The Council of Stellenbosch University (SU) held its third scheduled meeting of the year on Wednesday 25 September 2019. A new Chancellor was elected by an electoral college that met prior to the Council meeting, and thereafter Council reappointed the Rector and Vice-Chancellor.

Council members strongly condemned gender-based violence and welcomed the ongoing engagement between management and students in this regard. Council also expressed concern at alcohol and substance abuse among students and requested all stakeholders to do more to combat this problem.

A Policy on Quality Assurance and Promotion for the University was approved. In addition, Council also received reports from the Rector and Vice-Chancellor, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Strategy and Internationalisation as well as the Chief Operating Officer.

Please read on for more information.

Kind regards

George Steyn
Chair: SU Council

New Chancellor elected

An electoral college comprising Council, the Executive Committee of Senate as well as the president and vice-president of the SU Convocation gathered prior to the Council meeting to elect the University's 15^th Chancellor. Justice Edwin Cameron – academic, jurist, author and recently retired Constitutional Court judge – was elected by an overwhelming majority. He will be succeeding Dr Johann Rupert, whose term expires at the end of the year.

Council thanked Dr Rupert for his service to the University since he became Chancellor in 2010 and congratulated Justice Cameron on his election. Cameron is an SU alumnus who received an honorary doctorate from his alma mater in 2015, and was nominated for the office of Chancellor by members of the Convocation. Click here for a full news article.

Second term for Rector

Council unanimously appointed Prof Wim de Villiers for a second five-year term as SU Rector and Vice-Chancellor – from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2025. The Institutional Forum and Senate had earlier recommended Prof De Villiers's reappointment.

The chair expressed Council's appreciation for the fact that SU was performing outstandingly with the Rector at the helm, and said that Prof De Villiers had tabled a compelling vision for his second term.

The Rector said that SU's students and staff remained his top priority, as there would be no University without them. Therefore, he will continue to promote their success and development. Click here for a full news report.

School for Data Science and Computational Thinking

Council welcomed the news that SU had established a School for Data Science and Computational Thinking, as reported by the Rector and Vice-Chancellor (click here for his Management Report). This standalone entity, which was officially launched on 29 July, is not located in any single faculty, but collaborates across faculty boundaries. Click here for a full news article.

Article on race and cognition

Council noted that three Senate committees had recommended that SU officially adopt the Global Code of Conduct for Research in Resource-Poor Settings (www.globalcodeofconduct.org) at its next Senate meeting in November 2019. This follows the controversy earlier this year surrounding an article on race and cognition published by SU researchers.

Council also took note of efforts to establish in what way all students could be exposed to learning material on gender and critical race studies, as well as of a survey to determine the extent to which research and teaching on these subjects were already occurring at SU.

Meanwhile, the inquiry into the publication of the article continues. Prof Eugene Cloete, Vice-Rector: Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Studies, undertook to provide further feedback on the matter at the next Council meeting.

Midyear financial report

Council approved SU's midyear financial report for submission to the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET). The report covers the University's financial results for the period 1 January to 30 June 2019.

According to the report, the 2019 budget was responsibly managed over this period. The University is financially sound, despite predominantly weak market conditions and investment performance. As in 2018, private donations again showed higher-than-anticipated growth.

Nevertheless, certain risks need to be taken into account, such as the impact of global and local economic prospects, potential cuts in state funding, and the as-yet unknown effect of the expected regulation of student fees.

Council noted the University's continued commitment to sound financial planning and management in order to ensure the institution's long-term financial sustainability.

Fundraising at SU

SU managed to raise more income from donations and awards than any other institution participating in the 2018 survey on higher education philanthropy (ASPIHE). The survey has revealed that, at an operational level, SU is at the leading edge of fundraising in South Africa. The institution's fundraising efforts for undergraduate and postgraduate bursaries, for instance, yielded R107 million in 2018 against R58,8 million in 2015. Moreover, SU's Development and Alumni Relations Division spent only 6c for every rand raised compared to the survey average of 18c.

Policy on Quality Assurance and Promotion

Council approved a Policy on Quality Assurance and Promotion for SU. The policy provides for cyclical reviews of academic departments and professional administrative support services, and for the periodic review and renewal of faculties, organisational structures, as well as academic programmes and qualifications. The aim is to continuously enhance the quality of all functions at the University.

The Vice-Rector: Learning and Teaching is responsible for implementing the policy. The final version will be published on SU's homepage, in the newly created central repository for key governance and management documents (click here for access).

SU ascends in global rankings

Council welcomed the news that SU had further improved its position among the world's leading universities in the latest edition of the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings. SU is now ranked in the 251–300 bracket as opposed to the 301–350 bracket last year. This puts SU among the top 1% of universities worldwide.

This time, SU improved its performance in relation to teaching, research, citations and international outlook. The most significant improvement was in citations, which had grown by 13% since last year. This is the third consecutive year that SU has improved in terms of this indicator.

Enrolments and qualifications

According to the annual June census, SU now has a total of 31 681 students, which is 0,3% fewer than last year. Postgraduate enrolments still account for approximately a third of the student body. A total of 52,5% of qualifications conferred in the 2018 academic year were at the postgraduate level.

Revised Statute commences

SU's new Statute has taken effect after it was published in the Government Gazette on 16 August 2019 (click here to view). It was adopted by Council in November 2018 and signed by the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology on 10 July 2019.

Interim measures to give effect to the new Statute are currently being planned. The University has 24 months to align the composition of statutory bodies with the new Statute. The revised Statute is available on the University's official webpage for policies and regulations.

Report of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Strategy and Internationalisation

Council received an annual report (click here for her full report, and here for her slide presentation) from the Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Strategy and Internationalisation, Prof Hester Klopper, covering the divisions of Strategic Initiatives, SU International, Information Governance and Corporate Communication. Highlights from the report include the following:

Strategic Initiatives (SI)

The Rectorate approved revised regulations for SU's Strategic Fund in April. The Fund focuses exclusively on initiatives that, although aligned with the vision, mission and core strategic themes of the University as outlined in Vision 2040 and Strategic Framework 2019-2024, are not accommodated in the University's main operational budget. Three application categories are now provided for, namely strategic initiatives, strategic high-rise and public-square projects, and strategic appointments. This year, 27 projects reached the second round, and the decision on final awards will be taken on 31 October.

Internationalisation

The Rectorate approved an Internationalisation Strategy for SU in August. It intends to consolidate the University's standing as a reliable global role-player and a preferred partner in Africa. The strategy offers a framework to incorporate an international dimension into all relevant institutional processes. It also brings greater focus to the existing wide range of internationalisation activities at SU and informs the institution's efforts to unlock new, emerging opportunities.

Information Governance

A range of strategic management indicators (SMIs) to measure SU's progress in delivering on its six core strategic themes were tabled to Council. The SMIs had been compiled and refined by a core working group during six intensive workshops that extended over a few weeks in August, and were then submitted to and further amended by the Rectorate. Council also noted that a final dashboard with strategic business indicators (SBIs) would serve at the Council meeting in December.

