22 per cent faster than the overall world rate between 2005 and 2010. However, much still needs to be done to ensure that Africa's universities play the key knowledge role in society that universities in other regions are occupying," says Mr Robert Kotze, Senior Director of the Postgraduate and International Office at SU and host of the conference.

"The Forum will also be attended by 8 of SU's partner institutions in Africa and the International Forum will provide AC21 member institutions with a sound platform to explore how international knowledge coalitions can focus on sustainable human development in conversation with our African partners.

Sub-themes of the conference include:

• Higher Education and Community Development: Curriculum for Society (e.g. service learning)
• Knowledge coalitions and sustainable development
• Competitive Industry: Higher education, research and innovation
• Internationalisation:
• Building bridges between communities through academic mobility
  
• Creating networks for training the next generation of academics
  

Keynote speakers include:

• Prof Dr Hans-Jochen Schiewer, Rector of the University of Freiburg in Germany ("Global Challenges need transnational answers: The University of Freiburg's Approach towards sustainability"); - Mon  14 Apr 09:00
• Prof Russel Botman, SU Rector and Vice-Chancellor; "The long road to development: Walking together in higher education" - Mon 14 Apr 09:00
• Prof Pascale Quester, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (academic), University of Adelaide; "Co-creation and the Adelaide Learning Hub" – Mon 14 Apr 14:00.
• Mr Ghaleeb Jeppie, Chief Director: International Relations at the Department of Higher Education and Training; "Towards an Internationalisation Strategy in South African Higher Education & Training" – Tue 15 Apr 09:00
• Prof Arnold van Zyl, Rector TU Chemnitz in Germany ("The Role of Universities in the Innovation Chain"). – Tue 15 Apr 12:00

Delegates will also visit the University's Ukwanda Rural Clinical School in Worcester on Wednesday 16 Apr (departing at 09:00). Ukwanda trains health professionals in rural and other underserved areas specifically to improve recruitment and retention; and it strengthens health care by delivering graduates who are socially responsive to the South African context and the rural community. The initiative serves as an example on how universities can be active in the community.

• Liaise with Christopher Muller at 021 808 9155, christopherm@sun.ac.za or visit www.sun.ac.za/ac21 for more information.

At a function earlier this month, the School of Public Leadership (SPL) welcomed new entrants to the postgraduate programmes in Public Management, and awarded the academic achievements of the 2013 top performers.

The PWC-Trophy for best student performance was presented to Dr Denise Botha by Mr Neil van der Scholtz of PricewaterhouseCoopers.

The event also marked the achievement of an important milestone on the road to enhanced e-learning. All new honours students received notebook computers, while many of the old hard-copy handbooks were replaced with Vitalsource, an e-books platform providing a wide range of applications to enhance learning. Students were also introduced to SUNLearn and registered for pre-paid data bundles.

Members of the multi-divisional team who joined forces to make this milestone possible are (front row from left to right) Ralph Pina, Joe Smit, Dr Antoinette van der Merwe, Le Roux Franken and (back row) Prof Johan Burger (left) and Helmi Dreijer (right), here in celebratory mood with Prof Arnold Schoonwinkel, Vice Rector (Learning and Teaching).

South Africa’s renewable energy research capacity has been bolstered through establishment of the Scatec Solar Chair in Photovoltaic (PV) Systems at Stellenbosch University (SU).

The Chair is supported by Norwegian global solar energy provider Scatec Solar, which is the first company to supply electricity to South Africa’s national grid under the country’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Programme (REIPPPP).

Scatec Solar recently signed a contract with SU to establish the new Chair, which will enable the university to expand its leading role in renewable energy research in South Africa. SU’s Centre for Renewable and Sustainable Energy Studies and a number of departments work together in such fields as solar thermal energy, bio-fuels, wind turbine technology and ocean energy.

According to Professor Wikus van Niekerk, Director of the Centre for Renewable and Sustainable Energy Studies: “The support from Scatec Solar will be used to appoint a leading academic as a professor in the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering with the task to coordinate and expand existing PV research.”  The department’s current focus on grid integration of small-scale rooftop PV systems will be expanded to incorporate utility scale PV power plants.

