​​The Toyota SU Woordfees TV pop-up channel was launched on 1 September with a simulcast on the Woordfees Facebook page and the DStv YouTube channel. Fees TV, as it will be known on DStv, is the first ever arts festival on South African television, and it will be on air from 1 to 7 October 2021.

Fees TV brings all the variety and vibrancy of one of South Africa's biggest arts festivals, the Toyota SU Woordfees, to television. The programme content displays a broad range of genres: theatre, writers and books, dance, lifestyle, stand-up comedy, contemporary and classical music, film, discourse, and visual arts. The pop-up channel celebrates the arts and the diversity of talent and creativity of local artists, with a strong focus on quality-Afrikaans books, theatre, music, and film. 

Fees TV will be available in South Africa on DStv Channel 150 from 1 to 7 October 2021, 24 hours a day, to all DStv Premium and Compact Plus subscribers. In Namibia, it will air on GOtv channel 15, with access for all GOtv Max subscribers. The Fees TV pop-up channel will also be available on DStv Now, and a selection of content on DStv Catch Up.

“A large variety of content by local producers has been curated to reflect the interests of our loyal festivalgoers. The programme will appeal to the culturally curious and all lovers of the arts, books, music, good food and wine. People from different walks of life, backgrounds and languages will be able to come together around their love of the arts to experience beauty, spectacle, debate, provocative ideas, and community. Lifestyle-orientated content will focus on scenic Stellenbosch and surrounds where the festival usually takes place," says Toyota SU Woordfees festival director, Saartjie Botha.

Highlights and anchor productions featured in the programme launch presentation include the following:

Writers' festival

The Woordfees started 21 years ago as an all-night poetry festival, and books and writers are still at the heart of the festival programme. Writers, poets and thought leaders on the Fees TV channel include Lien Botha, Andries Bezuidenhout, Nataniël, Nathan Trantraal, Joan Hambidge, Zandra Bezuidenhout, Bernard Odendaal, Ashwin Arendse, Veronique Jephtas, Dominique Botha, Jolyn Philips, Hilda Smits, Rudie van Rensburg, Erns Grundling, Ingrid Jones, Reuben Riffel, Max du Preez, Oscar van Heerden, Albert Grundlingh, Louise Viljoen and Willem Anker.

Theatre

See a variety of South Africa's most celebrated talent on stage – on your screen. The theatre series includes:

• The multi-award winning Valsrivier (based on Dominique Botha's acclaimed novel) with Anna-Mart van der Merwe, Tinarie Van Wyk Loots and Stian Bam, theatre direction by Janice Honeyman, and film direction by Christiaan Olwagen
• The 2020 Fiësta Award winner for Best Production: Die poet, wie's hy?, a celebration of poet Adam Small's work, starring Dean Balie with theatre direction by Frieda van den Heever, and film direction by Christiaan Olwagen 
• Reza de Wet's classic play Mis with Nicole Holm, Martelize Kolver, Jane de Wet and Laudo Liebenberg, theatre direction by Wolf Britz, and film direction by Jaco Bouwer
• Adam Small's celebrated Krismis van Map Jacobs with June van Merch, Ilse Klink, Dann-Jacques Mouton and Elton Landrew, theatre direction by Jason Jacobs, and film direction by Jaco Bouwer
• Ferine and Ferase with theatre legends Andrew Buckland and Sylvaine Strike, theatre direction by Toni Morkel, and film direction by Jaco Bouwer
• Satirical game show Off the Record with Standard Bank Young Artist winner Jefferson “J Bobs" Tshabalala and guests
• Hannes van Wyk in the popular one-man show Sê groete vir ma

Classical Music

Viewers are spoiled for choice with a variety of concerts including the world-renowned Stellenbosch University Choir; pianist Megan-Geoffrey Prins; Italian opera arias with baritone Theo Magongoma, soprano Kimmy Skota, and tenor Arthur Swan; Cape Town Baroque Ensemble with Handel's London operas; mezzo-soprano Minette du Toit Pearce accompanied by Phillipus Hugo; pianists Nina Schumann and Luis Magalhães; and Zorada Themmingh on the organ of the Moederkerk in Stellenbosch.

Contemporary Music

Highlights of the contemporary music series include:

• A celebration of David Kramer's 70^th birthday with Emo Adams, Loukmaan Adams, Robin Auld, Schalk Joubert and friends in the tribute: Boland to Broadway.
• Karen Zoid performing 20 of her greatest hits with the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra
• Karoo Suite – an ode to the beauty of the Great Karoo in word, music, and spectacular images with Coenie de Villiers and Deon Meyer
• Luna Paige, Ramon Alexander, and Frazer Barry exploring the origins and showcasing the variety of Afrikaans music in Smeltkroes.

Also on the music menu: Amanda Strydom, Spoegwolf, Die Heuwels Fantasties (with Francois van Coke, Tarryn Lamb and Jack Parow), jazz, cabaret, folk, swing, and poems set to music.

Stand-up Comedy

Enjoy the sharp wit of 13 of the country's most popular stand-up comedians: Marc Lottering, Schalk Bezuidenhout, Nik Rabinowitz, Shimmy Isaacs, Alan Committie, Bennie Fourie, Alfred Adriaan, Melt Sieberhagen, Kagiso Mokgadi, Joey Rasdien, Hannes Brümmer, Conrad Koch and Wayne McKay.

Woordfees TV will broadcast predominantly in Afrikaans but will also include English and multi-lingual works. All Afrikaans narrative works produced by the Woordfees festival, such as plays and discussion, will have English subtitles.

Non-subscribers can buy one of several one-month subscription packages for the month of October and enjoy the Toyota SU Woordfees on TV and DStv Catch Up in the safety of their homes.

The launch broadcast of around 20 minutes is still available to be viewed on the Toyota SU Woordfees Facebook page and the DStv YouTube channel.

• https://www.facebook.com/woordfees
• https://www.youtube.com/dstv

 * Toyota SU Woordfees TV pop-up is aired from 1 to 7 October on DStv channel 150 in South Africa and on GOtv channel 15 in Namibia. Watch woordfees.co.za and the Woordfees social media platforms for new highlights and information on Fees TV.

For enquiries, contact Danie Marais: danie_marais@sun.ac.za               

The Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS) at Stellenbosch University can take a bow for the profound impact its wide-ranging, cutting-edge research has had on the national and global levels.

This was the message from outgoing FMHS Dean, Professor Jimmy Volmink, as he presented his last address as dean at the opening of the faculty's 65^th Annual Academic Day. He dedicated his speech to thanking all those who have contributed to the faculty's research enterprise.