Corporate Communication

An SU brand perception audit has revealed that at least 170 sub-brands, visual identities and logos are being used across various SU environments – often without any obvious link to the University. This clearly weakens the University's brand. After careful consideration, the Rectorate has decided that SU will migrate from its current, fragmented “house of brands and logos" to a unified, monolithic brand architecture. A review of SU's visual identity will now be launched. In the meantime, the existing, Centenary-linked visual identity remains in use.

Report of the Chief Operating Officer

Council received an annual report (click here for his full report, and here for his slide presentation) from from the Chief Operating Officer, Prof Stan du Plessis. He oversees the Operations and Finance responsibility centre, which comprises the divisions of Finance, Facilities Management, Information Technology (IT), Innovus and Maties Sport. Highlights from his report include the following:

Finance

The main focus of SU's Finance Division for the next two years will be the roll-out and successful implementation of SUNFin (Oracle Cloud Financials) to support SU's strategic theme of a thriving SU. This will include the refinement of underlying processes and policies to optimise financial procedures, while still maintaining and adhering to good corporate governance principles. It will also entail reviewing the relevance of all sub-systems concerned/affected, as well as digitising current processes and procedures. This systems renewal project is seen as an opportunity to enhance processes with a view to both good governance and an optimal end-user experience, and to make the financial system an enabler of excellence. Change management and training will also be a major focus to ensure a satisfying experience for clients.

Facilities Management

The Facilities Management Division manages the buildings, infrastructure, sports fields and associated services across all SU campuses. SU has 490 buildings with 820 810 m² of usable space on 576 ha of land. Altogether 147 capital projects with a total value of R2,155 billion are currently under way at the University. Thanks to saving measures, the University's electricity consumption dropped to 2008 levels last year, and water consumption was 51% lower than the 2015 baseline.

Campus Security

Although security on all SU campuses remains a risk, the number of reported crime incidents is at its lowest since 2005. From 1 370 incidents in 2016, it dropped to 813 last year. Internal factors contributing to this trend include continuous assessment and mitigation of security risks, the procurement and appointment of a new security services partner, increasing the number of security officers on patrol, utilisation of improved communication security systems, and prioritising support and training for security staff. While these have all contributed to a decline in reported crime incidents, Campus Security is cognisant of the reality that external factors could easily destabilise the situation.

Innovus

Innovus is responsible for SU's intellectual property and trademark portfolio, and supports SU researchers, staff and students to commercialise their expertise and research to generate benefits for the University as well as society. Innovus has received 22 interesting new invention disclosures this year to date, including:

• a “skin printer";
• fractioning, or the process of turning insects into food;
• a method for sound-based differential diagnosis of lung disease;
• a natural gas storage system;
• calibration services for concentrating solar power (CSP) plants, using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs, or drones); and
•  a bio-compostable wine bottle.

Information Technology

SU's Information Technology (IT) Division is firmly on course to reshape its service delivery model into a structure that is geared for excellent ICT support services delivery, in collaboration with all partners both within and outside the University. One of the major opportunities to achieve this was the Service Delivery Model Review, which has just been concluded. This entailed a thorough review of operational processes in order to standardise and formalise IT's service offering. A new service engagement model has been proposed and is currently being developed for implementation.

Maties Sport

Sport has strategic value for SU. One of Maties Sport's many recent achievements was Maties Rugby's double Varsity Cup triumph for the second consecutive year. As in 2018, both the Maties Varsity Cup and the Maties Young Guns teams won their respective finals in the Varsity Cup tournament. SU hosted the 2019 USSA (University Sports South Africa) Games in July. Maties won two gold medals (men's cycling and women's surfing), six silver and two bronze medals. Equally praiseworthy was the 85% first-year throughput rate attained by Maties Sport's high-performance student athletes in 2018, which was in line with the SU average.

External review of Human Resources

Following the finalisation of the terms of reference for an external review of the Human Resources (HR) Division, a closed tender process was initiated and a consultancy firm appointed as service provider. The review commenced on 19 August. All HR's processes, procedures, policies, practices, staff members, staff competencies, workloads and staff placements will be examined.

Council members and structures

Council welcomed Ms Nadine Moodie as a new member. She is an SU alumna and former student leader who now works as a management and strategy consultant. Her term will be from 18 June 2019 until 17 June 2023. She is one of two Council members appointed by Council itself.

Mr Charl Cillié was appointed as chair of Council's Social and Business Ethics Committee, and Dr Minka Woermann from the Department of Philosophy as a member of that committee. Dr Woermann heads up the Business Ethics and Public Integrity Unit in SU's Centre for Applied Ethics.

Next meeting

The next Council meeting, which will be the final one for the year, is scheduled for Monday 2 December 2019.

PICTURE BY STEFAN ELS:

SU Council members at the meeting on September 25, 2019, from left (back), Messrs Wayde Davidse, Hubert Brody and Charl Cillié, Adv Gesie van Deventer, Profs Hester Klopper and Nico Koopman, Ms Nadine Moodie, Profs Johan Fourie and Eugene Cloete, Mr Ainsley Moos, Prof André Coetzee, Dr Tsakani Ngomane, Profs Aslam Fataar and Amanda Gouws, Adv Jean Meiring, Ms Carli van Wyk, Prof Usuf Chikte, Mr Paulu Joubert and Prof André Keet; (front) Profs Arnold Schoonwinkel, Joan Hambidge, Stan du Plessis and Wim de Villiers, Mr George Steyn (chair), Dr Ronel Retief (registrar), Ms Gwen Ngwenya and Ms Sindi Lingela.

Vehicle Tender

The Stellenbosch University, Transport Services, located in Banghoek Street, will host a vehicle sale on Wednesday 16th of October 2019.  The vehicles can be viewed from 08:30 to 16:00 and all written tenders must be in before 16:00 on that day.

Here is a list of the vehicles on sale.

http://www0.sun.ac.za/voertuigvloot/page/afrikaans/voertuig-tenderverkope.php

Contact Lelanie on 021 808 4675 for more info.

​​It is clear from representatives from the European Union (EU), European Food Safety Authority (ESFA), German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) and French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES) that food safety research and systems need to be transparent, independent and based on science.

Journalist. Lecturer. Ombudsman. Writer. A man with a very definite aversion to nonsense. One whose ideas about fairness and what’s right or wrong are aligned with the contents of the South African press code. That, in short, is Prof George Claassen, outgoing director of CENSCOM, a centre within Stellenbosch University's Department of Journalism studying science and technology in the context of mass communication.

Prof Claassen is the next speaker in the Research Development Division's Forward with Research Impact lecture series, on 9 October 2019 at 13:00 in Room 1012, R.W. Wilcocks building.

He will talk about how journalists should handle cases of pseudoscience and quackery.

For the past four decades, Claassen has worked in the media sector, among others as an expert in the fields of science journalism and media ethics. His roots lie in Middelburg on the Highveld, where he grew up in the home of a maths teacher. At home, the Claassen children had access to three different newspapers every day. This helped to create a culture of critical thinking and the desire to be constantly informed. One brother became a chemical engineer, another (the former Springbok rugby captain Wynand Claassen) an architect. His sister teaches Afrikaans, and Claassen found his place in journalism.