“Research will focus on optimising electricity generation from PV plants and will cover photovoltaic modules, inverters, support structures, system performance and the effects of soiling, grid integration and stability, and other technical issues,” explains Scatec Solar CEO Raymond Carlsen.  “The Chair will form partnerships with other research institutions in the general field of PV systems, including the development of collaborative projects, specialised consulting services for industry, and establishing additional funding streams for PV research at SU.”

The Chair will provide support for a PV industry, which is set to show phenomenal growth in South Africa, from a mere 30 megawatts (MW) of installed capacity in 2012 to between 12 000MW and 20 000MW by 2035, according to a study commissioned by the SA Photovoltaic Industry Association, the Department of Trade and Industry and the World Wildlife Fund. PV market growth will be driven not only by utility-scale projects under the REIPPPP, says the study, but even more so by companies that install the technology to reduce their exposure to rising electricity tariffs and carbon taxes, and to some extent by homeowners.

Government has already contracted 1 484MW of PV capacity from independent producers under the REIPPPP. Scatec Solar is developing three PV plants with combined installed capacity of 190MW. Its first project, the 75MW Kalkbult park in the Northern Cape, was completed three months ahead of schedule late last year and became the first utility-scale renewable energy plant to supply electricity to South Africa’s national grid. Scatec Solar and partners are also developing East Africa’s first utility-scale PV plant in Rwanda.

Photo: Hennie Rudman

​​An opportunity to spend two months in America, in Washington DC, to be specific, as part of a seven month programme to sharpen their leadership skills.

This is what is awaiting four Maties students who have been chosen for the highly sought after South African-Washington International Programme (SAWIP).  They are Kabelo Gildenhuys (Honours: International Studies), Lauren Hess (BA in Politics, Philosophy and Economics – second year), Courtney Roots (postgraduate law student) and Ishara Ramkissoon (fifth year medical student).

"SAWIP is one of the flagship external partnerships of the Frederik Van Zyl Slabbert Institute (FVZS) for Student Leadership Development.  I am therefore extremely proud that four outstanding students of Stellenbosch University have been chosen for this programme," says Dr Leslie van Rooi, head of the Institute and a member of the SAWIP University liaison committee.

"SAWIP strives to establish leadership that serves others with humility and integrity and I identify strongly with this vision," says Kabelo Gildenhuys. "I believe this programme can contribute to my growth and help me to realise my own potential. I am ready and excited to be on this programme." Kabelo adds that he hopes to obtain enough experience through this programme so that "I can confidently take up challenges within our community".

"Just managing all the added responsibilities will further contribute towards my personal development." He has successfully completed two FVZS courses: Leaders Beyond Borders (2013) and Agents for Social Change (2012). 

Lauren Hess says she appreciates her place on the team even more because she knows of what calibre the other candidates are.

"Being chosen is as much of a responsibility as a privilege; one that challenges each team member to do what they can with the opportunity for knowledge and growth provided by SAWIP to affect meaningful change within South African society. I'm hoping to learn as much as possible throughout the next 7 months; taking full advantage of our interactions with thought leaders across various fields both here in South Africa and in Washington DC. Most of all, I need to remind myself to actually enjoy the experience and have fun, despite the demanding nature of the programme." 

Growing personally and professionally, sharing thoughts with and picking the brains of other young South African leaders – this is what excites Courtney Roots about her involvement with SAWIP.

"At the end of the programme I would like to have created a successful community engagement project with my fellow team members, learnt form the professional work exposure, developed my own leadership skills, and learnt more about myself as well as effective team work," is how Courtney summarises what she hopes to gain from the experience.

"This programme allows each individual to professionally and personally engage with other diverse and unique individuals and enhance their own service-leadership skills.  Young people on this programme share a common goal: to serve others and to make a difference, in whatever way possible, through leadership."

Ishara Ramkissoon is the first medical student and Tygerberg Matie to be chosen for SAWIP.

"It is a great honour to be among exceptional student leaders selected for the SAWIP programme. Being the first medical student and the first student from Tygerberg only adds to my excitement and pride as I hope to inspire other Tygermaties to participate in future," she says.

