Durban University of Technology (DUT) approved the ENVISION2030 Living Values Framework. The five values are identified as transparency, honesty, integrity, respect and accountability. The principles espoused are fairness, professionalism, commitment, compassion and excellence. DUT’s Communications team, Sibahle Ngcobo and Waheeda Peters spoke to Associate Professor and leader of the Computational and System Biology Research Group at the Department of Biotechnology and Food Science at DUT, Sabiu Saheed.
Q: Kindly tell me about your role at DUT?
A: “I am an Associate Professor and also lead the Computational and System Biology Research Group at the Department of Biotechnology and Food Science.”
Q: How long have you been a member of the DUT family?
A: “I have been at DUT for four years.”
Q: Amongst the mentioned ENVISION2030 Living Values and Principles, which one do you mostly associate with and why?
A: “Excellence. This is because it’s a valuable virtue that makes you eminent in what you do and allows you to stand out and known with what you are involved in.”
Q: What are your views on the new DUT tagline: Creative. Distinctive. Impactful.
A: “Timely, purposeful and it speaks to the ever-changing dynamics of the 21st century which will allow for both staff and students to be competitively relevant in any space they find themselves.”
Q: How are you planning to keep abreast with the ENVISION2030 Living Values Framework?
A: “Adding value to myself on the new dynamics involving the use and application of Artificial Intelligence and Computational appreciation.”
Q: What is the one thing that most people do not know about you?
A: “Being highly considerate and approachable.”
Q: In your opinion, how will the ENVISION2030 Living Values Framework benefit DUT?
A: “It will help to attract and keep the best brains and candidates for the job.”
Q: What do you like to do in your spare time?
A: “Travelling and meditation.”
Q: How do you plan to make a positive impact at DUT?
A: “I plan to attract and train/mentor the next generation of high nationally competent and globally competitive scholars through scholarly teaching, learning and research. This can be viewed as knowledge transfer and human capacity development.”
Q: What is your daily motivation?
A: “To learn new ideas and to impact lives. ”
Q: What are your future goals at DUT?
A: “Short term: Inspire the next generation of scholars through the use and adoption of innovative approaches. Long term: To be ‘globally’ established as a researcher and a scholar.”
