The pursuance of critical debate and conciliatory conversations is of much greater value to Stellenbosch University’s student community than action against the students that caused the buzz on social media last week after a birthday party at Amazink in Kayamandi.

The Stellenbosch University management accepted the recommendation of the investigation team on Friday that no disciplinary action would be taken against Michael Weaver, Ross Bartlett and Mark Burmann. The three students have made a commitment to participate in discussions in various student forums to help repair relations after their actions had caused resentment and hurt. 

The incident, the complex South African context, the meaning of ‘blackface’ and the related sensitivities will be included in discussions in residences, the Listening, Learning and Living structures, in leadership training and the 2015 welcoming programme. It will also become part of the short course curriculum of the Frederik Van Zyl Slabbert Institute for Student Leadership Development.

“The University management still regards the incident in a very serious light,” says Prof Leopoldt van Huyssteen, acting Rector and Vice-Chancellor of Stellenbosch University. “Although the investigation confirmed the students’ statement that they attended the 21st birthday celebration of twin friends at a restaurant in the Kayamandi tourism corridor, and that they dressed up according to the ‘twinning’ theme like other guests, our country’s history and vulnerable relations demand that we should be sensitive to remarks, actions and terminology that may be hurtful and offensive. The storm that the photo provoked on campus, in the media and on social platforms, confirmed this in the run up to the University’s Diversity week.  The chain of events over the past week resulted in a valuable learning experience for the three students and our campus community.

“The incident tested the leadership of our newly elected Students’ Representative Council (SRC) and Simonsberg’s house committee very early in their term of office. Our student leadership structures should assist us to create a welcoming culture on our campus, and therefore management welcomed the strong stance against any form of insensitive conduct expressed by the SRC and the house committee,” says Prof Van Huyssteen. “The University will utilise this negative incident to encourage frank discussions for the sake of a greater mutual understanding on our campuses.” 

An extensive study on HIV prevention in Africa is underway in the Western Cape, with community workers, known as Community HIV Care Providers (CHiPs), visiting people at their homes in nine communities in and around Cape Town.

"We are very excited about this study and are watching it closely. It's important for the future of HIV programmes not just here in South Africa, but worldwide," said Steve Smith, the Health Attaché at the US Embassy, following a meeting with researchers from the Desmond Tutu TB Centre (DTTC), Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, at Stellenbosch University.

"We need the evidence to demonstrate how to improve HIV prevention with the aim of bringing down new infections," said Smith.

CHiPS are visiting people in communities over a period of three and a half years for the trial – which is part of the HIV Prevention Trials Network and called HPTN 071 (The Population Effects of Antiretroviral Therapy to Reduce HIV Transmissions - PopART). The study is also being conducted in 12 communities in Zambia, led by the ZAMBART group.

Some of the study's funders from the Office of the US Global AIDS Coordinator (OGAC), through the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) in  Washington D.C. recently visited one of the Cape Town communities and were encouraged by the work done so far.

"The scope is enormous and it's a giant undertaking, but I think they're doing a fantastic job. We continue to be impressed by the compassion of the CHiPs and their ability to talk to people in the community about HIV and TB in a very de-stigmatised way," said Nancy Padian, Senior Technical Advisor for PEPFAR.

Community members are provided with home-based HIV counselling and testing. They are also screened for tuberculosis and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), and provided with condoms in the home.  Community members are referred to the nearest local clinic for HIV care, TB treatment, STI treatment, and offered the option of medical male circumcision.

This is a randomized controlled trial conducted in nine communities around Cape Town that are assigned to one of three arms, A, B or C.  The Intervention is conducted in the three communities assigned to Arm A and three communities assigned to Arm B.  In Arm A, CHiPs test people for HIV in their homes, with immediate antiretroviral therapy (ART) available in the clinic for those who test HIV positive.  In Arm B, CHiPs  also test people for HIV in their homes, with ART being offered in the clinics according to provincial guidelines. The three Arm C communities do not have CHiPs and health services in the clinic follow provincial guidelines.

The research component runs for four years and measures the number of new cases of HIV.  Professional nurses and research enumerators carry out the research in nine communities around Cape Town.

The DTTC at Stellenbosch University is heading up the study in South Africa and is working in collaboration with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and Imperial College in London.

Blia Yang, Project Manager of the Intervention team from the DTTC said community leaders were supportive and recognized the study's goal of striving to bring down the rate of HIV.

"We've been working evenings and weekends as well as during the day to make sure we see people at their homes. It's important to bring home the message that HIV can be prevented through a range of measures," said Yang.

Yang also credited the Western Cape Department of Health and the City of Cape Town Health Directorate for their support. The government partners have been working alongside the DTTC to ensure that the research is carried out effectively, particularly when clients are referred for HIV treatment at its clinics.

