The Principal and Life Orientation (LO) Educators Seminar organised by the Durban University of Technology’s (DUT’s) Student Recruitment took place at Coastlands on the Ridge, Tuesday, 18 October 2022.
The seminar consisted of 100 educators and Department of Basic Education representatives from in and around KwaZulu-Natal, as well as from Swaziland. Presentations on the state of the art infrastructure, entrepreneurship, community engagement and 4IR formed part of the exciting day. Facilitating the proceedings of the day was the Marketing and Communication Librarian at the Library Directorate on the ML Sultan Campus, Mr Romeo Matumba.
Giving insight to what DUT is all about in terms of its ENVSION2030 strategy, university rankings, achievements as well as DUT accolades was the Communications Manager, Ms Noxolo Memela.
“We are a Creative, Distinctive, Impactful University of Technology. We do things the DUT way which is being a Different, Upended and Transformed University,” she said.
Ms Memela spoke on the seven campuses in Durban and in Pietermaritzburg as well as the six faculties across the campuses such as the Faculty of Arts and Design, Faculty of Accounting and Informatics, Faculty of Management Sciences, Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment and the Faculty of Applied Sciences.
Further on she relayed on DUT’s ENVISION2030 strategy saying that DUT is currently living through its ENVISION2030 values and principles which are based on transparency, honesty, integrity, respect, accountability, fairness, professionalism, commitment and compassion.
She then focused on the exhilarating launch of the DNA double helix monument at the Steve Biko Campus, Durban.
“On Friday, 26 August 2022 the Vice-Chancellor and Principal: Professor Thandwa Mthembu and two former Deputy Vice-Chancellors, whom at the time were (Prof Nokuthula Sibiya. Deputy Vice Chancellor: Teaching and Learning and Prof Sibusiso Moyo: Deputy Vice Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Engagement), were part of the historical moment where the ENVISION2030 was unveiled at a hybrid event. The DNA double helix monument, with two intertwined strands, namely people-centred, engaged and innovative and entrepreneurial is DUT’s pride as it symbolises the institutional identity, character, behaviour and culture,” she commented.
Memela indicated that Prof Mthembu also entombed a letter in the time capsule for the Vice-Chancellor and Principal who will take over when he goes on retirement in 2031.
“This letter in the time capsule has a message from the past and will be unveiled in April 2031. When the time capsule is unsealed, DUT will be in a position to celebrate the achievements of the ENVISION2030 strategy,” she said.
Explaining the role of innobiz, entrepreneurship and community engagements that DUT embarks on was Senior Manager: innobiz DUT Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Ms Nontokozo Ngcobo.
She spoke on the role of innobiz which looks for students with business ideas that can be turned to profitable business ideas. She relayed that they want to help students turn their academic skills and the knowledge they learn from their respective courses into a business.
She further added that they do not only help them set up their businesses, but also guide and support entrepreneurs through industry specific mentorship and sector specific training to ensure that they have all the resources they need to succeed.
She also gave insight on one of its success stories, DUT alumna, Mbali Bengu, a farmer who now supplies fresh vegetables to a local SuperSpar.
In-between the presentations, DUT Drama students enthralled the attendees with their amazing talent of cultural dancing, singing and slam poetry.
Continuing the talks was DUT’s Mr Rathilall Sewsunker who focused on renewable energy solutions and the opportunities in engineering education.
“Both the Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering (ECE) and the Department of Electrical Power Engineering (EPE) run the Bachelor of Engineering Technology programme which covers renewable energy technologies. The above departments also run postgraduate programmes in renewable energy with close collaboration. The Department of Physics also runs the Energy Technology Station and has postgraduate programmes in energy,” he said.
He made mention of the International Energy Projects such as the ERASMUS+ Project DCT-REES – Direct Current Technology: Renewable Energy Education and Skill Development in South Africa
“This project ran from October 2017 until October 2021 and it resulted in the refinement of the DUT energy curriculum within ECE and the development of the +48 VDC Lab at the Steve Biko Campus,” he said.
Following his presentation, Dr Ismail Rawat from the DUT Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology (IWWT,) spoke on behalf of the Director of the IWWT, Professor Faizal Bux, delivered his talk titled: Taking the waste out of water.
He commented on the global wastewater production saying that there is a rapid rise in demand for water resources. He revealed that 47% of the world’s population live in areas that suffer water scarcity at least one month each year.
“Water scarcity is exacerbated by urbanisation and climate change. Water related challenges include degraded water quality, inadequate water supply and sanitation infrastructure,” he said.
Ms Noxolo Memela
Dr Rawat explained the overview of the wastewater treatment, what is in wastewater, emerging contaminants (ECs) which include a broad range of natural and chemical compounds.
Further on in his presentation, he concentrated on the increased abundance of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the environment which has become a serious, global public health concern. He then spoke on the treatment strategies, the fate of microplastics in the aquatic environment, opportunities and solutions, wastewater based epidemiology, Anaerobic ammonium oxidation (ANAMMOX) technology, wastewater surveillance and treatment technology, water and health as well as wastewater reuse and beneficiation.
An exciting element to the seminar was the presentation on the Fourth Industrial Revolution done by DUT’s Senior ICT lecturer, Dr Ebrahim Asmal.
He spoke on the history of the First Industrial Revolution leading up to the Fourth Industrial Revolution, 4IR in education schools, pervasive automation and the evolving relationship with technology, to name a few.
He stressed that with the Fourth Industrial Revolution skills conundrum, DUT is preparing students for jobs that have not yet been created.
Dr Asmal gave an overview of the various specialist IT labs that have been established at DUT, and relaying about DUT now having obtained the licence to train drone pilots. He excitedly said that the first batch of students will begin this training in November 2022.
DUT Drama students
He further spoke on the TESLASUIT which is a human-to-digital interface aimed to monitor human behaviour and improve performance, worth R500 000 and acquired by DUT. He made mention of the role of smart devices, smart glasses and healthcare devices, especially on the fact that technology can be incorporated into teaching strategies to enhance learning.
Envisioning the state of the art infrastructure (current and future) at DUT was Project Manager, Mr Khulekani Sydney Shabalala. He spoke on behalf of the Senior Director: Real Estate Management, Mr Thabani Mhlongo.
Shabalala focused on the current updates on the exciting developments of the state-of-the-art infrastructure such as the phase two Engineering building at the Indumiso campus in Pietermaritzburg and the Student Centre at Steve Biko Campus.
In closing, DUT’s Student Recruitment Manager, Mr Alex Mdletshe thanked the presenters, Communications manager, Ms Noxolo Memela, participants and his team from Student Recruitment for making the event a huge success.
Pictured: Participants at the Principals and LO Educators Seminar hosted by DUT.
Waheeda Peters
