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Welcome to the first edition of DUT EXCELLENCE for 2025, a publication that celebrates the incredible people, stories and moments that shaped the first semester of this vibrant academic year at the Durban University of Technology (DUT). It has been a semester rich with achievement, innovation, inspiration and joy. Our pages reflect a dynamic university firmly anchored in ENVISION2030and driven by the collective energy of our staff, students, alumni and partners. Among our most cherished milestones for the first semester was the unveiling of the DUT 21 logo, a celebration of DUT%u2019s coming of age. While our institutional roots proudly stretch back to 1907, it was 21 years ago that the Durban Institute of Technology (DIT) was officially renamed and rebranded as the Durban University of Technology (DUT). The DUT Autumn Graduation ceremonies were another proud chapter in our journey. Our adaptive graduates graced the stage with elegance, flair and the distinctive DUT spirit; each one a story of hard work, triumph and perseverance. These 30 graduation ceremonies reminded us of the transformative power of higher education and the immense potential our adaptive graduates carry into the world. They are the living, breathing embodiment of ENVISION2030 and they are creative, distinctive and impactful. This volume of DUT EXCELLENCE brings to life many stories of scholarly recognition and academic distinction. Among these is Dr Jonathan Okewu%u2019s recent honour as an Emerging Scholar by the Common Ground Research Networks, a global affirmation of DUT%u2019s growing intellectual footprint. Dr Ismail Rawat%u2019s NRF Y1 rating is another powerful indicator of the research excellence nurtured within our university, particularly through our institutes and research centres like the Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology (IWWT). Two leading DUT researchers, Professor Faizal Bux and Dr Emmanuel Tetteh, have been selected as finalists for the esteemed 2024/2025 National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF) South32 Awards, often referred to as South Africa%u2019s %u2018Science Oscars%u2019. The research leadership of Professor Bisetty, who chaired the prestigious 7th International Symposium on Electrochemistry, underscores DUT%u2019s vital contributions to global academic discourse. His work and that of many others is emblematic of the excellence that continues to flourish across our faculties and research entities.In this edition, we also highlight the importance of internationalisation, collaboration and cultural exchange. Our features include stories about the transformative impact of COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning) partnerships, our engagement with the Ethiopian Ministry of Education during their benchmarking visit to DUT and the landmark academic visits to Ghana and Nigeria to strengthen pan-African partnerships. These are not just visits, they are bridges of knowledge and understanding.Foreword by Mr Alan KhanSENIOR DIRECTOR : CORPORATE AFFAIRS