HPTN 071 (PopART) is sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), with funding from PEPFAR. Additional funding is provided by the International Initiative for Impact Evaluation, with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, as well as by NIAID, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), all part of  the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Photo:
Senior Technical Advisors from the Office of the US Global AIDS Coordinator (PEPFAR), Julia MacKenzie and Nancy Padian, accompany Community HIV Care Providers, Amanda Kili and Patrick Matshoba, on a home visit in Cape Town. (photograph by Kim Cloete)

Johannesburg, South Africa – 5 September 2014: The Gordon Institute of Business Science's (GIBS) Illovo campus played host to a lively interrogation of two key pieces of research commissioned by the Network for Business Sustainability South Africa (NBS-SA) on 2 September 2014. NBS-SA links research and practice in support of better informed decision-making on sustainability concerns. Its Leadership Council consists mostly of senior strategy and sustainability managers of leading companies.

The first presentation of the day, entitled Shaping a Sustainable Future Together: How to Strategically Plan Around a Shared Vision, was delivered by Chanel Venter, a lecturer from Stellenbosch University. The study was based on a global review of almost 200 articles and journal submissions (from developed and developing countries) published between 1921 and 2014.

The research team – comprising, Venter, Queensland Business School's Dr Martina Linnenluecke and Associate Professor Martie-Louise Verreynne,  Sarel Grönum, from the University of Queensland, and Dr Retha de Villiers Scheepers, University of the Sunshine Coast - used these data to identify key themes and build up a holistic picture of how strategic planning has been approached by companies.  The researchers created a model that explains how different planning approaches are related to underlying beliefs and the organisation's context.

Some approaches assume that the future can be predicted, while others emphasise the need to effectively respond to emergent changes; some emphasise a relatively passive approach focused on the needs of the firm itself, while others entail more proactive efforts to influence the future together with other stakeholders. Each of these planning approaches is associated with different kinds of planning mechanisms, such as forecasting, scenario-planning, or transitions management. 

The business representatives highlighted that current trends in social and environmental systems required firms to proactively seek an understanding of these trends and to work with the government and other stakeholders in influencing them.

NBS-SA Managing Director, Claire Thwaits summed up the overarching sentiment of the day: "The next step is to create practical tools that have relevance to South African businesses whilst ensuring rigorous scientific research is continuously undertaken to support these tools." The research project outputs including final academic reports,  executive reports and summaries are currently in the design stage and will be released to the public next month.

Issued by the Network for Business Sustainability South Africa

Media Contact

Claire Thwaits

Managing Director: NBS:SA

Tel: +27 11 771 4000

E-mail: thwaitsc@gibs.co.za

Being future focused is a challenge, but we need to prepare for the future by imagining and reimagining our world beyond ourselves, writes student leader Emily van der Merwe on the SU Leads website. This article is part of a short series in which four students unpack what Stellenbosch University's four pillars for Vision 2030 (being future focused; inclusivity; thought leadership and innovation) mean for them personally.

Emily van der Merwe

FNB recently released a catchy new TV advertisement titled "reinventing banking".

It shows how and why there is a need to continually find new solutions, even though the ones we currently have seem to be working.

The fact is, there might be a better way.

The advertisement shows people in modern-day settings struggling with old, archaic technology, such as monocycles, gramophones and those ridiculously huge cameras that were used in the previous century.

"How far would we have come if we thought our first or second idea was our best, and left it at that?" it asks.

Last year, Stellenbosch University defined its Vision 2030 and identified three pillars on which this institution is to be built to take it deeper into the 21st century: Inclusivity, innovation and being future focused.

I am not overly fond of buzzwords like "thought leaders" or "critical engagement", which adorn the university's yearbooks and strategic documents.

But one that I do approve of, is being "future focused", as it at least implies some kind of action.

It implies an inclination to prepare for the future.

It is very easy to conform to what has been done before – to carry on with the same traditions, keep promoting the same values or see things the same way people have always looked at them.

By continuing to use fossil fuels to generate electricity, we conform to the bad methods of people hundreds of years ago.

In the same way, we conform to old ways of thinking when we uphold stereotypes and promote any kind of non-inclusive society or community.

We continually need to reinvent ourselves.

And being future focused is a challenge in the limited time frame that leaders are often given.

At university you are elected in a position for one year, sometimes to be re-elected for one more.

It is a wonder that anything ever improves with this high turnover rate.

But preparing for the future is a necessity, and we do this by imagining and reimagining our world beyond ourselves.

I am not an enemy of tradition.

I even find the notion of going back to the way things were once done quite romantic.

But I have a problem with the habit of honouring traditions when it is clear that there are better ways to do things.

We have many opportunities to do this at Maties.

We can conform to non-inclusive practices in residences, such as degenerate or culture-exclusive first-year welcoming traditions.

Or we can invent new ways to be inclusive.

We should honour culture, yes, but there cannot only be one culture.

There must be ways to reinvent our current systems, because they are no doubt flawed.

All it takes is to stop, think and plan ahead.

Otherwise we stay on the same track we have always been.