“The first basic rule is that journalists (and scientists) have to be curious. Einstein said it’s the search for reality. You only find it if you are curious and ask questions,” he reckons.

After initially studying law at SU, Claassen obtained a master's degree in Afrikaans-Dutch at the University of Pretoria, Claassen earned a doctorate in Flemish literature at UNISA. In 1974 he joined the newly formed newspaper Beeld and worked as an investigative journalist until 1982. In the 2000s he was deputy editor of Die Burger in the Cape. He wrote a science column for a number of years and was the newspaper's science editor for seven years. Claassen’s voice is still heard regularly on the Afrikaans radio station RSG, talking about science-related matters. In between, he has also written a novel and authored numerous non-fiction books.  

So, what was the first news story he ever wrote?

"It was about the court appearance of striptease Glenda Kemp and her python Oupa,” Claassen smiles while recollecting the topic.

This first article was only about a finger’s length, but did land on the front page of the Beeld's sister newspaper in Cape Town.

Claassen worked as a hardcore journalist in an era before email or SKYPE provided news people easier access to local and international experts. The Internet had not yet found a footing in South Africa, and there was no Google Scholar or websites where journalists could get easy access to press releases and the latest journal articles.

“Journalists have no idea how easy they have it today in terms of access to information. In my time, you had to do a lot of digging. You had to get out of your office. You couldn't practice phone journalism or Google journalism,” Claassen explains in his empty office in the attic of the SU Department of Journalism. He cleared it recently to make room for his CENSCOM successor, Nathan Geffen, who will also remain editor of the Internet news site GroundUp.

A voice for science journalism

Claassen's career in academia began in the late 1980s, when he researched different variations of Afrikaans at the South African Council for Human Research (HSRC) for four years. During this time, he also undertook the first of three extensive research trips to the USA.  

It was during his HSRC years that Claassen first presented a session on the value that scientists can derive from sharing their findings with the public in the media.

Between 1989 and 1992 he was head of the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) 's Department of Journalism. There he began to informally develop a curriculum to teach students the basics of science journalism. He drove if further when in 1993 he became chairman of the SU Department of Journalism and took charge of its postgraduate journalism programme until 2000.

The Class of 1994 was the guinea pigs for what would eventually become the first honours module in science journalism in Africa. Claassen has since consulted worldwide on the topic, and also spearheaded the writing of a science journalism module for UNESCO.

Since 1995, students have been able to also follow a masters and PhD programme in science journalism.

“More than 40 M students have since specialized in science journalism, and quite a few have received their doctorates too. Because there is a need for it in South Africa,” adds Claassen.

He holds that science in all forms is being "grossly neglected" in the local mainstream media. There are no specialist science desks at any newspaper anymore, and most of the journalists who were attached to such desks now work as freelancers.

"It remains one of the tragedies of the South African media," says Claassen, who has led the training arm for science journalism of the South African National Editors' Forum (SANEF) for many years.

Fighting quackery

Following his retirement as CENSCOM head, Claassen will continue to teach science journalism and media ethics at SU. In his lectures he likes to combine examples from both spheres. Among his most commonly used words include "quackery", "pseudoscience” and "Baloney Detector".

That’s because he sees red when he starts talking about the often unethical way in which the media reports stories about homeopathic remedies, ozone clinics and other "miracle products" being sold without well-researched scientific evidence. He sees it as fraud.

"In the process, it puts people's lives at risk," claims Claassen.

“The way journalists report on quackery is a media-ethical issue. It is also a science issue,” he elaborates on a topic he approaches with seriousness.

CENCOM's organising in 2018 in Stellenbosch of the first ever international congress on quackery, pseudoscience and fake news was a natural result of his professional and academic interest in the subject.

Role as ombudsman

His duties as ombudsman for the News24 website and the 90 Media24 community newspapers also keeps him busy. It gives Claassen a daily glimpse into the psyche of people. Time and again he realizes that people do not understand the workings of the media, and that complainants often just want to feel that someone is listening to their grievances.

Is it a difficult job?

Being the good journalist, Claassen rather uses someone else's words to answer the question. It belongs to Daniel Okrent, who was appointed as the first public editor or ombudsman by the leading New York Times newspaper after a plagiarism scandal in the early 2000s.

"He said it's the hardest job he'd ever had in his life, and that it was much harder than being an editor. It is because you get it from all sides. You have to stand in the middle, and you have to listen,” Claassen searches for the right words. “You have to there for the listener or the reader, for the viewer, for the complainant, but you also have to serve the interests of the organization being charged. Your task is to be an arbitrator and to find out who actually speaks the truth. "

Prof Pieter Gouws presented two talks at the International Association for Food Protection (IAFP) European symposium on Food Safety held in Nantes, France on 24-26^th April 2019. ​​

Prof Gouw's talks were entitled 'Listeriosis in South Africa – Facts and figures and what we should be doing about it' and 'Response of Listeria monocytogenes biofilms to sanitisers used in ready-to-eat processing environments'.

Find out more on next years event HERE. 

Prof Pieter Gouws was a key note speaker at the SAAFoST 23rd biennial international congress and exhibition with the theme 'Food Science and Technology for the 21st Century' that was held in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Prof Gouw's speech was titled “Will the microbes have the last word?"

The South African Association for Food Science and Technology (SAAFoST) is a non-profit national association, consisting of food science and other technical professionals and students, as well as various food companies and institutions. Currently the association has about 2,000 members throughout Southern Africa. 

They publish a magazine titled “Food Science and Technology" that contains interesting and short scientific research snippets and information about upcoming events.  

Find out more about SAAFoST HERE.

​Meet the Centre for Food Safety team!​

They recently received their new labcoats and are now ready for action!

From left to right:

Caitlin McQuillan (MSc), Michael Esterhuysen (MSc), Pumi Shange (PhD), Ivan Harris (MSc), Paula Smit (MSc), Anneri Carinus (PhD), Prof Gunnar Sigge (staff), Kyle Corbett (MSc), Dr Timo Tait (postdoc), Dr Michaela van den Honert (postdoc), Dr Stefan Hayward (external collaborator) and Prof Pieter Gouws (staff). 

Persons absent: Rochelle Keet (MSc) and Talita van Schalkwyk (MSc)

Find out more on the research they are currently undertaking by HERE. You can also find out more about the staff members at the Centre for Food Safety HERE. ​​

​Democracy is supposed to give political voice to marginalised people and advocate for socio-economic rights as well as equitable use of state resources to address inequality.

But in recent years the near-universal conviction of the early post- Cold War period that democracy was best at assuring economic growth and human development has lost much of its persuasive power. In fact, in many countries around the globe democracy is now believed to be in retreat under the combined pressure of a variety of factors.

Having studied the state of global democracy for the past 20 years, the latest project of the Transformation Research Unit (TRU), based in the Centre for International and Comparative Politics at SU asked if democracy was indeed backsliding.