“Our research impacts science, and changes the way we think about various conditions, it impacts health and healthcare and also informs policy not only at a national and at a global level. We can be very proud of the impact we've had as a faculty," Volmink said.

He said the faculty can also be proud of its “very prevalent" innovation. “We saw this very clearly during the Covid-19 pandemic. People just rallied round – from students helping clinicians and others keep track of the literature on Covid-19, to the digitization of the ICU in Tygerberg hospital to the 3D printing of parts in collaboration with other faculties, like engineering."

Highlighting the faculty's research performance, Volmink said the faculty's overall number of research output units had increased from 324 in 2011 to 690 in 2020. “This is a remarkable increase – we are now the leading faculty in the university in terms of our research outputs."

In the same period, publication output units increased from 199 to 436, research masters output units increased from 74 to 109, and doctoral output units increased from 51 in to 144. “On all these levels, our research outputs have been remarkable in the last decade," he said.

Additionally, the numbers of PhD enrolments had dramatically increased – from 123 enrolled in 2011 to 266 in 2020. “These numbers are indicative of not only the interest but the demand for support and supervision. In 2011, we had 17 people graduate in PhDs and in 2019 it was 52. There was a slight drop off in 2020, to 44, due to Covid-19. We expect there will be a compensation for that drop-off in 2021."

The quality of the faculty's research can also be seen in the number of NRF-rated researchers – from 34 in 2011 to 91 in 2021.  “Another indicator of the recognition of our research and researchers it that, since 2011, we've had seven SARChI Research Chairs funded, as well as two externally funded chairs.

“That again is recognition of the work we are doing and its external validation of value of our work. It takes a great deal of effort to procure these grants and our researchers work really hard to be successful in obtaining those grants."

Volmink emphasized the faculty's vision – to be the leading research-intensive health sciences faculty in and for Africa – its mission, and its values: inclusivity, compassion, accountability, respect, excellence and equity. “Equity means giving more to those who are more disadvantaged. We keep that in mind as we go about our business in making decisions as a faculty."

Turning to the diversity profile, Volmink said it had been successful in opening up the faculty to everyone in the country. In 2011, 70% of the faculty's students were female and this percentage was still the same in 2020. In 2011, whites comprised 50% of the students with CBIA (Coloured, Black, Indian and Asian) students also at 50%, while in 2020 CBIA students comprise 62% and whites 38% in the faculty.

In 2011, female staff comprised 67% of the faculty and this had increased to 68% in 2020.

In 2011 white staff comprised 64% and CBIA staff comprised 36% of the faculty and by 2020 this percentage was 56% white and 44% CBIA.

“We are still not where we want to be so we have to work on this as we go forward."

In terms of the professoriate, the female professoriate rose from 6.3% in 2011 to 10.7% of staff in 2020, while the male professoriate rose from 18.1% in 2011 to 21.2% of staff in 2020.

“This indicates that if you are male in this category, you are twice more likely to be a professor than if you are female."

The CBIA professoriate rose from 7.2% of staff in 2011 to 12.3% in 2020, while the white professoriate rose from 12.3% in 2011 to 15.8% in 2020. “We also have some work to do here."

Volmink paid tribute to all those playing a role in research support, including health research ethics committees and the marketing and communications department. “My tenure over the two terms that I served as dean have been one of the greatest honours of my life and the one thing I've learnt is that success is dependent on working collaboratively, in a team spirit, with a number of people."

Professor Nico Gey van Pittius, FMHS Vice Dean: Research and Internationalisation, said the academic day has been a highlight of the academic calendar for over 65 years. “It showcases and celebrates our faculty's ongoing and world-class research and provides an opportunity to acknowledge the hard work of our researchers and support staff and to reflect on the impact of our research."

He announced the winners of this year's HD Brede Award for Postgraduate Research in Infectious Disease for 2021, an annual award to commemorate the first professor in microbiology in the faculty.

The award in the Clinical Research Category went to Dr Ahmed A. Abulfathi from the Division of Clinical Pharmacology for his paper The Population Pharmacokinetics of Meropenem in Adult Paients with Rifampicin-Sensitive Pulmonary Tuberculosis.

The award in the Biomedical Research Category went to Dr James Gallant, from the Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics for his paper entitled PPE38-Secretion-Dependent Proteins of M.tuberculosis Alter NF-kB Signaling and Inflammator Responses in Macrophages.

Thanks to a partnership between the Holland Stellenbosch Medical Foundation (HSMF) and Stellenbosch University (SU), medical care is available to thousands of people in rural areas for whom it would not otherwise have been possible.

The foundation was established by two Dutch pulmonologists, Drs Stijn Mol, HSMF chairman, and Maarten van Nierop. It was the brainchild of Mol, who decide to plough back into South Africa after receiving training at SU's Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS).

One initiative that has resulted from this is a bursary programme for medical students. For 2021, the year in which the HSMF commemorates its twentieth year of existence, the total funding amounts to R2,4 million.

The HSMF bursary project is coordinated via the Ukwanda Centre for Rural Health by Ms Lindsay-Michelle Meyer.

The HSMF has been supporting Ukwanda financially since 2007 but was initially involved in various projects. After a visit in 2009 by the Dutch ambassador to South Africa and other dignitaries, a more focused approach was decided upon. At a later summit in Amsterdam, which Meyer also attended, bursaries for senior medical students were identified as the greatest need. “Many of our top achievers have recruitment bursaries that are only valid for four years. That is why they struggle financially in their final years," she explains.

Doctors with student debt often end up in the private sector or go abroad, she adds.

One condition of the HSMF bursary is that students must work in a rural environment or underserved area for the same period that the bursary was made available to them. “It therefore fits in with our retention strategy for rural doctors," says Meyer.

The HSMF's aim is greater access to medical care in rural areas and informal settlements in South Africa's largest cities. It is estimated that at least 200 000 people for whom it would otherwise not have been possible, gain access to medical care each year thanks to these bursaries.

The bursary period varies between one and three years, and students must indicate annually whether they are still in need of support.

Among the nine students who were awarded the first bursaries in 2012, four were quite aptly also amongst the second cohort of the Rural Clinical School in Worcester.

The HSMF funding initially applied to all FMHS programmes. “Because many therapists have struggled to find work and therefore also to meet their bursary conditions, is it is now available to medical students only," says Meyer. Over the years, 58 medical students, six occupational therapists, three dieticians, two physiotherapists and two speech therapists have benefited. The vast majority (69%) are female.