Her main goal for the programme?

"Other than community service my goal is to expand my knowledge through interactions with many different people and then incorporate this into my first passion which is medicine.

"I trust that SAWIP will equip me with the necessary skills to make a contribution to the South African healthcare system."

• ​Photo: The four lucky students, Courtney Roots,  Ishara Ramkissoon, Kabelo Gildenhuys and Lauren Hess. 
  

Stellenbosch University's media relations efforts for 2013 scooped a Gold Award at the annual PRISM Awards held recently.

The awards, made by the Public Relations Institute of Southern Africa (PRISA), recognise excellence in public relations and communication management and are the pre-eminent accolade for communications practice in South Africa.

Ogilvy PR Cape Town (OPR Cape Town), the University's communications partner, received the award after entering the University in the Media Relations category. In this particular category, it was only the University/OPR Cape Town entry that received gold (adjudicators may, if they so choose, not award any gold awards). Other campaigns entered in the same category included those from Nokia, Virgin Active SA, Bidvest, Kumba Iron Ore, Safair and Jet Stores.

Public relations agencies across South Africa submitted entries across more than 20 categories for campaign work undertaken for clients.

 "We are most pleased by the award which serves as confirmation of the University's increased success in the media," says Mr Mohamed Shaikh, Senior Director: Communication and Liaison.

"The brief to Ogilvy was not an easy one. Over the last few years the University's HOPE Project garnered unprecedented media coverage. In addition, the University's position as a thought leader in South Africa was confirmed – which also played a significant role in changing the conversation about the University. The PR challenge for 2013 was, through pro-active interventions, to significantly build on shifts in perception achieved by among others the University's Hope Project and cementing its role as thought leader, while also creating new conversations, ensuring a broader spread of faculty exposure and enhancing the Rector's profile at the start of his second term of office. The Gold Award bears testimony to the success achieved."

"Stellenbosch University is a dynamic tertiary institution that produces more research outputs than any other university on the African continent, and is incredibly driven to ensure that its innovations translate into direct positive impact on society," adds Ms Carol Gallarelli, Executive Head, Ogilvy Public Relations, Cape Town (OPR Cape Town). "When one has a client with such focussed intent, the imperative to ensure that media are kept constantly up-to-date and have seamless access to the University's expert resources, becomes paramount. We are very proud to have been acknowledged by the Public Relations Institute of South Africa, and awarded a Gold Prism Award for Media Relations on behalf of our client."

Themed A big leap in positive pro-active exposure for Stellenbosch, the entry highlighted the fact that off an already significantly high base, OPR Cape Town managed to double both value and volume of pro-active PR exposure for the University during 2013. In achieving over R30 million in terms of AVE (the advertising value equivalent) for SU, OPR Cape Town negotiated an astonishing 385 thought leadership articles during the year, across 71 different topics, involving all ten faculties.

"The sheer size of the University's media exposure is also indicative of the expertise of the University's academics and researchers. Literally hundreds of opinion pieces would not have been possible without these academic contributions in the form of mostly opinion editorials, across a wide range of topics and disciplines," comments Shaikh.

• Click here for more information on PRISA: WWW.PRISA.CO.ZA

The Centre for Health Systems and Services Research and Development (CHSSRD) was established at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS) in March this year.

The aim of the centre is to provide a shared service and academic platform for health systems and services research and development within the FMHS and other faculties at Stellenbosch University.

The centre is headed by Prof Lilian Dudley, and although it is based within the Division of Community Health, is a multidisciplinary entity that includes epidemiologists, public health specialists, social scientists and health economists with varied backgrounds including medicine, nursing, occupational therapy, psychology, economics and social anthropology. Within the faculty the CHSSRD is partnering with the Unit for Research on Health and Society, the Unit for Infection Prevention and Control, the Centre for Evidence Based Health Care and the Desmond Tutu TB Centre. Partnerships with other faculties include the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, the Business School and School of Public Leadership.