Examining the South African democracy comparatively in the global context, their most recent research focused attention on five younger democracies (South Africa, South Korea, Chile, Poland and Turkey) and two well-established democracies (Germany and Sweden). The research revealed that of the five younger democracies, three have suffered setbacks to their democracy. Democratic backsliding has been occurring in Poland, which has a populist government; in Turkey, which was downgraded from an electoral democracy to an electoral autocracy; and in South Africa, which has witnessed a rise in radicalism and a sharp decline in mass preference for democracy over autocracy.

The publics of Sweden and Germany, by contrast, showed consistently high support for democracy among its citizens, though satisfaction with democracy remained lower in the former East Germany than in the rest of the country.

Generally, the findings confirmed that democracy is underthreat from a number of factors, among them globalisation that restricts nation-states in various ways. In the labour market, this translates into reducing the scope and generosity of social protection systems. At the same time, global technological advances call for highly skilled individuals who form part of an elite that is generally financially better off than their less skilled fellow citizens. This growing disparity evokes resentment that can lead to populism.

The rise in populism is also a response to the growing inflow of migrants and refugees, which the open borders of democratic nation-states facilitate. Populist tendencies have spread even

to the most established democracies; the election of Donald Trump as US President is a prime example of a country where people who feel marginalised support a populist candidate who promises them a better life. However, populists are not necessarily anti-democrats. In most democracies, populist political parties continue to function within the structure of a democratic system. Populists, however, erode the liberal values of democracy through their rhetoric and, once in power, inevitably attempt to undermine liberal institutions to better serve their own ends.

*The article appears in the latest edition of the Stellenbosch University Research Publication. Click here to read more. 

Photograph: Stock image - Unsplash

In coming decades, shifts in temperature and rainfall patterns because of climate change will significantly influence where and in what numbers African species of moths and butterflies are to be found. This is according to a study completed at Stellenbosch University' Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology in South Africa, in the journal Ecological Modelling. It shows that some species found in more temperate regions might experience a 72% reduction in the areas that they are able to survive.

In the paper, lead author Dr Madeleine Barton puts forward a new process-based model that other researchers studying the effects of climatic changes on African butterflies and moths can readily use.

The study was conceptualised and completed while Dr Barton was still a postdoctoral researcher of the Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology in the Faculty of AgriSciences at Stellenbosch University (SU). It was conducted in collaboration with Prof John Terblanche of the SU Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology, and a former SU colleague, Prof Brent Sinclair, in the Department of Biology at Western University in Canada.

“Compared to other regions of the world, we still know very little about how African species of Lepidoptera (which includes butterflies and moths) will respond to climate change," notes Prof Terblanche, whose research focuses on the impact that climate change has on the distribution and population lifecycles of agricultural pets and disease-carrying insects such as tsetse flies.

He adds: “The study of insects is important, because the agricultural sector is worried about how climatic changes will affect the distribution of known insect pests and others that pollinate crops. Ultimately, it influences our food security. Many insect species also carry diseases, and an expansion in their abundance or geographic range could have health implications for people."

According to Prof Terblanche, the process-based climatic prediction model that Dr Barton developed is the first climatic model specifically designed to incorporate how rainfall might interact with temperature to make more realistic predictions about the future of African butterflies and moths. Similar models have been developed for species from other regions of the world, such as Europe, North America and Asia. Dr Barton's model is open source and free to use by other scientists who have physiological and distribution data about African species available.

Dr Barton's model not only considers possible future temperature changes, but also the impact that changing rainfall patterns and droughts could have on insects. It was tested under current climatic conditions, as well those predicted by the year 2050. The model was also put through its paces using data about the physiology and sensitivity to temperature and water availability of two endemic African species: Busseola fusca is a well-known agricultural pest affecting food security, while Bicyclus anynana is a well-studied butterfly.

“For more accurate predictions, it is better to include temperature changes along with the availability of water, because these elements influence the survival of species in different ways. The distribution and population performance of an insect across the continent under climate change will depend on its physiological ability to tolerate specific conditions," explains Dr Barton.

The researchers found that in some cases, higher temperatures and changing rainfall patterns could decrease the distribution of some African butterfly and moth species currently widely found across the continent by up to 72%. The range of species of others such as the potentially damaging maize stem borer (Chilo partellus) that do not stand higher temperatures well could shrink by half. Species sensitive to cooler temperatures and dry conditions might see a range expansion if temperatures rise and rain falls more often. Species in the northern parts of Africa are predicted to move towards coastal and higher lying areas to escape the evolving harsh climates, while the range of those in the southern parts of Africa are likely to shrink.

“When we look only at temperature, it seems that species in the tropics are most sensitive to climate change. However, when using our models, it shows that these impacts also extend to temperate regions, especially when precipitation patterns change," explains Prof Sinclair. “These interactions between extreme temperatures and drought in the future could have big effects on insects in Africa and elsewhere."

• Reference: Barton, M.G., Terblanche, J.S., Sinclair, B.J. 2019. Incorporating temperature and precipitation extremes into process-based models of African lepidoptera changes the predicted distribution under climate change. Ecological Modelling 394, pp53-65. Doi:10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2018.12.017

For media enquiries only:

Prof John Terblanche
Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology
Stellenbosch University

jst@sun.ac.za – EMAIL only, as he is on sabbatical in France and will respond as timeously as possible via email.

The late Prof Russel Botman, former Rector and Vice-Chancellor of Stellenbosch University (SU), was passionate about creating opportunities for deserving students to gain access to higher education. And it is this legacy that SU and his family have continued to honour through the Russel Botman Bursary Fund (RBBF) with the help of generous donors  

The Botman Bursary Fund was established on Prof Botman's 60th birthday in 2013, where he asked for donations rather than gifts. Since its establishment, the Bursary Fund has provided bursaries to more than 10 students. The bursary was first awarded in 2016 to three students and in 2019 a total of nine students have received financial support.

“My hope is that we can continue to increase the number of recipients we can support, but this can only be done through increased donations. I hope those whose lives were directly or indirectly impacted by the work and efforts of my father would become regular donors and contribute to giving hope through education," says Prof Botman's daughter Roxanne.

Roxanne serves on the RBBF committee together with her mother, Beryl Botman as chairperson and Prof Xolile Simon from the Faculty of Theology.

In honour of Prof Botman's birthday on 18 October, the Faculty of Theology will once again present its annual Russel Botman Memorial Lecture at the Attie van Wijk Auditorium. This year's lecture takes place on Thursday, 17 October. The keynote address will be delivered by Dr Setri Nyomi, former General Secretary of the World Communon of Reformed Churches. The title of his lecture is Justice for all? The time for change is now!  Prof Ingrid Woolard, Dean of the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences at SU, will deliver the response.

“It has been five hard years since Russel's death, but I am grateful that we can continue his legacy through the Russel Botman Bursary Fund. I would like to thank everyone who has made a financial contribution and changed a student's life for the better. Thanks to your generous support, this Fund is creating opportunities for our next generation," says his wife Dr Beryl Botman.

• If you would like to contribute to the Russel Botman Bursary Fund – the details for direct payments are: Standard Bank, account number 07 300 695 5 and branch code 05 0610. Please make sure to add the reference: Botman.
• Alternatively make a contribution on our GivenGain page: https://www.givengain.com/cc/rbbf/
• For more information on the Bursary Fund, please visit www.russelbotman.com.

