International Education and Partnership Directorate (IEP) in partnership with the Faculty of Accounting and Informatics, and the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) welcomed the University of Florida (UF) for the Software Engineering Internship. The event was hosted recently at the Ritson Campus, Hotel School.
This visit aimed to promote cross-cultural exchange to engage in innovative global collaborations to promote academic excellence. Also, strengthening global academic relations.
Dr Divinia Jithoo delivered a brief introduction about DUT while welcoming the guests before setting the tone for a productive exchange of ideas between the international students and the guest speakers.
On behalf of Professor Oludayo Olugbara, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Accounting and Informatics, Professor Matthys Swanepoel, Deputy Dean: Faculty of Accounting and Informatics, shared his short presentation highlighting the offerings, research projects, and opportunities offered in the faculty.
Professor Sudesh Rathilal, the Executive Dean: Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, shared a brief presentation on research projects, services, programs, and opportunities that are offered in the faculty.
Dr Sanethia Thomas from the University of Florida did a presentation on their academic work that they have been doing and that they are currently involved in. She also expressed her gratitude to DUT for inviting them. Furthermore, she gave her students the opportunity to present their research projects to the audience.
“Thank you for having us and making accommodations for us over the next two days. We are excited to be here at DUT. It is truly an honour to hear about all the good work you are doing and the programs you have in place. We are thankful to hear about potential partnerships. Our university has over 61,000 students, and computer science is one of the largest departments on campus,” she said.
The moment of the day was a guest lecture by Professor Sunday Ojo from the Faculty of Accounting and Informatics, which offered valuable insights on Artificial Intelligence (AI). The outline of his presentation covered AI and responsible computing, the diversity in AI, its impact on responsible computing and sustainability, and how these concepts apply in the faculty. He also shared some insights from their collaboration with the University of Florida, particularly with Dr Thomas and the student team who are here on an internship to develop AI-driven software applications for the local community.
“This partnership is exciting, but I acknowledge that it can be challenging to provide technological solutions in a different cultural context. My goal today is not to provide a comprehensive tutorial on AI, but rather to spark discussion and share perspectives on AI and responsible computing,’’ he explained.
Professor Ojo also revealed that the faculty is currently working on a project to develop a curriculum and integration framework that incorporates innovation, entrepreneurship, and responsible computing.
“Our faculty management has established a team to re-examine our structure and curriculum in response to environmental changes,’’ he added.
He stressed the high population of unemployed youth in Africa. With these significant challenges of youth unemployment, the faculty’s project seeks to address this by creating opportunities and building a resilient workforce. Explore ways to integrate sustainability and employability into the curriculum, leveraging climate change as a catalyst for innovation and job creation.
DUT, University of Florida staff, and students also took the opportunity to embark on a campus tour, visiting the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, the Faculty of Accounting and Informatics, and the ML Sultan campus.
Pictured: DUT excited after welcoming students from the University of Florida.
Photographer: DUT Multimedia
Vukani Langa