The need for health systems and services research (HSSR) arose from health systems failing to address the health needs of populations, which is often caused by a lack of evidence or health information that can inform priority setting, resource allocation and decision making in the health sector.

"The greatest weakness in the South African health system is in the implementation of policy and delivery of health care," says Dudley. Therefore the CHSSRD has been positioned to focus more extensively on health service research that aim to 'produce reliable and valid research data on which to base effective, cost effective, efficient and acceptable health services' (Bowling 1997).

There are very few academic centres undertaking HSSR or training health systems research in South Africa and Africa. ,.

The location of the centre within the FMHS also enables it to engage with the practise of clinical medicine from community and primary care to tertiary hospitals, and it is uniquely positioned to focus on health services research due to its relationships with other disciplines within the Department of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences, and its well-established relationship with provincial and local government health services and the National Department of Health. The centre is also well located to contribute to health systems strengthening through the appropriate training of health professionals.

Photo:  Profs Usuf Chikte (Head: FMHS Department of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences); Nico Gey van Pittius (FMHS Deputy Dean: Resarch); Lilian Dudley (CHSSR), Nulda Beyers (DTTC), Richard Lilford (Chair in Publich Health, University of Warwick) and Jimmy Volmink (FMHS Dean) were present at the launch.

​On Tuesday 9 April, Stellenbosch University's international partner universities were welcomed by the staff of the Postgraduate & International Office at the annual Stellenbosch International Academic Networks (SIAN) Meeting. 

Close to 30 of Stellenbosch University's international partner universities were represented at the SIAN Meeting and engaged with each other and SU representatives during this 4-day networking meeting on aspects ranging from Global Citizenship and Community Engagement to international dimensions of postgraduate education.

As an annual gathering of SU's international partners, organised by the PGIO, the SIAN Meeting dates back to 2003, 10 years after the establishment of the Office for International Relations (OIR) – as the PGIO was known previously. Since the first "Family Meeting" in 2003, the OIR, Stellenbosch University and its partnerships have undergone significant transformation. "But", adds Mr Robert Kotzé, Senior Director: Postgraduate and International Office "despite the fact that we've had to change the name from 'Family Meeting' to something more academic, this evening's opening is testimony to the strong, almost familial, relationship that exists between our institutions".

In addition to celebrating existing partnerships, the SIAN Meeting also welcomed new partners or universities with whom SU will very soon undersign new agreements. A special word of welcome was offered to participants from universities on the African continent, the number of which increases annually, indicative of growing relationships on the continent. Mr Kotzé also offered a special word of welcome to Prof Raul Macado Neto, President: International Relations Office, from the Universidade de Sao Paolo, as one of Stellenbosch University's newest academic partners.

Prof Russel Botman, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of Stellenbosch University shared his words of welcome and vision on student mobility with the partners, in absentia through a speech delivered by Mr Kotzé on his behalf. He mentioned that spanning the globe, SU enjoys more than 145 academic partnerships and through these partnerships SU has experienced academic development, but also encountered some challenges: foreign tuition fees, travel restrictions, and sometimes academic constraints at institutions. These challenges remain to be solved.

He also shared his view on the world of the 'new global student,' noting that today, many borders are fading, be they geopolitical, socio-cultural or inter-generational and that knowledge flows easier and more efficiently through the developments in ICT; testimony to this being the growth of virtual learning channels and techniques around the world. Prof Botman advised that as universities we must heed new developments that boost our international student mobility. Citing the example of the glocal classroom conference hosted by SU during March 2014, which is an initiative in which four universities on four continents are striving to transform education through technological innovation, he underlined the importance of ICT in international student mobility

"Last month we hosted the first Glocal classroom conference in SU [involving] Stellenbosch University in South Africa, Guelph University in Canada, Malmö University in Sweden and Flinders University in Australia. We conducted the whole two-day meeting as a video conference using Google's Hangouts on Air technology. This demonstrated the power of ICT to literally bring us together, which is one of the main aims of student mobility."

​Two related networks, Hope@Africa and Hope International serve as examples of a new kind of international collaboration in higher education: partnerships for collective impact. Collective impact, according to Prof Botman, means going "beyond bilateral even multilateral relations, taking internationalisation to a higher level", a topic which he will discuss at the forthcoming AC21 International Forum.