Alcohol consumption is socially acceptable for individuals of legal drinking age. However, drinking during pregnancy is harmful and can lead to irreversible foetal cognitive and developmental issues. These are collectively known as foetal alcohol spectrum disorder.

The disorder may include foetal alcohol syndrome – the most serious of these abnormalities – as well as partial foetal alcohol syndrome. It can also include alcohol-related neuro-developmental disorders and birth defects.

Common risk factors associated with the disorder include low socioeconomic conditions, a low level of education, and harmful patterns of alcohol consumption. In South Africa, some alcohol abuse is believed to be rooted in a “dop" system. This is a practice in which farmworkers' wages were paid using alcohol beverages. Although this practice has been abolished, its lingering effects still influence South Africa's drinking patterns.

South Africa has the highest recorded prevalence of foetal alcohol spectrum disorder in the world. The prevalence rates range from 29 to 290 affected children per 1000 live births. The rates vary a lot across the country, with the Western Cape province recording the highest. Australia could be considered to have the second highest recorded prevalence in the world with 194.4 affected children per 1000 among Australian Aboriginals.

The South African government's policy responses to this problem have been inadequate. We conducted two pieces of research. In the first, we looked at a range of policy documents to identify clauses attributed to the prevention and management of the condition in South Africa. We supplemented this with in-depth interviews to help inform our recommendations.

We discovered that South Africa had introduced a host of new policy documents and there are a range of clauses in various guidelines. But the interventions are fragmented and don't speak to one another.

Another problem is that most of the current prevention and management approaches are informed generic statements embedded in different policy documents. The association of foetal alcohol spectrum disorder with other genetic conditions ignores the socio-economic factors associated with it. This means a comprehensive approach to addressing foetal alcohol spectrum disorder doesn't exist.

Our findings explain why the country has failed to make a dent in reducing the high rates. In our conclusions we recommend that the South African government should respond to the epidemic in a more coordinated and comprehensive way by designing a specific policy and targeted interventions.

What we found

The analysis we did indicated that 22 policy documents contained elements related to the condition. These included generic clauses focused on the regulation of liquor outlets, enforcement of liquor laws, and the general management of people with mental and educational challenges.

There were also clauses focused on creating platforms to improve the awareness, screening, identification and support for people with disabilities.

The in-depth interviews explored policymakers' perspectives on policies and interventions for the prevention and management of foetal alcohol spectrum disorder. We spoke to policymakers from the departments of social development, health and education. The interviews included officials working on issues related the problem.

Our research contributes to the debate around the prevention and management of the disorder in South Africa. It highlights the need for policymakers to develop a specific policy and to address the fact that current interventions and services are uncoordinated and fragmented.

The development of a separate policy is not a panacea to address the problem. It would, nevertheless, be a good starting point as it would lay the basis for a comprehensive approach. And it would help to address the social drivers of foetal alcohol spectrum disorders.

Policy considerations

Current approaches have clearly not been effective.

The policymakers we spoke to expressed the need to develop a specific policy to address foetal alcohol spectrum disorder. But to be effective it should be multi-sectoral, family-centred and evidence-based. The policy should consider the needs of people with the disorder across their lifespan and their caregivers. It should also be clear about referral pathways and be based on a public health framework.

Such a policy should promote:

1) Awareness and education on the dangers of using alcohol during pregnancy in schools, clinics and communities.

2) The use of contraceptives and safe sex education to avoid unplanned pregnancies.

3) The training of service providers on how to counsel people with alcohol problems and diagnosis and management of foetal alcohol spectrum disorder.

4) The training and support of mothers and caregivers in the management of foetal alcohol spectrum disorder.

5) Skills training and empowerment programmes for people with the condition.

Way forward?

In the short term, the government can expand and link the clauses relating to foetal alcohol spectrum disorder that already exist in current policy documents. Existing services must be streamlined and current efforts to address the condition must be systematically evaluated to identify the gaps in services and interventions.

In the long term, South Africa needs to develop a separate policy for foetal alcohol spectrum disorder. This will facilitate the multi-sectoral collaborative approach needed to address the problem. Such an approach would go beyond managing the condition. Addressing foetal alcohol spectrum disorder would help the response to other societal problems. These include mental health problems, crime, intellectual disability and low levels of achievement in education.

The process of developing this policy must include a wide range of actors such as researchers, policymakers, service providers, people with the condition, their parents and caregivers.

We also argue that the South African government should replicate the success recorded in managing HIV and Aids. A specific policy was developed – based on goals set by the United Nations – that set a target known as 90–90–90. The aim is that by 2020 90% of everyone with HIV must know their status, 90% of those diagnosed with HIV must receive antiretroviral therapy, and 90% of people receiving antiretroviral therapy must be virally suppressed.

In addition, the government should learn from approaches adopted by other countries like Australia and Canada, which developed action plans that led to an increase in government funding. The increased government funding led to the expansion of prevention programmes and the establishment of specialist diagnostic service.

About the authors:

Babatope O. Adebiyi - Postdoctoral Researcher, University of the Western Cape

Anna-Marie Beytell - Senior Lecturer, University of the Western Cape

Ferdinand C. Mukumbang - Researcher, University of the Western Cape

Lizahn G. Cloete - Senior lecturer, Stellenbosch University

Joint Working Groups are being set up to combat gender-based violence (GBV) at Stellenbosch University (SU). They will address issues identified in the memorandum of the Anti-GBV Movement SU, and management's subsequent response.

This was the outcome of the fourth anti-GBV meeting the past month between management and students, which took place on Tuesday afternoon (8 October 2019). It was attended by members of the Rectorate, the Anti-GBV Movement SU, Students' Representative Council (SRC), Tygerberg Student Council (TSR) and Prim Committee.

“We condemn GBV and will not tolerate it. That is why we are mustering all the resources at our disposal. Good progress has already been made on several fronts, for instance security. We want to keep our momentum," SU Rector and Vice-Chancellor Prof Wim de Villiers, who chaired the meeting, said.

Six working groups have been identified:

1. Values and Principles
2. Safety and Security
3. Training and Awareness
4. Residences and Structures
5. Procedures and Processes
6. Mental Health, and Alcohol and Substance Abuse

Detailed terms of reference are currently being drafted. The overall project leader will be Dr Choice Makhetha, Senior Director: Student Affairs. Each working group will be overseen by a member of the Rectorate, and will have representation from University structures most relevant to the topics under discussion, as well as from students.

“The dialogue between us is extremely valuable and should continue. We are collaborating as a University community to go forward together against gender-based violence," Prof De Villiers said.

Nominations:

Both formal structures and ad-hoc groupings among staff and students are being asked to nominate working group members. Nominations should be sent to antigbv@sun.ac.za (CC: studentesake@sun.ac.za). This should include the name and surname of the nominee, their contact details, as well as a short motivation referring to the person's previous experience in the field covered by the particular working group, and their intended contribution. The deadline is Friday, 25 October.