Between 2012 and 2021, R13,7 million was paid out for 174 bursary years. A total of 24 students – 14 pre-existing and 10 new – will each receive R100 000 this year.

Meyers describes it as an incredible partnership between a university and a non-profit organisation. “And is has a huge impact on our retention strategy, especially in rural health where we are struggling to retain health professionals."

“While I cannot exactly say what I plan for my future … I know that I will be staying in South Africa," says Nicole Petersen, a HSMF scholar. “I grew up in a family dependent on the public health sector for all their medical needs. One of my family members lost his sight because of uncontrolled diabetes mellitus at the young age of 47 and his livelihood as a result – he was the breadwinner. In a case such as this, prevention of end organ damage is the responsibility of primary health care facilities and it is often these centres – the first contact point of patients with the health care system – that are most under-resourced and understaffed.

“Our clinical rotations are mainly in state facilities, and the need of the patients is overwhelmingly obvious, and therefore it is not something that I could just easily turn my back on. So, while I do not know exactly where I will be able to find work, I strive to work in my community where I can serve those whose health is affected and influenced by factors other than just the pure pathophysiology of diseases."

According to Ukwanda Director Prof Ian Couper there is international evidence of the success of these types of programmes. “Bursary programmes that require graduates to give service in return for their funding, have been shown internationally to make a difference to rural care, and are suggested as one of a range of recommendations that can make a difference to the rural health workforce by the World Health Organisation," he says.

​Caption: Members of the Holland-Stellenbosch Medical Foundation met with FMHS management and staff during a visit some years ago.

​​A large proportion of learners drop out before matric, a major source of inefficiency in the system, and the majority of learners do not acquire the knowledge and skills required to progress through the system on time.

These are some of the trends that emerged from a recent study at Stellenbosch University (SU).

A report released by the Research on Socio Economic Policy (ReSEP) unit at Stellenbosch University has presented evidence of major inefficiencies in South Africa's schooling system.

Entitled “Learner flows through schools: Using high quality administrative data to understand education system performance", the report drew from the strength of available datasets, and shows that the majority of learners are not acquiring the knowledge and skills required to be progress through the system on time, and that many learners dropping out without obtaining a matric qualification.

RESEP analysed data dashboards based on the South African School Administration and Management System (SA-SAMS) data that can be used for management purposes by schools, districts and other provincial and national education authorities. This was done on behalf of the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, who has been working with the Department of Basic Education in seven provinces to improve the quality of the SA-SAMS data system since 2013.

Servaas van der Berg, professor of Economics and the lead researcher at RESEP, says this analysis has allowed them to highlight important trends in how learners progress through the schooling system.

“The results point to major inefficiencies in the system, with repetition being extremely common in all grades and many learners dropping out of the system before reaching matric. Learners tend to stay in the system until the FET phase (Grade 10), even if they are held back. From Grade 11, however, enrolment drops off significantly, and dropout is extremely common."

Their analysis also shows that grade repetition is more common at the start of a new schooling phase, especially the start of the intermediate (Grade 4) and FET (Grade 10) phases.

“This evidence suggests that the national progression policy that learners can only repeat once per schooling phase is widely applied throughout the country," said Van der Berg.

The following important trends emerged from the report:

• Enrolment bulges in Grades 4 and 10 indicate high repetition rates, with more than one cohort stuck in these grades;
• High repetition rates mean that a large proportion of learners are over-age for their grade;
• Most learners in Grades 10, 11 and 12 are over-age for their grade;
• Around 20% of learners in Grades 10, 11 and 12 are three or more years over-age;
• Children in poorer schools are less likely to master basic literacy and numeracy skills, leading to learning deficits and repetition;
• One in four learners who enrol in Grade 10 will repeat this grade;
• A large proportion of learners drop out before matric, a major source of inefficiency in the system;
• Progression rates in the Western Cape are much higher for recent cohorts;
• Accelerated learner flows without a drop in education standards imply improved system efficiency in the Western Cape; and
• The majority of learners do not acquire the knowledge and skills required to progress through the system on time.

Van der Berg says these results all point to the conclusion that learners are not successfully acquiring the knowledge and skills required in the curriculum within the time that they are supposed to, if at all.

“There is clearly much scope for improvement in the efficiency with which learners progress through the schooling system. This does not necessarily imply, however, that learners should be progressed through the system even if they do not meet the requirements for being promoted to the next grade. Rather, it is important that the factors underlying the slow progression through the system are addressed."

According to Van der Berg, it is hoped that the results presented in this report will make clear the crucial importance of high-quality administrative data for informing education policy and practice.

​

In a social impact project of Stellenbosch University (SU), a series of four books will be published that aim to empower learners, teachers, parents and principals in dealing with the demands of teaching and learning both during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the second book in the series recently published, Prof Jonathan Jansen, distinguished professor in the Department of Education Policy Studies hopes that the publications will have a meaningful and sustainable impact on education into the future.

The first book, Learning under lockdown: Voices of South Africa's children, appeared in September 2020. It comprises approximately 400 essays by learners between the ages of 9 and 19, sharing their experiences of coping with the lockdown and staying on track with their schoolwork. Prof Jansen and SU alumna Emily O'Ryan compiled the book after working through 640 submissions from learners across the country. The book is available at CNA bookstores.

Teaching in and beyond pandemic times, the second instalment in the series was published in July 2021. Edited by Prof Jansen and Theola Farmer-Phillips, a Mitchells Plain teacher and SU postgraduate student, this book has been compiled from the teacher's perspective. It contains several educators' accounts of the teaching challenges and successes they experienced during the lockdown.

Reflecting on this latest release, Prof Jansen describes it as an essential resource for both students and practising teachers to enrich their teaching skills and empower themselves. Unlike traditional academic publications, it was written by teachers for teachers, about immediate teaching concerns, in the first person.

The teachers' monologues were essential to enable readers to take ownership of the publication, he says. “In other words, this was not about academics overwriting teachers' voices. The intention was to give teachers a platform to express their anxieties and fears, but also share their hopes and dreams for education beyond the pandemic."

The COVID-19 restrictions forced contributors to interact in cyberspace, which, in fact, broadened the project reach. “Teachers also partnered with one another across phases and grades in ways not witnessed in pre-pandemic times. This kind of momentum must be sustained, given the endless possibilities for professional learning and networking among teachers in schools," Jansen says enthusiastically.

The publication also contains practical information on topics such as hybrid teaching beyond the pandemic. “The teachers' stories demonstrate how schools in disadvantaged areas can move beyond sole dependence on copied materials or textbooks," says Jansen. In addition, policymakers and education planners will also find the book a valuable resource on what schools need to close the academic gap between the privileged and the poor.

