As South Africa faces SATN and stakeholders are partnering to ensure that graduates “are no longer job seekers but job creators”
Innovation partnerships in higher education benefit society
Working closely with partners in industry, government and communities, the Centre for Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing (CRPM) at the Central University of Technology (CUT) in South Africa is using its social and technological innovations to help solve societal problems in Africa and beyond.
Valuable lesson on impact of education on societal change
By Meneesha Govender Postgraduate education students from New York University (NYU) and Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey in the United States are learning invaluable lessons in the teaching sector through a one-month programme based in South Africa. The programme, on education and social reform in South Africa, is spearheaded by Professor of Higher …
SATN joins forces with government to boost PhD capacity
By Meneesha Govender The South African Technology Network (SATN) has partnered with the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) to launch a Staff PhD Capacity Enhancement Programme designed to raise the number and quality of PhDs coming out of universities of technology and previously disadvantaged universities in South Africa. The programme, which launched in …
Critical Mandela Studies – A unique intellectual exploration
By Robyn Thekiso A new Transdisciplinary Institute of Mandela Studies (TIMS) based at Nelson Mandela University in South Africa aims to position the iconic figure of Nelson Mandela as a lens through which to grapple with societal challenges and generate workable solutions. And the university is asking for input from outsiders into framing the institute …
University robot ‘Libby’ brings the future library closer
By Robyn Thekiso We need to move beyond talking about the fourth industrial revolution and translate this into action. If we don’t embrace it, we’ll ultimately fail. This is the view of Isak van der Walt, Digital Scholarship Centre and MakerSpace manager at the University of Pretoria in South Africa, on the recent introduction of …
Tapping collective strengths to create a smart CPUT
By Robyn Thekiso Cape Town is firmly entrenched as the design hub of South Africa since it was awarded World Design Capital status in 2014. Professor Chris Nhlapo, vice-chancellor of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), believes the institution is at the forefront of the design-thinking energy that pervades the country’s legislative capital. With …
Three tips to generate engagement on social media
Meneesha Govender offers advice on social media engagement. The success of a social media campaign correlates strongly with engagement. Do people like what you post? Are they engaging with you on your posts? Are they sharing what you say? Likes, comments, shares, debate – they all signal engagement and they’re good for your brand, even …
Nine tips from my freelance journey
There’s no manual on how to be a freelancer. And as the gig economy evolves at a phenomenal pace we often find ourselves wishing someone could sit us down and explain exactly how we can keep up with the trends. We all need a bit of advice and useful tips. Meneesha Govender shares her thoughts …
Freelancing looks easy, but is it?
After being at this game for a while, Robyn Thekiso shares her insights into freelancing in South Africa. There’s no doubt that technology has enabled the freelancer, not just in terms of mobility. Popular apps such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Skype improve access to networks and business across the globe. A myriad of online jobs …