*Van der Merwe is a second-year Law student at Stellenbosch University. She is responsible for coordinating Discourse Cafes at the Frederik van Zyl Slabbert Institute for Student Leadership Development. These are regular events that connect students with thought leaders, professionals and inspiring people.

Across South Africa, about 5 087 students with disabilities are pursuing their studies in higher education institutions. However, this figure is quite low as students do not always disclose disabilities and categorisation systems across the higher education sector are not uniform. 

These are the words of the Chairperson of the Higher and Further Education Disability Services Association (HEDSA), Ms Marcia Lyner-Cleophas, as she discusses the Association's upcoming symposium and persisting challenges.

HEDSA is an advocacy and rights-based non-profit organisation (NPO) representing the collective voice of disability services in higher and further education institutions in South Africa. It is recognised and endorsed by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and is accepted as a community of practice by Higher Education South Africa (HESA).

The aim of this year's symposium, says Lyner-Cleophas, who is also the Head of the Office for Students with Special Learning Needs (Disabilities) at Stellenbosch University (SU), is to "equip those who directly support students with disabilities with the required skills to promote access, inclusion and advocacy". The symposium will be held at STIAS in Stellenbosch from 2-3 October this year and will be opened by Prof Arnold Schoonwinkel, Vice-Rector: Teaching & Learning at SU.  

 "Although we have made many strides in the past 20 years as a sector, and more recently since the establishment of HEDSA in 2007, students with disabilities still do not fully enjoy the inclusive practices expanded upon in various South African policy documents. Even up to today, many Technical Vocational Education and Training colleges do not have disability units such as those established at most higher education institutions," says Lyner-Cleophas.

Ms Celeste Wolfensberger, HEDSA's Vice-Chairperson, concurs: "In South African institutions, the support offered to students with disabilities is diverse and varied – from well-established disability support services to a few that are still trying to establish such support. The aim of this symposium is to directly support those services where resources are limited with good practice and knowledge. Part of HEDSA's mandate is to share best practices and the symposium allows an opportunity where those in the disability field can share, learn and network with each other."

Lyner-Cleophas explains that because few students with disabilities are afforded the chance to pursue their studies with the necessary support, it is important for higher education institutions to pledge their support institutionally and create an inviting and welcoming environment for people with disabilities. "We need to create an inviting environment because this sector of the student population is still fairly new to education and attitudes of exclusion still present. Such attitudes make students hesitant to apply to study beyond high school and make staff who teach and support unsure of what is possible."

HEDSA's impact on disability issues

Thus far, HEDSA has made a significant impact on disability issues in South Africa. In recent times alone, submissions made by HEDSA and other disability advocacy groups in the country have been included in the recommendations of the DHET Ministerial Committee for the Development of a strategic policy framework on Disability in the Post-School Sector. This, together with the White Paper for Post-School Education and Training, prompted the DHET Minister, Dr Blade Nzimande, to request that a strategic policy framework to guide the improvement of access and success in the sector be investigated. HEDSA will have direct representation and input as part of the Reference Team that will work on the draft policy framework.

The NPO was also part of the lobby group which in a letter to President Jacob Zuma and the ANC "expressed its dissatisfaction" with the disbandment of the Department of Women, Children and Persons with Disabilities (DWCPD). Shortly thereafter, the President established a Presidential Working Group on Disability tasked with championing and monitoring the work of government departments and society with regards to disability.

Representatives from universities in South Africa as well as from various bodies that represent disability in the country will be present at the symposium.

The Deputy Minister of the DHET, Mr Mduduzi Manana, will deliver the keynote address.

For more information, contact:

Ms Marcia Lyner-Cleophas
HEDSA Chairperson and Head: Office for Students with Special Learning Needs (Disabilities)
Centre for Student Counselling and Development
Stellenbosch University
Tel: 021 808 4707
Cell: 083 347 9765
E-mail: cleophas@sun.ac.za

MEDIA ENQUIRIES:

Ms Lynne Rippenaar-Moses
Wrap it Up PR & Communication Strategy
Cell: 073 534 5560
E-mail: Lynne@wrapstrat.co.za

In order to dislocate your finger, by definition you have torn 3 ligaments, so the joint is unstable. You may also have injured a tendon, cartilage or have torn off a small part of bone. It is important to get x-rays of a finger after a dislocation and to stabilise the joint properly. It is best to consult with your doctor who may refer you to an occupational therapist for a splint after excluding a fracture (broken bone). Just ignoring it or buddy strapping it may result in prolonged swelling or a finger deformity. Just imagine not being able to put your hand in your pocket because your finger is a funny shape!

Information supplied by the Sports & Exercise Medicine Area of Campus Health Services

​The Stellenbosch University Centre for Human Performance Sciences is looking for people to participate in a research study. The purpose of this study is to compare the efficacy of three known treatments in facilitating healing after an elbow tendon injury.

​"Do not take yourselves so lightly, you have a role to play in our country."

These were the inspiring words of South African singer, Vicky Sampson, at the opening ceremony of Stellenbosch University's Diversity Week on the Rooiplein. Sampson sang her hit song, African Dream, cheered on by a crowd of staff and students.