The idea for the project started in 2020 upon seeing how teachers, learners and parents struggled with schoolwork and the impact of the pandemic on teaching and learning, Jansen explains. “I felt the need to do more than just conduct research and write traditional academic texts. I wanted to generate the kind of books that would speak to the crisis of the time in my field," he says. The idea evolved into the conceptualisation of four books that address teachers, learners, principals and parents respectively.

SU's Social Impact Funding Committee made available funding for the start-up costs of the first two books. “With the generous funding from the University, we could launch the series, which, in essence, examines learning, teaching, parenting and leading under lockdown," says Jansen.

Work on the third and fourth books is well underway, with publication scheduled for next year. The authors are also negotiating with the Western Cape Department of Education to supply copies of the second book to schools so that teachers would have easy access to this valuable resource.

Above all, Prof Jansen is pleased that the project has managed to connect campus and communities. “This kind of social impact is meaningful and enduring, both inside and outside higher education institutions," he says.

​

​​​​Stellenbosch University's (SU) ranking position has increased and it is now second in South Africa according to the 2022 Times Higher Education (THE) World Universities Rankings (WUR) that was released earlier today.

SU is ranked in the category 251–300 (for a third consecutive year) and moved up one place from last year (2021) when it occupied the third spot in South Africa. More than 1600 universities from 93 countries are ranked on the THE WUR.

“Stellenbosch University's consistent performance on the THE World Universities Rankings bodes well for the institution's vision of being 'Africa's leading research-intensive university, globally recognised as excellent, inclusive and innovative, where we advance knowledge in service of society'," says Prof Hester Klopper, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Strategy and Internationalisation.

“What is even more encouraging is that SU managed to improve on most of the indicators used by THE World Universities Rankings. This is no mean feat taking into account the pandemic and especially the challenges faced by universities in emerging economies."

She reiterated that while universities are aware of the importance of rankings in the overall perception of an institution's global academic and research standing, “at Stellenbosch University our focus remains on academic and research excellence that will shape a better world for all. It is, however, very gratifying when we gain international recognition in our quest to provide solutions to societal problems through world-class research and scientific programs. "

Indicators

An authoritative ranking of the world's best universities, the THE World University Rankings are the only global performance tables that judge research-intensive universities across all their core missions namely teaching, research, knowledge transfer and international outlook. THE WUR does not include the subjective perception indicator used by several other rankings..

SU improved again on the indicators Industry Income (knowledge transfer and a university's ability to attract funding in the commercial marketplace), Teaching, Research (number of published academic papers, reputation for research excellence, and income) and Citations (number of times a university's published work is cited by scholars globally).

The most significant improvement was on the industry income * and teaching** scores with an increase of 8.8% and 5.6% respectively. With an increase of 8.8%, the industry income score improved from the  previous (2021) score of 73.1   to the 2022 score of 79.5. The 5.6% growth brings the teaching score to 30.3 compared to 28.7 in 2021.

*THE WUR defines the 'Industry Indicator' as a university's ability to help industry with innovations, inventions and consultancy has become a core mission of the contemporary global academy. This category seeks to capture such knowledge-transfer activity by looking at how much research income an institution earns from industry (adjusted for PPP), scaled against the number of academic staff it employs. The category suggests the extent to which businesses are willing to pay for research and a university's ability to attract funding in the commercial marketplace – useful indicators of institutional quality.

** The 'Teaching' category is underpinned by the annually run Academic Reputation Survey that examines the perceived prestige of institutions in teaching and research. As well as giving a sense of how committed an institution is to nurturing the next generation of academics, a high proportion of postgraduate research students also suggests the provision of teaching at the highest level that is thus attractive to graduates and effective at developing them.

• Click here for the THE WUR methodology.
• In March the 2021 Times Higher Education (THE) Emerging Economies Universities Rankings ranked SU number 23 out of 606 institutions from countries or regions classified as “advanced emerging", “secondary emerging" or “frontier" – having improved steadily since 2017 when it came in at number 42. 
  
• Photo: Stefan Els
  

For the fifth year in a row, Stellenbosch University engineering student Ralph McDougall made it into the Hall of Fame of the ASSA South African Tertiary Mathematics Olympiad (SATMO).

Ralph, who is currently a third year electrical engineering student, first made it into the Hall of Fame in his Grade 11-year, and joint-first in Grade 12. In 2019 he again made it into the Hall of Fame, then sole first in 2020, and this year joint first with a score of 18 out of 20. The question paper comprises 20 relatively short “give the answer only" problems, to be solved in two hours.

Another two SU students also made it into the Hall of Fame this year: Jean Weight obtained a score of 15 out of 20, and Danielle Kleyn 12. They are both first year students in the BSc mathematical sciences programme.

Dr Dirk Basson, coordinator of the Olympiad at SU and a lecturer in the Mathematics Division, says a record number of 36 SU students participated in this year's competition. Nine of them obtained a score of ten and more, which places them in the top 30 out of the 215 students that participated. With these high scores, SU was ranked first amongst the competing universities, including University of KwaZulu-Natal, University of Cape Town, University of Pretoria and the University of the Witwatersrand.

Ralph says the problems posed in the Olympiad are usually original, and do not come from a set syllabus: “It is unlike any other exam. Through participating in Maths Olympiads, one becomes accustomed to analytical thinking and solving unconventional problems. I believe this is a tremendous help for succeeding in your university studies."

The South African Mathematical Foundation (SAMF) administers a number of Mathematics Olympiads, including the SA Mathematics Olympiad, the SA Mathematics Challenge, the PAN-African Mathematics Olympiad, and the International Mathematical Olympiad. The SAMF website also contains a wealth of Olympiad resources in the form of training manuals and former typical Olympiad problems.

This year SU and other South African universities will also compete for the first time in the Simon Marais Mathematics Competition on 9 October 2021. Dr Simon Marais was an SU alumni and physicist who became a prominent contrarian asset manager in South Africa and later Australia. He maintained a life-long passionate interest in mathematics and mathematical problem solving after completing a PhD in Theoretical Physics at Cambridge University in 1991. On 26 February 2015 he passed away after a short battle with metastatic cancer. The competition consists of two three-hour long papers, written in the morning and afternoon respectively. Register at https://forms.office.com/r/0QUg1VNbm8 before 10 September.

Students who want to participate in any of these Olympiads can send an e-mail to Dr Dirk Basson at djbasson@sun.ac.za.