​"It is very apt to move this monument to our large building complex in the Faculty of Engineering's 75^thyear of existence," says the Dean, Prof Wikus van Niekerk. The tridentate monument, erected in Victoria Street 50 years ago in honour of engineering, was relocated to the Faculty's building complex in Banghoek Road in August 2019. 

The Stellenbosch University Faculty of Engineering, founded in 1944, was housed in the building of the then Stellenbosch Gymnasium (now the Visual Arts Building) in Victoria Street from 1946 to 1969. The monument was designed by final-year Fine Arts students as a class project in 1968 and depicts Mechanical, Electrical and Civil Engineering (the first three disciplines offered by the Faculty at the time). It was manufactured in the Department of Civil Engineering.

The Dean jestingly refers to the tridentate monument as "Duwweltjie" otherwise known as "Little Devil's Thorn" as it resembles a large three-pointed devil's thorn. On 9 October 2019 the Faculty celebrated "Duwweltjie's" relocation to a place of honour in front of the General Engineering building where the Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Wim de Villiers, was also present.

Over a three-quarter century the Faculty of Engineering expanded its academic offering. Chemical Engineering and Industrial Engineering were established as fourth and fifth departments in 1969 and 1984 respectively. In 2002, the Department of Mechanical Engineering introduced a second degree programme, namely Mechatronic Engineering. One of the latest exciting developments is a BEng Electrical and Electronic Engineering in Data Engineering that will be offered from 2020. Together with several undergraduate modules and postgraduate programmes in Data Science that the Faculty currently offers, this new programme will contribute to equip the younger generation for the FourthIndustrial Revolution.

Photo left: Prof Wikus van Niekerk, Dean Engineering (left) and Prof Wim de Villiers, Rector and Vice-Chancellor, next to the monument dressed in its festive maroon and old goldcorporate colours.

Photo right: From the left are: Profs Kristiaan Schreve (Chair: Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering),Wikus van Niekerk (Dean: Engineering), Jan Wium (Chair: Civil Engineering), Herman Engelbrecht (Chair: Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Hansie Knoetze (Chair: Process Engineering) and Wim de Villiers (Rector and Vice-Chancellor).

​In 2018, a record number of postgraduate Master's and PhD students graduated from SU. This follows a noticeable national and international trend in growing postgraduate enrolments and graduations as a means of gaining an advantage in the knowledge economy, and as a contributor to the global search for talent identification in the form of high-level research and analytical skills beyond the university.

Despite this evident growth, the South African data on postgraduate studies suggest a rather leaky pipeline: dropout rates are high and throughput rates are slow – even in comparison to other countries (including countries with a comparable GDP). This does not mean that postgraduate study abroad happens seamlessly. Evidence from across the globe suggests that there is much researchers still need to figure out about the interaction between the factors at play within the postgraduate environment – factors including the students themselves, their supervisors, universities as learning spaces, the role of disciplines in which such studies take place, and the role of industry and society in knowledge creation. An evidence-based understanding of the dynamics of these factors enables one to make informed decisions on how postgraduate students and their research may contribute to building the scientific, economic and social fabric of the societies in which we live.

A recent cross-national study jointly conducted by Prof Liezel Frick (SU) and Prof Kirsi Pyhältö (University of Helsinki and extraordinary professor at SU) found that the beginning of the doctoral journey is highly significant for doctoral students in both the studied contexts, emphasising the importance of supervisory, structural and institutional support during these initial phases of the doctorate. The positive experiences reported by doctoral students consisted of reaching significant milestones in the doctoral research process such as overcoming problems related to research work, making discoveries and learning how to use new methods, and getting published. Positive experiences also related to building constructive supervisory relationships, engaging in the researcher community, and finding appropriate structures and resources of support. The quality of positive experiences was related to doctoral students' satisfaction with supervision and engagement in doctoral research.

These findings suggest that efforts to curb perceived experiences of doctoral isolation and providing timely and relevant support are paramount in ensuring doctoral students' sense of belonging and progress. The results showed that the empowering experiences at the core of the doctoral journey are highly similar across the two very different socio-cultural contexts.

Such studies enable us to make more evidence-based decisions on how best to support both doctoral students and their supervisors within vastly different contexts. In addition, the research contributes to a growing body of knowledge on postgraduate education. Over the past decade, the Centre for Higher and Adult Education (CHAE) at the Department of Curriculum Studies in the Faculty of Education has played a significant role in growing the relatively new field of research on postgraduate studies and supervision. Since 2007, our own research has developed a strong focus on postgraduate pedagogies, resulting in 57 research publications (including peerreviewed journal articles and book chapters), 5 edited academic books, and 68 papers at national and international conferences on the topic produced by staff and associates of the CHAE.

In the next decade, we look forward to solidifying the CHAE as a key research partner and contributor within the field of research on postgraduate education. Strategic partnerships as members of research teams, advisory boards and capacity building initiatives will enable us to grow the field to the benefit of the whole SU academic community.

*The article appears in the latest edition of the Stellenbosch University Research Publication. Click here to read more. 

October is Mental Health Awareness Month and on Thursday (10 October) the annual World Mental Health Day​ is celebrated. In opinion pieces in Die Burger and Cape Argus respectively, Prof Lizette Rabe from the Department of Journalism and Fanele Ndebele, a final-year law student, discuss why it is so important to pay more attention to mental health. Click on the links below to read the articles.

• ​Prof Lizette Rabe (Die Burger – English translation)
  
• ​Fanele Ndebele (Cape Argus)

Working in the South African agricultural industry was discussed in great detail and with enthusiasm at the AgriCAREERConnect Day at Stellenbosch University. Students were able to enquire about job opportunities, holiday work, bursaries and internships that are available within the fruit and vegetable industries, the wine and beverage sector and for those who have a background in animal sciences, business management, soil science, logistics, forestry, plant diseases, computer science, food science and engineering. Students could also find out more about the latest technologies driving these sectors, and the niche skills that employers are increasingly looking for.

The event was held on Thursday 2 October 2019 by the SU Faculty of AgriSciences, in association with AgriJob, a nationwide recruitment agency that focuses on the agricultural and food sectors. A similar event was also held at the University of Pretoria in September.

Eighteen exhibitors represented a range of agri-related sectors and businesses. Throughout the day, 21 talks by people working in the industry. They elaborated about what they studied, how they found their feet in their respective agricultural or foodrelated sectors, and what they do in a day. The speakers included a winemaker, a marketing consultant, foresters, an food sector auditor, a logistics coordinator, an animal nutritionist, a seed developer and the owner of a firm that uses drones to collect data about farmers' orchards or farmland.

"Ideally, we'd like to see young people connect with industry players while they are still studying. This could be through holiday work or by receiving a bursary. Such initiatives give the industry the chance to help develop fresh minds, and to scout for potential candidates that they'd like to employ upon graduation," explains Marianne van der Laarse of AgriJob.

The AgriCAREERConnect Day is part of the SU Faculty of AgriSciences's vision of ensuring a closer relationship between its students studying agricultural sciences, conservation ecology and food sciences and their related industries. Therefore, the Faculty last year supported the development of the concept behind the AgriJob.co.za website supported with additional funds.