"We must start loving each other, treating each other with respect, dignity and Ubuntu," Sampson said.

Monday's ceremony was kicked off with an African Flagwalk organised by the Postgraduate and International Office. Countries represented at the flag walk were Kenya, Lesotho, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Namibia, Uganda and Nigeria.

On the Rooiplein, a "Glocal Village" of specially erected tents and stalls created a sense of community, where staff and students had the opportunity to try out traditional dishes from among others Lesotho, Zimbabwe and Nigeria. The dishes included seeds from baobab fruit, called Mauyu, from Zimbabwe and Akara, a bean patty from Nigeria.

Other big names in the entertainment industry who have been lined up for Diversity Week include Desmond and the Tutus, Dans Dans Lisa, Mario Ogle and Crazy White Boy, as well as social commentators and comedians Chester Missing, Anne Hirsch, Deep Fried Man and Kagiso KG Mokgadi. They will be joined on stage by a variety of local performers. This year also sees a repeat of daily activities that worked well last year, including multi-coloured beaded bracelets that Maties can use to depict their multifaceted identity, and graffiti tables where they can freely express their thoughts on diversity.

New elements include, substantive discussions on such topics as inclusivity, gender, as well as staff and student culture, facilitated by the Centre for Mentor, Tutor and Leadership Development; a "lost sock" project to draw attention to aspects of the diversity debate that sometimes disappear, presented by the Listen, Live and Learn initiative; a penalty shootout between blindfolded soccer teams representing the African country of their choice; and the Student Representative Council's selfie booth for heaps of photo fun.

On the Diversity Week menu for today is Hang Out With Your Dean from 11:30-12:30 on the Rooiplein, where Maties will get the opportunity to discuss issues such as diversity, inclusivity and a welcoming culture in their respective Faculty. For those of you in the mood for some belly laughs don't miss out on comedian Anne Hirsch who will be entertaining the crowd from 13:00-14:00 and be sure attend Diversity Week Comedy night from 18:00-21:00 with among others Chester Missing and Kagiso KG Mokgadi.

Diversity Week comes to and end on 3 October.

• See www.sun.ac.za/diversity for the full programme.
• HASHTAG FOR TWITTER AND FACEBOOK: #MATIESDIVERSITY.
• CLICK HERE FOR A VIDEO OVERVIEW OF DIVERSITY WEEK 2013

​The philanthropic gesture of a Capetonian has made the opening of new aquaponics research and training facilities at Stellenbosch University's Welgevallen Experimental Farm possible. The local community will also benefit from this gesture, as all the fish and vegetables to be produced in the facility will go to the Stellenbosch Feeding in Action (SFIA).

It is made possible thanks to a donation by Table View resident Japie Muller, who is an IT manager at a petrochemical company. He has a particular interest in aquaponic farming as a sustainable way in which to produce food. He decided to donate a tenth of the inheritance he received from his late father to benefit research at SU and the community through the SFIA. 

Muller's sister, Liesel Koen, has been manager of the SFIA for many years. It was established in 1994 by among others various local churches and businesses. Today the project delivers almost 12 000 plates of food to 4 000 people in the Stellenbosch area, in an attempt to combat hunger in the local community.

The new aquaponics facility comprises, among others, of four 2800 litre fish tanks and 44 growth beds located within a greenhouse. Nutrient rich water from the fish tanks circulate continuously through the plant beds, in which tomatoes, spinach, mealies and salads are growing. The vegetables are being planted according to the needs of the SFIA.

"Barbel and tilapia are currently being raised in the fish tanks, but could be replaced by trout according to the seasons," explains Henk Stander, general manager of the Division of Aquaculture in the SU Department of Animal Sciences.

It took about six months' worth of planning and three weeks to build the facility. Muller's dream is that it will become a model of how sustainable food production can be done. He also hopes that people will be able to learn various skills through it, and that the concept will be rolled out to other communities too.

Aquaponics is an age-old food production system which combines fish and vegetable farming. It is still in its infancy in South Africa, says Stander. The new facilities will allow masters degree students in agriculture at SU to gain practical experience and to pursue various research endeavours in an effort to develop optimal techniques.

Workshops will also be hosted for the public, while a one-year certificate course is also considered. The next workshops will be hosted on 17 October and 24 October. Muller, who will be involved in the research programme on a voluntary basis, is a co-presenter of these workshops, and also wrote some of the training material being used.

The generic courses that will be offered at certificate level are also bound to attract wide interest," Stander foresees. A community project with women from Philippi is being planned in accordance with the Department of Trade and Industry's Aquaponics Development Programme, whereby people can receive funding for training.