On the photo above, from left to right: Jean Weight, Danielle Kleyn en Ralph McDougall.​

​The annual Casual Day is celebrated on Friday (3 September) in support of people with disabilities. In opinion pieces for the media, Hillary Lane (African Network for Evidence-to-Action in Disability in the Centre for Disability & Rehabilitation Studies) and Dr Michelle Botha (Institute for Life Course Health Research) write about why it is important to do away with negative ideas about people with disabilities. Click on the links below to read the articles.

• ​Hillary Lane (Cape Times)
  
• Dr Michelle Botha (News24)
  

​

​
The Financial and Fiscal Commission (Commission) is pleased to announce the appointment of its full-time Chairperson Dr Patience Nombeko Mbava, by the President of the Republic of South Africa Mr Cyril Ramaphosa. Dr Mbava is appointed for a term of five years with effect from 17 August 2021.

Dr Nombeko Mbava holds a PHD: Public and Development Management; and MBA (Stellenbosch University) as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Economics (Smith College, Massachusetts, USA). She brings a wealth of expertise as a member of various boards. Dr Mbava has headed monitoring and evaluation units in public entities where she provided strategic leadership for activities related to organisational strategy development and governance. She served as a board member at the South African Monitoring and Evaluation Association. She is a Research Fellow - Public Sector Monitoring and Evaluation at the Stellenbosch University School of Public Leadership. Dr Mbava has exemplary academic awards and achievements

The Commission would also like to extend its gratitude to the Deputy Chairperson for his stewardship during his tenure as the Acting Chairperson after the untimely passing away of the erstwhile Chairperson the late Prof Daniel Plaatjies.

The Commission looks forward to the leadership of Dr Mbava and wishes her well in her responsibilities.

​

​Facilities Management's Landscaping and Environmental Sustainability teams collaborated to plant between 50 and 60 trees over the past couple of months on Stellenbosch University's campus, ending on a high note in celebrating Arbour Week during the first week of September 2021.

According to the initiators of the project, Christine Groenewald, engagement project coordinator, and Sivu Kweleta, senior horticulturist at Facilities Management, they, together with colleagues, suppliers and students have planted various trees on campus at buildings, such as the Engineering Faculty, the Old Main Building and the Krotoa Building – all at carefully selected spaces and allocated in appropriate areas within existing garden spaces.

"The collaborative effort between our environment sustainability and landscaping teams resulted in us planting 50 to 60 trees. We all know that trees create a greener and more oxygen-rich environment.  It also helps to cool down our urban areas, increase the resilience of our ecosystems, and increase carbon sequestration," says Groenewald.  The term carbon sequestration describes both natural and thoughtful processes by which CO2 is either removed from the atmosphere or diverted from emission sources and stored in the natural carbon sinks.

Groenewald says tree planting also enriches SU's biodiversity and help with the conservation of our biomes. The trees that were selected and planted varied from indigenous, water-wise and endemic trees, which adapt and survive in the weather conditions of the Stellenbosch area.

"Indigenous trees help create resilient ecosystems that can survive climate challenges like the recent drought we had. They help improve biodiversity and the sustainability of open spaces on campus. Most of the non-indigenous trees or plants use too much of our precious water resource, tend to become invasive, displace our rich biodiversity and disconnect our rich environmental, ecological services and are less resilient against pest and diseases Trees also help with the total ecosystem balance when one plants endemic and indigenous species," Kweleta says.

Nadeem Gafieldien, Director Property Services at Stellenbosch University's Facilities Management (SUFM)​, says the Environmental Sustainable Unit is currently rolling out a series of projects and engagements on campus that form part of SU's overall environmental sustainability strategy towards becoming a sustainable university. In using their division as a living laboratory, SUFM has since 2015 been putting systems and processes in place to start paving the way for the University to become a smart campus where data-led decision-making will result in solving problems and providing sustainable solutions for the future.

"We have even digitised our trees to measure and manage many of the influencing variables. In some cases, this information enabled us to replace some vegetation with the water-wise endemic and indigenous trees planted in the past few weeks," says Gafieldien.​

Tuberculosis (TB) is a deadly disease. Children often develop a form of this disease which makes diagnosis difficult even with the aid of formal techniques. The concentration of bacteria in children's sputum often falls below the lowest limit of detection for sputum smear microscopy. A student at the Department of Chemistry and Polymer Science tested whether a modification of a polymer often used in buccal swabs could be used  to a capture  and concentrate Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), the bacteria responsible for TB. This will assist in meeting the detection limit and allow for rapid detection of the disease with modified oral swabs.

Industrially produced Poly(ethylene terephthalate) staple microfibres, commonly used for sample collection swabs, were used in this study, as well as a mimic strain of Mtb, called Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs were collected with a Zeiss MERLIN Scanning Electron Microscope and confocal fluorescence microscopy (CFM) micrographs were analyzed with a Carl Zeiss LSM 780 confocal microscope at the CAF SEM and FM Units.

Uniform surface functionalization was achieved through binding of a biologically active molecule called Concanavalin A (Con A), which has affinity for Mtb cell wall constituents. The study showed that the fibers were capable of capturing BCG bacilli, even at the low concentration representative of paucibacillary TB in children.

Read the article at: https://doi.org/10.1002/app.50638

Media requests:

Lize Engelbrecht

E-mail: lizeb@sun.ac.za

Prof Albert van Reenen

E-mail: ajvr@sun.ac.za

​

In a social impact project of Stellenbosch University (SU), a series of four books will be published that aim to empower learners, teachers, parents and principals in dealing with the demands of teaching and learning both during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the second book in the series recently published, Prof Jonathan Jansen, distinguished professor in the Department of Education Policy Studies, hopes that the publications will have a meaningful and sustainable impact on education into the future.

The first book, Learning under lockdown: Voices of South Africa's children, appeared in September 2020. It comprises approximately 400 essays by learners between the ages of 9 and 19, sharing their experiences of coping with the lockdown and staying on track with their schoolwork. Prof Jansen and SU alumna Emily O'Ryan compiled the book after working through 640 submissions from learners across the country. The book is available at CNA bookstores.

Teaching in and beyond pandemic times, the second instalment in the series was published in July 2021. Edited by Prof Jansen and Theola Farmer-Phillips, a Mitchells Plain teacher and SU postgraduate student, this book has been compiled from the teacher's perspective. It contains several educators' accounts of the teaching challenges and successes they experienced during the lockdown.

Reflecting on this latest release, Prof Jansen describes it as an essential resource for both students and practising teachers to enrich their teaching skills and empower themselves. Unlike traditional academic publications, it was written by teachers for teachers, about immediate teaching concerns, in the first person.