Via the AgriJob website (www.agrijob.co.za) industry players can at a reasonable price advertise job opportunities, bursaries and holiday work that are available, and also obtain a recruitment service if needed. Students can, in turn, register their CVs and keep an eye open for opportunities that match their skills and needs.

"The platform creates opportunities for our industry to advertise positions, and for students and graduates to see what opportunities are available. In this way, we ensure that the skills base being developed by our universities can find a best fit in the agricultural sector," adds Monika Basson, who drives student recruitment for the SU Faculty of AgriSciences.

The day was concluded with a talk by Dr Johan van Zyl, co-chief executive officer of among other African Rainbow Capital that invests in the agricultural sector. He stressed that mankind cannot go forward without the products provided by the agricultural sector. He said that industries should work increasingly smarter with the available land to their disposal, to ensure that enough food is available for the world's growing population.

"The agricultural sector is one of the five most important industries that will eventually determine what humankind will be able to achieve. Yes, there are opportunities to make money, but also to do good in the process and help mankind, "he stressed. "The nice thing of the agricultural sector is that you can do the right thing and do it right."

He said people working in the agricultural sector often have important practical problemsolving skills that are an asset to any undertaking.

• The companies and organisations that were part of the SU day were: Shoprite Checkers Freshmark, SA National Seed Organisation (SANSOR), Corteva AgriScience, Villa Crop Protection, Citrus Academy, Hortgro, SA Table Grape Industry, Fresh Produce Exporters' Forum, Westfalia Fruit, York Timbers, PACSys, ANB Investments, Afrupro, RSA Market Agents, CGT by PMA (Produce Marketing Association), Distell, SGS, NSF, AgriConnect, Red Meat Producers Organisation and Milk Producers Organisation.
• For more information, visit-www.agrijob.co.za or contact info@agrijob.co.za.
  

​Students from Stellenbosch University (SU) and Brandvlei Correctional Centre near Worcester who participated in South Africa's first-ever interdisciplinary short course held in prison, received their SU-accredited competence certificates on Tuesday (8 October 2019).

Called the Ubuntu Learning Short Course, the initiative is the result of a social impact partnership between SU and the Department of Correctional Services. Funding was provided by SU's Division for Social Impact and the Faculty of Law.

The 14-week course, which brought together 30 SU students and inmates from Brandvlei Prison for three-hour classes once a week at the prison, started in March.

The aim of the course was to promote social justice and rehumanise learning through collaboration, community-building and connectedness. 

The course examined the theme “Am I because we are? Exploring selves and communities", through the disciplines of law, literature, history and economics.

The course facilitators were SU academics Doctors Mary Nel of the Law Faculty, Chet Fransch of the Department of History, Daniel Roux of the Department of English and Debra Shepherd of the Department of Economics.

The initiative is the brainchild of Nel, academic director of the Ubuntu Learning Community and senior lecturer of the Department of Public Law at SU, who was inspired by similar prison education initiatives run by colleagues in the UK and the US, namely “Learning Together" (Cambridge University), and “Prison-to-College Pipeline" (John Jay College of Criminal Justice, New York).

“The course managed to change the perceptions of those behind bars by bringing together people from diverse backgrounds to learn in a safe learning environment. Learning together freed our minds,“ said Nel.

She said their aim is to expand the initiative to other universities and to continue to break barriers and challenge stereotypes.

Andile Nelani, regional coordinator of education and training at the Department of Correctional Services (DCS), said correction is a societal responsibility and thanked SU for the role it played in correcting and rehabilitating the Brandvlei students.

“We as a correctional facility are not equipped or have the time and space to institute programmes such as this. We are therefore forced to become inventive with external partners such as SU. We hope that through this initiative we would be able to engage other society groups that would also be able to contribute to correction. We want this facility to become known as a theatre of learning instead of only a correctional facility," said Nelani.

Brandvlei course participant Awande Mshontana said the interdisciplinary nature of the course has equipped them to be historically aware and to raise persuasive legal arguments. Furthermore, the course has also helped them to unearth their hidden talents, attack patriarchy and upheld feminism.

“I believe responsible law-abiding citizens will come out of this (course)," says Mshontana.

Prof Thuli Madonsela, Chair in Social Justice at the Faculty of Law and former Public Protector of South Africa, delivered a word of encouragement.

She thanked Nel and her team for embracing the spirit of Ubuntu and nurturing humanity. She said knowledge does not necessarily change people, but “people do right when knowledge has transformed them."​

• F.l.t.r. are Dr Debra Shepherd of the SU Department of Economics and one of the four course facilitators; Kaylan Weppelman and Kelly-Robyn Morey (both SU students); Siya Malashe, Brandvlei course participant; Dr Mary Nel of the SU Department of Public Law and academic director of the Ubuntu Learning Community; Corné Claassen and Keketso Jabari, both Brandvlei course participants.
  
  

“Burn the ships, not the bridges."

That was one of the five key points that Stellenbosch University alumnus, Werner Cloete, shared with undergraduate and postgraduate students who attended the recent Careers Café where he was the guest speaker.

Cloete is the Principal of Calling Academy in Vlaeberg, Stellenbosch, where boys from low income communities are provided with an opportunity to access a quality, private school education for less than R6 500 a year. He completed a BSc in Chemistry and a Postgraduate Certificate in Education at Stellenbosch University (SU) and spent some time teaching overseas before returning to South Africa to join the teachers' body at Paul Roos Gymnasium. In 2016, Cloete took a leap of faith to start the research in order to establish Calling Academy, which he co-founded with Dr Philip Geldenhuys.

“You have to commit to your vision, if you know the vision has come about through the right process, and to do that, you have to burn the ships to close the escape routes," he said to the 310 students who attended the talk.

This, said Cloete, was one of the most important things he learnt when in 2017, a mere three  months before Calling Academy was to open and with many learners already interested, he found himself unable to secure a premises to house the school.

“You have to expect the hardships. It will test your commitment to the vision, but it will also bring about personal growth that will benefit your venture further down the line," said Cloete.

“If you leave too many escape routes open, you will look for a way out at that point, and you will end up leaving your vision behind. So burn the ships."

He also reminded students that it was crucial to remain in touch with what is happening in the world.

“Once you have a vision and an awareness of what is going on around you, something will happen inside you due to the tension between “what is" and “what could be". I am talking about experiencing discontent –  being  upset at the current state of affairs."

This state, said Cloete, is what will motivate you to innovate, another important tip in building a career while making an impact on society.

“Innovation that is born from being in touch and being aware of what is happening in society, is a lot more powerful than innovation just for the sake of innovation," he added.

For Cloete, going the road alone is not an option. He believes that if you want to do something extraordinary, you have to find the people who are doing “cutting edge work" and learn from them.

“We need to move away from individualised decision-making towards group decision-making. Look for the kind of people who will take you to where you want to be and associate yourself closely with them. Spend your time with people who are moving in the right direction."

However, while many of us are aware of the importance of having a mentor and even a coach, Cloete suggested that students rather seek developing a push-and-pull effect in their lives. This can be done by “filling the seats" around your table of support with a hero, an inner circle friend, a mentor, a mentee, a coach and a trainee.