Media enquiries:

Henk Stander
Division of Aquaculture, Department of Animal Sciences
Stellenbosch University
Office: (021) 808 2544
Email: hbs@sun.ac.za

​Japie Muller
Cell: 082 472 6693
Email: japie.muller@gmail.com

Liesel Koen
Manager: Stellenbosch Feeding in Action
voedingsaksie@telkomsa.net
0713220747

The University of Stellenbosch Business School (USB) has been ranked as one of the top three Excellent Business Schools in Africa in the 2014 global Eduniversal Deans' Survey conducted in 154 countries.

Responding to this achievement, USB director Prof Piet Naudé said the business school takes great pride in this peer review assessment that confirms USB's reputation as one of the top business schools on the African continent.

"We are deeply committed to Africa and this confirmation of quality will spur us on to enhance our efforts to make a difference in business education and broader society."

Business schools who are ranked top in the Eduniversal Deans' survey will receive their awards at a gala award ceremony during the 7^th Eduniversal World Convention in Istanbul, Turkey, later this year.

USB marketing director Marietjie Wepener said: "Our position in the Eduniversal ranking for the 7^th year running proves that USB is indeed a global player in the business school arena. We hope that we will continue to satisfy the expectations of our students, employers and our international partners."

Earlier this year – its 50^th year of providing business education - USB has also been ranked top business school in South Africa in the annual PMR.africa (Professional Management Review) survey. Employers of MBA and MBL graduates and students participates in the PMR survey.

Wepener added: "This place in the (Eduniversal) top 3 gives USB another reason to celebrate in this year that we commemorate our 50^th anniversary!"

The premier of the Western Cape, Ms Helen Zille, visited Stellenbosch University's Listen, Live and Learn (LLL) Village on Saturday (27 September) as part of a series of visits to green initiatives.

The garden of the LLL Village is a flagship project of the Western Cape Government's 110% Green Initiative. Zille planted a small cabbage plant in the garden and said that she hopes that the economy will grow alongside the seedling she planted.

Accompanied by the management of 110% Green and other guests, Zille had a tour of the LLL village.

The visit by Zille coincided with LLL students having a spring gardening day in the LLL garden, facilitated by Ms Meg Pittaway, SU's Manager: Terrain Service. A variety of vegetables and herbs were planted.

Ms Abigail McDougall, a LLL coordinator, says the LLL garden was designed with the idea of providing food to the residents. "The LLL concept was explained to the guests, after which they were taken through the LLL village and houses. This was followed by an informal discussion with students at the New Generation Residence," said McDougall.

Co-head of the LLL Forum, Johannes Jonker, said he appreciates the premier's visit. "It's wonderful that our innovation and hard work is seen and receives recognition."

Jonker is a member of the LLL Technology and Innovation House, and said he and his housemates seized the opportunity to invite Zille to dinner later this year.

The Executive Mayor of Stellenbosch, Mr Conrad Sidego, also attended the event, and spoke with excitement about Stellenbosch Municipality's aim to plant 1 million trees by 2030. Sidego asked LLL students to help him think of projects that will help achieve their goal of planting 50 000 new trees in Stellenbosch before the end of the year.

Other SU projects that form part of the 110% Green Initiative, are short courses presented by the Frederik van Zyl Slabbert Leadership Institute, and the Sustainability Institute. The university also hosted the World Student Environmental Network's global summit this year – also part of 110% Green.

The 110% Green Initiative was launched on World Environment Day (5 June) two years ago, and according to Zille, aims to connect environmental sustainability with economic growth.

Follow the 110% Green Initiative on Twitter: @WCGov110Green.

- Reporting and photo by Jaco du Plessis.

​

Eight deans faced the drizzle on Tuesday 30 September to chat with students on the Rooiplein as part of the "Hang out with your Dean" item on Stellenbosch University's Diversity Week programme.

This item was hosted by the Frederik Van Zyl Slabbert Institute for Student Leadership Development.

Prof Louise Warnich, Dean of the Faculty of Science was bombarded with questions ranging from a feeling that staff members are sometimes unapproachable to the desirability of including subjects from other faculties in the science programme.

Warnich kicked off the conversation by emphasising the need to be polite in all written communications.

She said that a colleague at Leuven University in Belgium, who deals with application requests, simply rejects all communication that starts with "Hi…" and does not follow proper salutation conventions.

"I have realised that it is important to be respectful – whether it is to the person cleaning the laboratory or the head of a department," said Warnich.

Second-year student Aldine Deelman, said that she initially felt strange when she came to study at Stellenbosch University, but although she is not too keen on the "skakels", she did get to meet new people at these events and she learnt to "sakkie-sakkie".

She believes the "skakels" can be improved by "asking students what they expect of these events".

Fourth-year student Rhulani Ngobeni who is also a member of the Science Student Committee, said she cried every day for months because she felt that she was not welcome at her residence.

"However, I adapted and I became a mentor to help others who felt the way that I initially did."

Warnich who is one of only three female deans at SU, said she did not feel discriminated against, although she was used to being part of a minority.

"Many years ago I was the one and only female lecturer in the Department of Genetics. You sometimes have to realise that you have to be the first so that others can follow you."​

At the table where Prof Sonia Human, Dean of the Faculty of Law interacted with students, there was open discussion, friendly debate and collective problem solving, writes Emily van der Merwe, law student and coordinator of the Discourse Cafés at the FVZS Institute.

