Durban University of Technology’s (DUT’s) Vice-Chancellor and Principal Professor Thandwa Mthembu urges research educators to do more in elevating student progress into the working world, at this year’s edition of the South African Educators Research Association (SAERA) conference gala dinner, at the Elangeni Hotel on 24 October 2019.

The three-day conference (23-25 October 2019) hosted by DUT in association with SAERA was themed: Beyond Boundaries: Exploring possibilities through research and innovation. The event was well-attended by University delegates which included researchers and educators, looking at alternative ways of promoting research and academic partnership, theory and practice, as well as bettering the state of research quality and accommodate the next generation of researchers.

Prof Mthembu in his opening remarks, urged fellow research colleagues and academics to go beyond their ways in addressing existing ‘psychosocial’ challenges in South African learning institutions, addressing students in relation to their individual thoughts and behaviour patterns.

“We need to establish methods that are globally inspired such as ‘The Living Value Methodology’, which can help create a different culture in South African institutions as opposed to the current state of disruption to academic progress we witness on our TV sets and radio news every day,” he said.

Prof Mthembu further added that there is a need to find pioneering ways of educating young people for the World of Work, and for education institutions to support these innovative ways of delivering education to our graduates, that will not only benefit them but the country and economy as well.”

All in all the event was a great success, and the next SAERA conference will be hosted by the University of the Western Cape in 2021.

Pictured: Professor Thandwa Mthembu.

Mncedisi Jiyane