“Find someone whom you can mentor too. This is when you get a push-and-pull effect with a mentor that will pull you up and a mentee who will not only push you up through their questions and how they keep you honest,  but whom you can lift up and assist in developing their skills. So have both a mentor and mentee.

“We can learn so much from each other, and so I would also suggest that you become intentional about building up relationships across cultures too," he added.

Cloete also touched on other points in his talk, such as the importance of gaining exposure and valuing the relationships that you have in your life.

Before concluding his talk, he encouraged the students to live their lives according to a quote he found to be a good reminder to treasure the people who are there through it all.

“Remember that primary relationships are important and that 'no success outside the home can compensate for failure within'. Your family will carry the baton when you are gone. If you want to change the world, make an impact on the lives of those around you so that they can go out and make a positive impact on the world too. You don't want to be the guy who runs with a vision, but whose family says: I don't even know this guy."

The Careers Café series was launched in 2016 by the Alumni Relations Office to provide a platform for alumni to engage with the university in a different manner by offering their time and skills to help current students prepare for the careers they want.

Photo: Careers Café speaker and Principal of Calling Academy, Werner Cloete (far left), is seen here with Paballo Tsiu (second from the left) and Tianca Olivier, the two students who won an opportunity to have dinner with Cloete in order to learn more from him in a one-on-one conversation. With them is Marvin Koopman (far right), Alumni Coordinator at the Development and Alumni Relations Division. (Photographer: Henk Oets)

​​Stellenbosch University (SU) recently became the first university in Africa to acquire a MIRIS Human Milk Analyser. This device is used in neonatal units and analyses the nutritional composition of breast milk, which is crucial in the case of premature babies with particular nutritional needs.

Staff at Tygerberg Hospital recently completed special training from the Swedish suppliers, and the milk analyser is now ready to be put to good use.

Dr Evette van Niekerk, Senior Lecturer in the Division of Human Nutrition at SU's Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS), said she was very excited at the university's acquisition of the equipment.

“Until now there were no resources to analyse breastmilk on site at Tygerberg Hospital and samples needed to be stored, transported and analysed at other local and international institutions," said Van Niekerk.

“The MIRIS Human Milk Analyser offers a unique opportunity for direct determination of the nutritional content of breast milk. With the new instrument, the analyses are done without chemicals, and results are obtained within minutes."

Among the features of the instrument are its small size, its robustness and easy handling. “The instrument is portable and is intended for use in hospitals, milk banks and for research purposes," said Van Niekerk.

“We have been doing research on human milk especially on pre-term infant milk and how the quality of the milk affects their growth and development. It is very expensive to have these analyses done if you don't have the facilities and equipment to do the analysis yourself. We have about 110 pre-term infants at a time at Tygerberg, so having the equipment here will be very helpful. It will improve our quality of care in that we can provide adequate nutritional intervention for the babies. Pre-term babies, because of their size, have much higher requirements in terms of nutrition. The breast milk of the mother of a preterm infant is normally of a higher quality, but often it is still not enough for the baby and has to be supplemented with additional nutrients.

“With the MIRIS milk analyser, we can analyse the milk of the mom and see exactly what mom is giving, and supplement accordingly. This means the babies will grow faster, have better neurodevelopmental outcomes and be discharged earlier."

Van Niekerk says she is planning some research studies in the next few months to show the impact of using the analyser.

“Additionally, because we are the first institution in Africa to buy this machine, it means we have the opportunity and also the responsibility to assist our fellow physicians and institutions who have preterm infants in analysing the breast milk for their pre-term infants."

Van Niekerk said she believes people have not yet seen the importance of breast milk content in South Africa. “Our breastfeeding rates are improving but in neonatal care it is important that we fulfil the nutritional needs of these infants with individualised fortification. It is a great step in the right direction, by acquiring this equipment."

Caption: Dr Evette van Niekerk

Photo credit: Wilma Stassen

Statement, 10 October 2019:

Stellenbosch University (SU) welcomes the unanimous judgement by the Constitutional Court on 10 October 2019 regarding the University's Language Policy, approved in 2016.

The judgement clearly states that our Language Policy is constitutionally justified. It also confirms the goal of the Language Policy: To promote access to and multilingualism at the University, and to support the academic and career success of students and staff.

The Court also found that the process the University followed to accept the Language Policy had been “thorough, exhaustive, inclusive and properly deliberative".

The University takes note of the Court's reference to the protection of minority languages. Besides the use of English, SU is committed to the use of Afrikaans and isiXhosa. These are also the three official languages of the Western Cape, the province from which SU draws most of its undergraduate students.

The Court also found that the Language Policy was not trying to “eliminate" Afrikaans “by any means". According to the SU's Language Policy, the University remains committed to using Afrikaans – in conjunction with English – as language of tuition within the context of inclusivity and multilingualism.

It has also been SU's experience that the implementation of the Language Policy serves as confirmation that the demand for multilingualism is being satisfied – also as far as the special place that Afrikaans holds in teaching, the administration and the living environment at SU.

The Language Policy supports the fostering of a transformative student experience, one of the six core strategic themes of the SU's Vision 2040 and Strategic Framework 2019–2024. The use of more languages promotes access and inclusivity. Both English and Afrikaans are used as teaching languages – English so that no one is excluded, and Afrikaans because there still exists a demand for teaching in Afrikaans.

• Visit www.sun.ac.za/language for more information on SU's Language Policy.
• Click here for the full judgement of the Constitutional Court (Case CCT 311/17)

MORE INFORMATION

How is the SU Language Policy implemented?

For undergraduate modules Afrikaans and English are the languages of learning and teaching. Separate lectures in Afrikaans and English will be offered for large groups where reasonably practicable and pedagogically sound, but group work, assignments, tutorials and practical sessions will involve students from both language groups.

In lectures where both Afrikaans and English are used, all information will be conveyed in at least English, with a summary or emphasis also repeated in Afrikaans. Questions are answered in at least the language in which they were formulated. For first-year modules simultaneous interpreting will be available during each lecture. During second and subsequent years interpreting will be provided upon request by a faculty.

Undergraduate lectures may be offered in one language only if the subject matter justifies doing so; if the assigned lecturer is proficient to teach in one language only; or where all the students in a class group unanimously voted for one language by secret ballot. For at least first year students, simultaneous interpreting into the 'other' language will be available.

Students will be supported in English and Afrikaans during facilitated learning opportunities, for example: consultations during office hours; routinely scheduled tutorials and practical sessions; learning facilitated by ICT (podcasts and vodcasts); and services offered by the SU Language Centre.

All compulsory reading material that lecturers generate (i.e. excluding published material) will be available in English and also in Afrikaans . SU module frameworks and study guides are available in English and Afrikaans. In undergraduate modules question papers for tests, examinations and other summative assessments are available in Afrikaans and English, and students may complete all assessments and written work in either Afrikaans or English. The multilingual model supports Afrikaans students who are yet to master English on an academic level. Our point of reference is the transfer of knowledge through the use of more than one language, while being attuned to the needs of students. By their final year, they will be able to function nationally and internationally with English as well, where that is the language of business and other interactions.