Well-known for her approachable manner and willingness to interact with students, Human made the most of the opportunity by not only answering, but also asking some questions of the law students around her table.

Topics of discussion ranged from the faculty's language policy, theoretical vs. practical approach, the value of legal pedagogy and the need for critical discussion among students. Human enquired whether the faculty's "welcoming culture" was up to scratch, to which the students replied that the law faculty is perhaps the most welcoming and inclusive of all faculties, due to the many social opportunities on offer. The value of mentorship within the faculty was emphasised by the students.

• During lunchtime the comedienne Anne Hirsch made the audience laugh when she interviewed Pieter Kloppers, Director: Student Structures and Communities and S'thembile Cele, a journalism student. Responding to the question about what he would like to change at SU, Kloppers said he would like to build enough residences so that all students could be accommodated. Cele said the one thing she learnt during her time at SU was 'resilience'.

• Photo: SSFD​

Two of the world's foremost experts on global ocean processes and their role in climate change will deliver a public lecture on the GEOTRACES programme on Monday 6 October 2014 at the Leslie Social Sciences building at the University of Cape Town.

Since 2007 the GEOTRACES programme has been studying all major ocean basins and currently involves scientists from 35 countries.

Prof Bob Anderson, from Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory in the USA and a founder co-chair of the GEOTRACES programme, and Prof Reiner Schlitzer, from the Alfred Wegener Institute in Germany and chair of the GEOTRACES programme since 2013, will provide an introduction to the GEOTRACES programme and the nature of the data products. This will be followed by highlights from the GEOTRACES programme.

The scientists are currently in South Africa to attend the annual meeting of the GEOTRACES' Scientific Steering Committee, hosted by the Department of Earth Sciences at Stellenbosch University.

The public lecture starts at 18:30 in Lecture Hall LS2B, Leslie Social Science Building, University of Cape Town.

Why study the oceans?

The Southern Ocean, also called the Antarctic Ocean, is the world's fourth largest ocean (following the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans) and one of the main drivers of ocean systems, called the "Southern Circulation". Scientists believe that the Southern Ocean has a pivotal role to play in global warming, as it is the main sink of man-made carbon dioxide. If the chemistry of this ocean changes, it may have major implications for its ability to act as a carbon sink.

But while the Northern hemisphere oceans have been sampled and studied extensively, there is very little data available about what is happening in the Southern Ocean. That is one of the reasons why South Africa, together with Australia and New Zealand, were invited to participate in the GEOTRACES programme.

Prof Alakendra Roychoudhury, a geochemist at Stellenbosch University and South Africa's representative on the GEOTRACES Scientific Steering Committee, says the study of the interaction of biology, geology and chemistry in the world's oceans using trace metals and their isotopes as proxy (called marine biogeochemistry), is a new and developing field of study in South Africa which requires highly specialised skills.

"One of GEOTRACES' aims is to promote and transfer skills and technology to the developing world. As South Africa has recently acquired a brand new polar research vessel (the SA Agulhas II), the conference is an ideal opportunity for South African scientists to investigate opportunities for research collaboration and training of our students," he says.

He also emphasised the urgent need for more students, infrastructure and facilities to support South Africa's flourishing multidisciplinary scientific program in the Southern Ocean and Antarctica: "We have three oceans on our doorstep. South Africa should be leading the research in these oceans," he concludes.

Short bios of speakers

Prof Bob Anderson, a geochemist and research professor at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory in the USA, has been a founder co-chair of the GEOTRACES International Programme (2007-2011). His fields of interest range from chemical oceanography, to marine biogeochemistry and paleoclimatology. He is particularly interested in the Southern Ocean, around Antarctica, where deep waters exchange carbon dioxide and other gases with the atmosphere, and where ecosystems are particularly sensitive to perturbations in ways that may impact the ocean's carbon cycle. He is also interested in understanding climate related changes in ocean circulation and in marine ecosystems across glacial-interglacial cycles. See additional information at http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/user/boba

Prof Reiner Schlitzer, a geochemist from the Alfred Wegener Institute in Germany, has been chair of the GEOTRACES International Programme since 2011. He made important contributions on data management as the development of the Ocean Data View (ODV, http://odv.awi.de), software package for the interactive exploration, analysis and visualisation of oceanographic data. His research interests include: modeling; Nutrient and Carbon Cycles; Information Systems; Productivity and Particle Fluxes; and Radionuclides. See additional information at: http://www.awi.de/People/show?rschlitz

More about the map pictured above:

The GEOTRACES programme has completed 51 cruises and 23 section cruises (i.e. from one continent's coastline to another). The map pictured here is an example of the scale and type of data that GEOTRACES is producing. It shows dissolved iron distribution across various sections. Iron is one of the limiting nutrients for the growth of phytoplankton, which in turn inhibits the ocean's capacity to absorb carbon dioxide. Map courtesy of GEOTRACES

For more information, or to organise media interviews, contact Prof Alakendra Roychoudhury at roy@sun.ac.za

Issued by Wiida Fourie-Basson, media: Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, science@sun.ac.za, 071 099 5721

THE END

Stellenbosch University, in collaboration with Malmö University in Sweden, the University of Guelph in Canada and Flinders University in Australia participate in the Glocal Classroom initiative (http://glocalclassroom.wordpress.com/). The purpose of this initiative is to create a global platform of collaboration and sharing of good practice in terms of web-based learning which is initiated by means of a series of seminars presented at each of above-mentioned universities.

