Cape Peninsula University of Technology

The fact that CPUT alumna and celebrity chef, Siba Mtongana, opened her restaurant during Covid-19 gives students hope and encourages them to work hard, and to remember “that anything is possible”.

A collaboration between the Journalism Programme and the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC)’s Western Cape office will be aimed at fostering and researching youth participation in the 2021 local government elections in the province.

As part of the 2030 vision and strategy for Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships (SIP), Vice-Chancellor, Prof Chris Nhlapo and Director: Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships, Prof Judy Peter, recently hosted the Finish Ambassador, Anne Lammila at the Bellville campus.

The Department of Paralegal Studies and the national Department of Justice and Constitutional Development has launched a partnership to place 10 Bachelor of Paralegal Studies graduates at the Office of the Master of the High Court.

The Faculty of Business and Management Sciences was recently awarded over R22-million by the Finance and Accounting Services Sector Education and Training Authority (FASSET) to provide financial support to needy students.

The R16 800 000 Academic Support Grant will cater for 300 students who are currently registered a cost of R56 000.00 per student, while the R6 030 000 FASSET Bursary Scheme will support 67 students at R90 000 per student.

For years, the Faculty has been awarded grants to provide the institution with opportunities to implement interventions to improve marks and throughput rates of enrolled students. The

interventions provided much needed support which greatly improved throughput rates within the Accounting disciplines.

The value added through FASSET’s grants was shared during a recent Faculty Board meeting and the success of the implemented interventions was applauded. “As a Faculty, this is one of our key performance areas as we strive to be student-centred and assist our students financially through writing proposals for such awards,” said Prof Paul Green, Dean:

Faculty of Business and Management Sciences.

Judith Smith, a Lecturer in the Graduate Centre for Management, said successful students would have their tuition fees paid as well as their stationery, textbooks and other learning devices. “Peer tutors and academic lecturers will work together identifying at risk subjects and supporting those students who most require the support,” added Smith.

She said the Centre would advertise the call for submissions through the university’s channels and social media platforms. “The students would be required to complete an application form together with the supporting documents and submit it to the identified administrators,” she added.

Thereafter a learner agreement would be signed by the successful student and CPUT.

To qualify for a bursary, a student should be registered for the 2021 academic year; either be a Black South African or Coloured South Africans from the Northern Cape and Western Cape only; and/or a disabled student. Most importantly, the beneficiary’s combined annual household income should not exceed R600 000.

Every year the Faculty would submit a proposal with an accompanying budget to FASSET and then get awarded the grants according to both the availability of funds and the Faculty’s experience in managing the grants over the years.

The Bank Sector Education and Training Authority (BankSETA) has awarded R1.19 million to the Graduate Centre for Management’s Business Incubation and Innovation Centre (BIIC) as a research partner to conduct cutting-edge research.

Lecturer Judith Smith said the Centre’s partnership with the SETA will run up to March 2023 and that the former will conduct research on skills analysis of FinTechs and how they bridge skills gaps in the banking and alternative banking sectors and strengthen synergies between the banking sector and FinTechs.

Smith added that the other area of research is how skills development contributes to the transformation of the banking and alternative banking sectors. “How can the SETA expand access to post-schooling education and training to help transform the banking and alternative banking sector,” she elaborated.

She described the BIIC as an academic incubator to actualise the vision of smartness propagated by Vice-Chancellor, Prof Chris Nhlapo, as a measure that sets CPUT apart from our counterparts, and that it told the story of how CPUT is grappling with the phenomenal opportunities presented by the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Dr Michael Twum-Darko, Head of BIIC and the Acting Head of Graduate Centre for Management, said the competency that was established to re-curriculate the Diploma in Banking, PGDip in Digital Business, Bachelor of Business Informatics and Doctor of Business Informatics programmes would be used to conduct the research for the SETA. Twum-Darko encouraged interested researchers to contact him if they want to participate in the research.      

The Centre has been identified by Caring4Hope, a Non-Profit Organisation, as one of the incubators in South Africa to turn young South Africans into entrepreneurs. “The Next Big Thing” is a project initiated by Caring4Hope to develop 2 000 South African youth in a year to become job creators for the next three years at an annual cost of R15 million.

The scope of the three-year agreement is for the BIIC to provide theoretical training for entrepreneurial skills development in the form of online coaching and mentoring of selected youth across the country.

Twum-Darko said the contract stipulated that a team of facilitators and assessors meet on a regular basis with the Project’s Coordinator to monitor all aspects of the progress of the students and submit reports to Caring4Hope when available.

Furthermore, Caring4Hope will be responsible for the management of the programme, record- keeping of assessments and forwarding of records and necessary correspondence to all stakeholders including the financial partners.