The teachers' monologues were essential to enable readers to take ownership of the publication, he says. “In other words, this was not about academics overwriting teachers' voices. The intention was to give teachers a platform to express their anxieties and fears, but also share their hopes and dreams for education beyond the pandemic."

The COVID-19 restrictions forced contributors to interact in cyberspace, which, in fact, broadened the project reach. “Teachers also partnered with one another across phases and grades in ways not witnessed in pre-pandemic times. This kind of momentum must be sustained, given the endless possibilities for professional learning and networking among teachers in schools," Jansen says enthusiastically.

The publication also contains practical information on topics such as hybrid teaching beyond the pandemic. “The teachers' stories demonstrate how schools in disadvantaged areas can move beyond sole dependence on copied materials or textbooks," says Jansen. In addition, policymakers and education planners will also find the book a valuable resource on what schools need to close the academic gap between the privileged and the poor.

The idea for the project started in 2020 upon seeing how teachers, learners and parents struggled with schoolwork and the impact of the pandemic on teaching and learning, Jansen explains. “I felt the need to do more than just conduct research and write traditional academic texts. I wanted to generate the kind of books that would speak to the crisis of the time in my field," he says. The idea evolved into the conceptualisation of four books that address teachers, learners, principals and parents, respectively.

SU's Social Impact Funding Committee made available funding for the start-up costs of the first two books. “With the generous funding from the University, we could launch the series, which, in essence, examines learning, teaching, parenting and leading under lockdown," says Jansen.

Work on the third and fourth books is well underway, with publication scheduled for next year. The authors are also negotiating with the Western Cape Department of Education to supply copies of the second book to schools so that teachers would have easy access to this valuable resource.

Above all, Prof Jansen is pleased that the project has managed to connect campus and communities. “This kind of social impact is meaningful and enduring, both inside and outside higher education institutions," he says.

​

With effect from September, Private Law's Prof Juanita Pienaar will be serving as the Stellenbosch University Law Faculty's very first vice-dean of research and internationalisation.

Prof Pienaar will continue her primary duties as a lecturer in Customary Law, Property Law and Advanced Property Law, as well as researcher and Faculty committee member, stepping down only as head of the Department of Private Law. “I am excited," she says of her new role. “Because it is a newly created portfolio in the Faculty, we have a blank slate, so to speak, and the portfolio's scope and parameters can be sculpted according to international, but especially also national and African needs."

The new vice-dean is motivated for this challenge, knowing that she can count on the support and assistance of the Faculty's research committee and talented, enthusiastic staff. “We are a strong team in the Faculty, and I am looking forward to brainstorming and developing ideas with Dean Prof Nicola Smit and other colleagues. At the heart of the matter is the Faculty, its staff and students, and their needs," she says.

Prof Pienaar's own research focuses are property law in general, and land reform and related matters in particular. She boasts an extensive publication record, including the 2014 book Land Reform, which forms part of the Juta Property Law Library. She is currently working on another two publications. The one is another Juta book, this time on customary property law and co-authored with Prof Elmien du Plessis. The other, Property in Housing, sees Prof Pienaar in the role of editor, with Gustav Muller and Sue-Mari Viljoen as co-authors.

One of her first priorities as vice-dean will be to focus on research, which has been affected by the pandemic over the past 18 months. “Understandably, the University has had to place significant emphasis on teaching and learning in order to complete the academic year and assist our students as best we can. Yet COVID-19 has also affected how we approach and conduct research, and research visits and conferences have suffered," she says.

Asked about her work strategy and how she copes with challenges, Prof Pienaar stresses the importance of collaboration as well as self-management and organisation. “Find a sounding board who can listen and assist when necessary. Be realistic: You cannot be everything to everyone the whole time. And plan your week as best you can. COVID-19 has shown us that we can plan, and then everything changes in any event. Still, I have found that by planning and scheduling, one does feel more in control, even if it's only in theory!" she says.

“My motto is 'Wat klaar is, is klaar' ('Don't procrastinate'). If you can complete a task, just do it!" she adds. “At first, my children found my motto very annoying, but have now started using it themselves! I am inspired by people who rise above their circumstances and persevere. I have a lot of respect for resilience."

The drastic changes brought about by the pandemic have also taught her some additional valuable lessons. “The pandemic has significantly affected how we interact at work, in our neighbourhoods, and with friends and family. I now realise there is a lot to be said for popping into someone's office just to find out how that person is doing. I have missed that."

Her message to the campus community in these extraordinary times? “Firstly, purposely look for the good things in life – even if they're small and seemingly insignificant – and grab on to them. Secondly, take care of yourself before you take care of those around you: After all, you cannot pour from an empty vessel."

​

​Non-academic mentors do not only help newcomer students adapt to campus life, but also make universities more inclusive.

This is the view of Dr Jerome Joorst from the Department of Education Policy Studies at Stellenbosch University (SU).

Joorst conducted research on how non-academic mentors support newcomer students socially, psychologically and emotionally to be successful in their studies. His research findings were recently published on LitNet Academic.

Joorst focused specifically on SU's SciMathUS programme. This successful year-long bridging programme in science and mathematics offers previously disadvantaged students who have already passed matric, a second opportunity to improve their performance in these subjects in order to gain university admission. These students receive a year of free university accommodation, as well as non-academic mentorship.

Joorst points out that some students (mostly generic black students) arrive at universities “unprepared" for various reasons and struggle to master their courses. In addition, the transition from school and home to university is difficult for many.

However, there are ways to help these students, he says.

“Academic and non-academic mentors (especially those with similar experiences as the mentees) can make an important contribution here. The former works hard to prepare the students scholastically, while the latter further supports them in social, psychological and emotional areas. In this way, they help build a bridge between the mentees' capital (qualities) and habitus (way of doing, thinking and being) on the one hand and the expectations at university on the other."

According to Joorst, the forms of capital that universities consider valuable are often not the same as those with which students arrive at the institutions.

“Students whose capital and habitus are in agreement with that of the university will usually do better and adapt more easily to campus life. They feel like the proverbial 'fish in the water', while students whose capital and habitus do not exactly match those of the university feel less at home.

“Non-academic mentors make the best of the diverse forms of capital that students bring with them in order to give them a richer experience. In this way, they also help to create a more inclusive student community."

“Furthermore, non-academic mentors work with the missing forms of capital of their mentees to not only mediate their access to the university, but also to help them understand that their forms of capital are important and valued. In this way, the mentors help these students to navigate their way through university."