During the workshop in Malmö, strong emphasis was placed on the concept of mediating the glocal classroom. The purpose was to focus on the various technologies and how to use it optimally in the classroom for creating an interactive learning space for the facilitator, face-to-face students, as well as for online students taking part via the internet.

Dr Bjorn Lundgren from the Faculty of Education at Malmö University opened the workshop with a short presentation on 'The Extended Room for Learning'. This particular programme focuses on the teacher education programme where an extended room for learning is explored by means of lectures and seminars which are attended by students either face-to-face or via net-based communication. This was followed by a presentation from Dr Marie Leijon, an educational developer and part-time member of the Faculty of Education at Malmö University. Dr Leijon is particularly interested in the pedagogical implication of created learning spaces and highlights the fact that it remains an under researched area within the literature. It is argued that numerous aspects should be considered when connecting the physical teaching space with the virtual space.

This was followed by a two-day ComDev Conference (http://wpmu.mah.se/comdev/) which was also attended by all invited representatives of the respective universities. During the conference, it was valuable to observe the operational and technical aspects important in mediating the glocal space.

Experimentation pointed to the different positioning of cameras and microphones in the learning space in order to be able to cover facilitator-led activities as well as engaging with all students participating in the learning opportunity. All presentations at the conference were streamed live and captured to be viewed on demand.

In order to apply these practices in a local setting, a seminar between students at Malmo Faculty of Education (Dr Bjorn Lundgren) and the PGCE e-Portfolio Pilot Group and Stellenbosch University's Faculty of Education (Prof Arend Carl) has been planned for the 24^th of October. Further collaborative interventions are envisaged for the future.

Representatives of the four universities (photograph)

From left: Richard Gorrie (Guelph University),  Colin Carati (Flinders University), Linda Karlsson (Malmö University), Bjorn Lundgren (Malmö University), Ataharul Chowdhury (Guelph University), Sonja Strydom (Stellenbosch University), Hennie Roux (Stellenbosch University), Mikael Rundberg (Malmö University)

The first research chair in science communication in South Africa has just been awarded to Stellenbosch University (SU). It the first chair of its kind on the continent of Africa, positioning the University to pioneer the development of this academic field across the continent.

Science communication had over the past few decades been established as an important new area of research and many universities from across the world launched academic and research programmes in this field.

The Minister of Science and Technology in South Africa, Ms Naledi Pandor, lead the way to promote this learning area locally by means of a research chair. Ms Pandor repeatedly emphasised the importance of science communication in a democratic dispensation.

A number of South African universities competed to host this chair. The National Research foundation (NRF) just announced the decision to establish the chair at Stellenbosch University after of a competitive process which lasted for more than a year.

The Department of Science and Technology will fund the chair for a period of 15 years (three terms of five years each).

In reaction to the announcement Professor Leopoldt van Huysteen, the acting rector and vice chancellor at SU said: "Given the lack of research capacity in this area, this poses a unique opportunity for Stellenbosch University to take the lead in research and the training of post-graduate students in the area of science communication".

The new chair will be housed within the Centre for Research on Evaluation, Science and Technology (CREST) at SU. Earlier this year, a new DST/NRF Centre of Excellence in Scientometrics and Science, Technology and Innovation Policy was also established at CREST. It is the first time that a new centre of excellence and a new research chair are allotted to the same research group within one year. Prof Johann Mouton is the director of both CREST and the new Centre of Excellence.

Prof Peter Weingart, a world leader in the area of the interaction between science and society, will occupy the new science communication chair. He is a professor extraordinaire at the University of Bielefeld in Germany, and has also been a visiting professor to SU for the last 15 years.

"We have been working hard to create a comprehensive research plan for the area of science communication and we are sure that this, together with our highly esteemed candidate, eventually gave us this breakthrough," said Professor Mouton.

Professor Mouton explained: "Our plan for research focuses on the challenges for science communication in Africa. Internationally there are already many post-graduate programmes in science communication, but we now have the opportunity, for the first time, to create a programme specifically for South Africa and for the rest of our continent."

The new chair will create opportunities for post-graduate students and researchers to study science communication within an African context, as well as to hone their practical communication skills. "Apart from post-graduate studies, we will also offer short courses," Prof Mouton added. "We are already working on the first accredited, 100% online, short course in science communication in Africa."