This year's SIAN Meeting was hosted just before the AC21 International Forum, a conference hosted this year by Stellenbosch University as one of the partners of this prestigious international academic consortium. Universities from Japan, China, Thailand, USA, France, Germany and Australia will be participants in the AC21 International Forum, themed "Science for Society: Higher Education as Builder of Hope."

Highlights of the 4-day SIAN Meeting included the International Mobility Fair (10 April), International Food Evening (10 April), interactions with SU representatives and excursions to local wine farms and Amazink! Township Restaurant and Theatre.

For more information, contact the organiser and coordinator of the SIAN Meeting, Ms Lidia du Plessis at the Postgraduate & International Office, at 021 808 2607 | lidia@sun.ac.za. 

​​​​Science Centres democratize science and contribute to people, especially learners, becoming excited about the subject, Mr Derek Hanekom, Minister of Science and Technology said on Thursday 10 April at the opening of a Science Centre in Matjiesfontein.

The train carriages used for the Science Centre were donated to the project by the owner of Matjiesfontein. They date from 1930 and are located in the Transport Museum at Matjiesfontein. The one carriage will be used to provide accommodation for students. The other will house a small computer centre with 13 work stations (sponsored by ACER Africa) and a modern display screen, as well as a Science Museum.​

This inauguration is an important milestone for various projects, including an integrated seismology network, a space geodesy project as well as getting a Science and Technology Train (S&T Train) on the country's tracks. The fourth combined S&T Train and Space Geodesy Observatory workshop will also take place then.

This project is led by the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) with the support of among others Stellenbosch University (SU), ACER Africa, the Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy Observatory (HartRAO), Africa Earth Observatory Network (AEON) at NMMU, Inkaba yeAfrica (through the National Research Foundation (NRF) and the Department of Science and Technology) and the Matjiesfontein Education Trust.

According to the project leader Dr Stoffel Fourie of the Department of Environmental, Water and Earth Science​ at TUT the Science Centre is the bigger project's contribution to the community and also a good visual representation of what they aim to do with the S&T Train.

Hanekom emphasised the importance of such a centre by saying that the level of development before learners reach high school is a contrywide challenge and many of them never catch up.

"This is centre gives the (local) children a serious advantage," he added. "It equips them​​​ with the desire to know more."

Hanekom said because of infrastructure disadvantages in schools they had to go the route of science centres. Many of these centres were provided with mobile laboratories to take science to the people.

"I think sooner rather than later a mobile laboratory should be linked to this centre."

Hanekom also expressed his support for the planned Science Train.

​​Mr Leon Croukamp, lecturer in Civil Engineering at SU, said the opening of the Science Centre is an important milestone for these projects that have been in the pipeline for several years and are finally taking shape.

​Almost 160 staff members and students of Stellenbosch University (SU) braved the sweltering heat on Thursday (10 April) to participate in the annual Fun Run/Walk.

This event has been hosted annually in Stellenbosch by SU’s Wellness division since 2012 to encourage staff members and students to live healthily. The Fun Run/Walk follows a 5km route through the town which starts and ends at the SU Conservatoire. Participants can decide whether they want to run or walk.

This year’s winner was Brandon Como, a manager in the Division Student Structures and Communities. His time was 22m 21s.

“If it wasn’t for Nicky (Fransman, who came second), I might not have won. He encouraged me along the way. I run regularly and follow a healthy lifestyle. This was a wonderful race, but it was extremely hot,” said Como after the race.

Fransman, senior facilities officer at the SU Conservatoire, finished in a time of 22m 25s. Louis van der Watt, violin lecturer at the Conservatoire, came third in a time of 25m 05s.

The first woman to cross the finish line was Carien Coetzee of the Department of Viticulture and Oenology.

“I run regularly and recently completed the 10km Spar race. Today’s race was enjoyable, especially spending time and getting to know staff from across the campus. But the heat was a challenge,” she said.

Watch the video of this year Fun Run/Walk here. See more photos on SU’s Facebook page.

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