Joorst says his research has shown that non-academic or 'informal' mentors not only facilitate the engagement of students from marginalised environments at SU, but also help the institution to broaden its knowledge about alternative ways of mentoring. This mentorship is 'informal' because the SciMathUS mentors are not part of SU's formal mentorship programme, but function alongside the formal structures.

“The SciMathUS mentors' emotional investment in the mentees – the close association with their fears and anxieties, but also their expectations and dreams – helps the newcomers to build a set of internal resources, social skills and cultural strategies (additional capital) that help them to find their feet in a strange environment and to thrive."

Joorst believes that the mentors' mentoring practices and their success are largely based on their own experiences as mentees in the programme, and the survival strategies that they themselves have learned over time.

“They can draw from their own experience and be actively involved in the development and adaptation of their mentees while staying in the SciMathUS residence, precisely because they know what integration and navigation challenges the new students face."

According to Joorst, higher education institutions should be much more sensitive to the fact that inequalities in our school system lead to most students from marginalised communities arriving at universities with a habitus and forms of capital that make it difficult for them to easily adapt to their new environment.

“In order to facilitate students' integration into universities and for the successful navigation of campus life, and to make tertiary institutions more welcoming, receptive and diverse, we should move away from a one-size-fits-all approach and look for diverse and more inclusive approaches with a greater sense urgency."

• Source: Joorst, J 2021. Die rol van nie-akademiese mentorskap om studente uit gemarginaliseerde groepe by 'n universiteit te laat inskakel – 'n gevallestudie. LitNet Akademies 18/1: 432-449.

FOR MEDIA ENQUIRIES ONLY

Dr Jerome Joorst

Department Education Policy Studies

Faculty of Education

Stellenbosch University

Tel: 021 808 2398

Email: jpjoorst@sun.ac.za

ISSUED BY

Martin Viljoen

Manager: Media

Corporate Communication and Marketing

Stellenbosch University

Tel: 021 808 4921

Email: viljoenm@sun.ac.za

​

Apply for invigilation duties for the November 2021 examinations

Application forms available from Monday, 06 September 2021

Should you wish to undertake invigilation duties during the SU examinations from Monday 08 November 2021 to Saturday 11 December 2921 (for the full duration of the examination period), you now have the opportunity to apply. External applicants (people outside of the University) will get preference.

Kindly note that COVID – 19 rules and protocols still apply.

Applications close on Thursday 23 September 2021 at 16:30.

Minimum qualification is Matric.

Remuneration is R250 per examination session/ R300 per extra writing time examination session for invigilators, and R350 per examination session/ R400 per extra writing time examination session. Remuneration for all invigilation until 11 December 2021 will be paid end of January 2022.

Application forms are available on email from Wednesday, 08 September 2021. Contact Mr Gary Kirsten at garyk@sun.ac.za to request an email application form.

Applicants must please complete all sections on this application form in full and send their/the completed forms (along with any documentation that may be required) to garyk@sun.ac.za on or before the closing date (Thursday, 23 September 2021 16:30 latest).

Kindly note incomplete forms received any without supporting documents (where requested) will not be considered.

Contact Mr Gary Kirsten at 021 808 9367 or at garyk@sun.ac.za for further enquiries.

​

The annual Stellenbosch University (SU) Conference on the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) will take place on 9 and 10 November. Pre-conference workshops will be offered on 8 November 2021. The conference will take place virtually on MS Teams and is free for SU academics.

This year's conference theme is “(Your) Assessment Matters". The keynote speaker will be well-renowned assessment scholar, Professor David Boud. The blurb for his keynote address is available here.

Enquiries: sotl@sun.ac.za

To view the conference announcement video, click here.

Please visit the SoTL website  for more information or to register.​

​​SU Teaching Excellence Awards 2021

Applications for the Stellenbosch University (SU) Teaching Excellence Awards 2021 are currently awaited.

The Teaching Excellence Awards acknowledge outstanding teaching at SU. All teaching staff – permanent as well as contract appointments – are eligible for these awards.

As from 2021 lecturers may apply as an individual or as a teaching team.

The awards are offered in two categories, namely Developing Teacher and Distinguished Teacher. The Developing Teacher award is open to lecturers who can be described as “scholarly teachers":

Reflective practitioners think deliberately and critically about their teaching practice, and systematically review and document their professional growth. Scholarly teachers additionally draw on educational literature to reflect on their teaching practice and professional growth, and move beyond personal reflection to observation and peer review of their teaching.

(Teaching and Learning Policy, 2018:4-5)

The Distinguished Teacher award is open to teaching academics who are “teaching scholars" or “leaderly teaching scholars":

Teaching scholars research their teaching practice and document their professional growth with a view to publishing their findings publicly and contributing to the body of teaching and learning knowledge. Leaderly teaching scholars contribute to the body of teaching and learning knowledge through publication, and provide leadership in the field of teaching practice institutionally, nationally and internationally.

(Teaching and Learning Policy, 2018:5)

The Developing Teacher award may be received once only and the Distinguished Teacher award once every five years.

In accordance with the Teaching and Learning Policy (2018:5), the teaching portfolio is used as the primary vehicle by which teaching excellence is judged. Portfolios may be submitted in pdf format or in an electronic format of the applicant's choice. Assistance with portfolio development is available from the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL) advisors in faculties.

Nominees are initially selected by means of an internal faculty process. Successful faculty applications should subsequently be submitted to kcattell@sun.ac.za at the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL) by 22 October 2021. After review by an institutional selection committee, the successful nominees will be informed of their selection in the fourth quarter and receive their awards at a ceremony at the end of that quarter.

For enquiries, please contact Dr Karin Cattell-Holden at kcattell@sun.ac.za.

​​​​TAU Fellowship Programme 2021-2022

The TAU (Teaching Advancement at University) Fellowship Programme is a nation-wide intervention that was initiated in 2015. It aims at advancing teaching quality and the professionalisation of teaching and learning in the public higher education sphere.

The TAU Programme involves the professional development of a cohort of mid- to senior level academic staff from varying disciplines at all South African public universities, by means of a combined residential and distance learning approach. Participants, who are disciplinary specialists, are familiarised with developments relating to teaching and learning in higher education, introduced to Scholarship of Teaching and Learning research, and positioned as change agents. Over the year-long period of the TAU programme they work on an educational project situated in their own environment as well as on a group project, and build partnerships with colleagues from other institutions. On conclusion of the programme, they are equipped to lead change processes relating to teaching and learning at their home institution.

On the first TAU programme (2015-2016) Stellenbosch University was represented by Prof. Elmarie Costandius and Prof. Geo Quinot. The SU academics on TAU Two (2018-2019) were Prof. Ian Nell and Dr Berna Gerber.