"We aim to develop new knowledge and skills that will promote evidence-based communication of research. We also want to ensure that society can become involved with relevant and meaningful public dialogue about science."

CREST web site: www.sun.ac.za/crest
For more information: Email Marthie van Niekerk: mvn3@sun.ac.za

​The Tshivenda dictionary unit from Thohoyandou attended a week-long training course in General Lexicography at WAT (Woordeboek van die Afrikaanse Taal) recently.

Complete translation in English to follow.

Die Buro van die WAT bied reeds vanaf 1995 opleidingskursusse vir leksikograwe en ander belangstellendes aan.  

Hulle besoek ook skole om leerders en onderwysers op te lei in die gebruik van elektroniese woordeboeke.  

Op die foto verskyn staande van links na regs mnr Shumani Tshikota, mnr Gerhard van Wyk, mev Alet Cloete, dr Hanelle Fourie Blair, dr Willem Botha en me Mulalo Takalani. Voor sit me Tanja Harteveld, me Fulufhelo Mukosi en me Nthuseni Mukundamago.

There's a new puzzle app on the block, and it has been compared favourably with the Rubik's Cube.

Developed by logic puzzle enthusiast Alewyn Burger, a senior researcher at Stellenbosch University's Department of Logistics, WrapSlide is a rearrangement puzzle for Apple and Android devices.

However, it's not just another game requiring you to slide the rows and columns to match the pattern. It has been described as elegant and simple yet uncompromisingly difficult.

According to reviewer Nicola Salmoria, "Many puzzle games on the App Store compare themselves to the Rubik's Cube, but in most cases that's just marketing fluff. WrapSlide, however, is a different story."

It differs in a simple way: you cannot slide a single row or column. The lines in each half of the board (both horizontally and vertically) all slide together. Although this is a significant constraint, the game provides different levels of difficulty to let you practice gradually.

"It's a difficult puzzle for people who like challenges," said Prof. Burger, who developed WrapSlide in his free time. As researcher he uses practical algorithms to do mathematical research. "My work has numerous practical applications, for example how to control traffic lights or, in the case of freight, how to balance weight on trucks."

• WrapSlide is a free puzzle app game and can be downloaded at:
  Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/app/wrapslide/id795712935?mt=8
  Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.wrapslide.android.wrapslide
  

From 29 September to 3 October, Stellenbosch University (SU) will celebrate its diversity and inclusivity and the Glocal Food Evening on 1 October offers an excellent opportunity for staff members to enjoy a fun evening in the company of their colleagues.

"It would be great if divisions or departments decide to attend the evening together," says Monica du Toit of the Centre for Inclusivity, the structure organising this year's event.

The evening is hosted by the Postgraduate and International Office (PGIO) at Stellenbosch University and will combine good food from around the world with the opportunity to strike up friendships with local and international students. 

The countries represented are Botswana, China 1&2, Ethiopia, Germany 1,2,3, France, Hong Kong, India, Kenya, Malawi, The Netherlands, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, South Korea & Zimbabwe.​

At the local International Food Evening hosted recently, the dishes from Kenya were especially popular. ​For those who prefer a taste of the familiar, there will also be a South African food table.

Tickets: R10 per dish, for sale at the venue

Time: Starts at 18:00 on Wednesday 1 October

Place: Rooiplein

More info: Contact Werner de Wit, Coordinator: International Student Life and Success at the PGIO: wdw@sun.ac.za

More about Diversity Week

Big names in the entertainment industry who have been lined up include musicians and bands Vicky Sampson, Desmond and the Tutus, Dans Dans Lisa and Crazy White Boy, as well as social commentators and comedians Chester Missing, Anne Hirsch and Deep Fried Man. They will be joined on stage by a variety of local performers.

Most activities will again be taking place on the Rooiplein, where a "village" of specially erected tents and stalls will create a sense of community.

This year sees a repeat of daily activities that worked well last year, including multi-coloured beaded bracelets that Maties can use to depict their multifaceted identity, and graffiti tables where they can freely express their thoughts on diversity.

New elements include:

• Substantive discussions on such topics as inclusivity, gender and staff and student culture, facilitated by the Centre for Mentor, Tutor and Leadership Development.
  
• A "lost sock" project to draw attention to aspects of the diversity debate that sometimes disappear, presented by the Listen, Live and Learn initiative.
  
• A flag walk and a world foods evening, presented by the Postgraduate and International Office.
  
• A penalty shootout between blindfolded soccer teams representing the African country of their choice.
  
• And the Student Representative Council's selfie booth for heaps of photo fun.
  

In the run-up to Diversity Week, students can showcase their creativity – and win prizes – by taking part in an online blog competition on Bonfiire and in a competition to design the best T-shirt for Diversity Week. VOTE HERE.

HASHTAG FOR TWITTER AND FACEBOOK: #MATIESDIVERSITY.
CLICK HERE FOR A VIDEO OVERVIEW OF DIVERSITY WEEK 2013.