With student development and research being the Durban University of Technology’s priority, members of the Department of Architecture within the Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment met with representatives from Queensland University of Technology (QUT) last Friday, 4 September 2015, to exchange and share ideas while generally strengthening relations between the two institutions.
Focusing on students is strong for both organisations and each party delivered a presentation aimed at looking at curriculum similarities and how these similarities can be enhanced through the skill and expertise of not only the University’s teaching but also in terms of student benefits.
Executive Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, Professor Theo Andrew, who had visited QUT prior to the meeting, said the visit of QUT representatives was appropriate.
“When I went on a tour to QUT, I noticed the disciplines came together and how phenomenal the Creative Arts discipline was,” said Prof Andrew.
QUT is a public research university in the urban coastal area of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. QUT has two campuses, one in Gardens Point and the other in Kelvin Grove, Australia. Like DUT, the Australian university is not only a University of Technology but continuously working towards growing its research structure.
“For 25 years, we have been in the research race and currently out of 37 universities in the research race, we rank 9th,” said Prof Greg Hearne, Director of Commercial Research and Development, and Research Professor in the Creative Industries Faculty at QUT.
The meeting consisted of a presentation from DUT’s Faculty of Arts & Design which was done by Dr Rapeane Maleshoane-Mathonsi, Research Coordinator, another from Dr Ruth Bridgstock, a member of the Creative Industries & Innovation Faculty, CIF academic programmes, academic programmes and services, as well as Prof Debbie Whelan, a lecturer at the department of Architecture at DUT.
The stakeholders also spoke about opportunities for internationalisation arising from the presentations.
Prof Paul Saunders, a school lecturer at QUT, further shared with the architecture students a presentation on his career journey.

Pictured: Representatives from DUT and QUT, exchanging and ideas at a special meeting.
Noxolo Memela and Mxolisi Ntanzi