For TAU Three (2021-2022) SU is privileged to have three SU academics on the programme: Prof. Faadiel Essop, Prof. Ashraf Kagee and Dr Marianne McKay.

Prof. Faadiel Essop is currently a professor in the Department of Physiological Sciences and the Director of the recently established Centre for Cardio-metabolic Research Centre in Africa (CARMA) at SU. He is an NRF-rated internationally acclaimed researcher, former chairperson of the Department of Physiological Sciences, a former President of the Physiology Society of Southern Africa (two terms), the current Vice-President of the African Association of Physiological Sciences and a board member of the General Assembly of the International Union of Physiological Sciences. He also served as a member of the International Committee of the American Physiological Society and is an elected Fellow of the American Physiological Society.

Prof. Essop recently completed the one-year part-time course Scholarship of Educational Leadership (SOEL) at SU. During 2018 he received a Stellenbosch University Teaching Excellence Award (Developing Teacher). His TAU fellowship project will focus on the notion that scientists/engineers often view their discipline as ''neutral'' and therefore devoid of any socio-political and historical contexts. This 'scientific elitism' can therefore seemingly absolve scientists from such contexts, e.g. past injustices committed during apartheid and also contemporary, pressing issues such as equity redress, decolonization and inclusivity. The aim would be to develop a philosophical framework for the introduction of broader humanities and arts concepts into the biomedical, science and engineering curricula.

Prof. Ashraf Kagee is Distinguished Professor of Psychology at SU, co-Director of the Alan Flisher Centre for Public Mental Health, and a member of the Academy of Science of South Africa. With over 200 academic publications, he is rated as an internationally acclaimed researcher with the National Research Foundation. He received the Rector's Awards for Excellence in Research in 2006, in Teaching in 2007, and in Community Interaction in 2009. In 2018 he received the Chancellor's Award for Sustained Excellent Career Performance.

Prof. Kagee's research has focused on common mental disorders among persons living with HIV, psychological and structural factors influencing adherence to antiretroviral therapy, and common mental disorders in various populations. He teaches cognitive psychotherapy and research methods in the Department of Psychology. He chairs the Board of Trustees of the Trauma Centre for Survivors of Violence and Torture in Cape Town and does capacity-building work at the Gaza Community Mental Health Centre in Gaza, Palestine.

As the recipient of several SOTL grants, Prof. Kagee has also conducted research on teaching research methods in psychology, an area where he focuses on critical thinking, scepticism, and empirical-mindedness. He intends to use the TAU fellowship to develop the areas of blended learning and e-assessment as well as the scientific writing skills among students in his research methods classes.

Dr Marianne McKay is a senior lecturer in the Department of Viticulture and Oenology. She was the first woman to graduate with MSc (Agric) in South Africa, and holds a PhD in Oenology. Dr McKay is recognised for her contributions to both oenology and teaching and learning. She received the national South African Council for Higher Education / HELTASA Excellence in Teaching Award in 2015 for her efforts in decoloniality in teaching and her research in teaching and learning. She also received an SU Teaching Excellence Award (Distinguished Teacher) in 2017. She held a Teaching Fellowship at SU from 2017 to 2020 and has been nominated for the SU Scholarship of Academic Leadership programme for 2021.

Dr McKay has extensive experience in teaching students in partner colleges in wine science, forming sustainable and successful training collaborations in local communities with measurable social impact. Her TAU fellowship objectives tie in with a number of goals in SU's Transformation Plan (Vision 2040) as well as important programme renewal initiatives around increasing diversity, accessibility and a transformative student experience. She aims at enhancing transformative and innovative student learning experiences in her modules. She also hopes to support colleagues interested in integrating their disciplinary research with research on teaching and learning.

The CTL proudly congratulates these colleagues and thanks them for their contributions to teaching and learning at SU. We wish them all the best for their TAU Fellowships.

More information about the TAU Fellowships is available from Dr Karin Cattell-Holden, kcattell@sun.ac.za.

On the photograph from left to right:  Prof. Faadiel Essop, Prof. Ashraf Kagee and Dr Marianne McKay

​​FINLO / FIRLT applications:  closing date 19 November 2021

​​In line with its Learning and Teaching policy​, Stellenbosch University established the Fund for Innovation and Research into Learning and Teaching (FIRLT) in 2005 in ord​er to encourage a culture of innovation and reflection in learning and teaching at the University. The fund provides an opportunity for lecturers to innovate, evaluate effective practices and processes, and to investigate learning and teaching problems, solutions and trends.  It also provides a mechanism for the dissemination of results designed to improve the quality of learning and teaching.  Any lecturer, team of lecturers or Centre responsible for learning and teaching, may apply for an award.​​​​​​ ​​​​

FIRLT awards are made twice a year by a subcommittee of the Committee for Learning and Teaching. Proposals are funded up to a maximum of R50 000.​

How to Apply for FI​RLT Awards:

For more information, visit the FIRLT webpage  or send an e-mail:  finlo@sun.ac.za

​​​​​​​ELSABÉ DANEEL COMMUNICATION WORKSHOPS

Elsabé Daneel is a well-known television presenter and television and movie actress and has produced and acted in many theatre productions. She is a producer, director and presenter of corporate videos as well as documentaries for kykNET and M-Net.

As communication and media strategist, she conducts communication workshop titled Communication IQ. These fun-filled and practical workshops in communication and projection skills are geared for corporate clients, television and radio presenters, actors, public speakers, educators, students, academic personnel, etc.

Elsabé will offer three communication workshops for Stellenbosch University academic staff in 2021. The one remaining workshop will take place on 25 October.

Participants can look forward to the following during the workshop:
 
·            Grasping communication jargon
·            Discovering the ABC of the communication process
·            Evaluating your strong and weaker points as a communicator
·            Making communication models work for you
·            Sussing out the technicalities that influence the communication process
·            Recognising the role of personal style
·            Thriving on body language
·            Experimenting with vocalics
·            Indulging in relaxation techniques that work
·            Packaging your verbal message
·            Establishing rapport
·            The dynamics of communication
·            Tips for highly effective communicators
·            Using technology in the classroom as part of the 'flipped classroom method'
·            Communicating effectively via online lectures.

When:
Monday 25 October

Time:
13:00 to 16:00
 
Where:
Den Bosch, 39 Victoria Street (opposite Skuilhoek and behind the Conservatoire)
 
There are only 10 places available per workshop.
 
Please contact Claudia Swart (claudias2@sun.ac.za) to reserve your place.