on campus - issue 1- july 2016

OnCampusIssue 1 • July 2016 • For daily updates visit www.uwc.ac.za

UWC’s Hydrogen Systems South

Africa (HySA Systems), in

partnership with Impala Refining

Services (IRS) and the Department of

Science and Technology (DST), unveiled

South Africa’s first prototype hydrogen

fuel cell-powered forklift and refuelling

station at the Impala Refineries in Springs

on 31 March 2016.

Over the last three years, IRS, a

division of Impala Platinum Holdings

(Implats), provided R6 million in funding

to enable HySA Systems to develop the

prototype forklift and refuelling station.

Fuel cell technologies use

electrochemical processes rather than

combustion to produce power. The

technology will allow the forklift to

operate at lower pressures, improving

vehicle safety and costs (the cost of

the local refuelling station is around R2

million compared to €500 000 for an

imported system). The forklift also has

lower noise levels, generates less heat

and noxious emissions, and has longer

operational times between refuelling –

hydrogen refuelling is required after two

to four days of use, and refuelling takes

only seven minutes. Implats plans to use

hydrogen fuel cell technology as its main

source of energy for material handling

and underground mining equipment.

This investment follows a decade of

discussion and negotiations between

Implats and UWC’s South African

Institute for Advanced Materials

Chemistry (SAIAMC), under the

leadership of SAIAMC’s Director,

Professor Vladimir Linkov.

“With Impala Platinum becoming a

partner to SAIAMC, UWC has achieved

the long-term goal of entering strategic

research, development and innovation

partnerships with an absolute national

leader in one of the pillars of energy

generation for current and future needs

of the South African economy. This

partnership is unique in the national

system of innovation, unparalleled

by any other university laboratory or

institute in South Africa,” says Prof

Linkov.

Dr Cordellia Sita, Director of HySA

Systems, says, “Fuel cell-powered

forklifts are gaining significant traction

worldwide and are now entering

mainstream commercialisation.

However, the limited availability of

refuelling infrastructure, coupled

with the challenge of finding the

most appropriate on-board hydrogen

storage technology, remains a big

challenge. Through this demonstration

project, HySA Systems has addressed

both challenges through the use of a

novel metal hydride material for both

hydrogen compression and storage.”

Speaking at the event, Prof Frans

Swanepoel, Deputy Vice-Chancellor:

Research and Innovation at UWC, said,

“South Africa is beginning the difficult

but important journey towards a

hydrogen economy, and this partnership

is an important step in that direction.”

Implats Chief Executive Officer, Terence

Goodlace, commented: “As the world’s

largest platinum-supplying region there

is a guaranteed supply of the metal as

well as the potential to increase global

platinum demand.”

HySA Systems develops first hydrogen fuel cell forklift and refuelling station

A prototype hydrogen fuel cell-powered forklift and refuelling station was unveiled at Impala Refining Services in Springs on 31 March 2016. Minister of Science and Technology, Naledi Pandor, was in attendance.

PAGE 3 CDCP

PAGE 9 New DVC for SDS at the helm

PAGE 14 Nobel Laureate Meeting

PAGE 19 Volleyballers Triumph

Offering A Holistic Student ExperienceUWC takes pride in... Our Teaching & Learning Focus Our Relevant Research & Innovation

2

he University of the Western

Cape’s Department of Physics

and Astronomy has launched its

new Centre for Radio Cosmology (CRC),

funded by the South African Square

Kilometre Array (SKA) Project.

The Centre is led by UWC’s Professor

Mario Santos, the chair of the

international SKA Science Working Group

for Cosmology. The new research centre

aims to exploit the use of next-generation

radio telescopes for measurements in

cosmology – in particular in South African

experiments at MeerKAT, HERA and SKA.

The Centre will help to develop the

pipelines and technical knowledge

required to have a world-leading group

capable of conducting the required radio

surveys and analysing the huge data

volumes that these telescopes will provide.

The CRC will focus on the following areas:

• Cosmology with HI intensity mapping

surveys using MeerKAT and SKA1-MID.

These include both large simulations

of the signal and statistical analysis of

the data with the aim to constrain dark

energy, the primordial Universe and

deviations from general relativity.

• Cosmology with radio continuum

surveys using MeerKAT and SKA1-

MID with emphasis on novel statistical

techniques to extract the cosmological

signal.

• The 21cm signal from the epoch of

reionisation when the first galaxies

were formed – including both theory/

simulations as well as data analysis with

the HERA experiment and the future

SKA-LOW.

“A lot of preliminary work is required

before we can actually deal with the real

data [provided by the telescopes], and the

Centre will allow a coordinated team to

tackle this task,” explains Prof Santos. “Once

the data starts arriving, we will be in a

privileged position to analyse it and provide

some of the more stringent constraints on

cosmology using radio telescopes.”

Prof Santos’s team is conducting test

observations with the KAT-7 telescope

to test calibration techniques with real

data. They are also running simulations to

determine the optimal process for cleaning

measurements from contaminant signals.

“These simulations are crucial if we

want to understand what we are actually

going to see. When doing an observation,

the telescope changes the expected signal

in many different ways, and we need to

understand these changes to correctly

calibrate the data,” says Prof Santos.

One of the main targets is a survey

to measure the distribution of neutral

hydrogen across cosmic timescales (what

is called a HI intensity mapping survey),

allowing the CRC to make a ‘movie’ of the

evolving universe and providing detailed

cosmological information.

The objective is to conduct a large

survey with MeerKAT, which should

provide some of the first measurements of

this signal. “In particular, it will help us test

the nature of dark energy, something that

we also want to do with MeerKAT,” notes

Prof Santos. “Also, it will tell us if there is

any ‘smoking gun’ of modifications to our

theory of gravity on ultra-large scales.”

Some of the simulations are being

developed with UWC’s Prof Romeel Davé

(SARChI Chair in Cosmology). The Centre

will benefit from the resources that will be

available from the Inter-university Institute

for Data Intensive Astronomy (IDIA), led

by UWC/UCT joint SKA Chair Prof Russ

Taylor, and its close relations with the SKA

South Africa office and the Rhodes Centre

for Radio Astronomy Techniques and

Technologies (RATT).

“The Centre is a multidisciplinary

endeavour,” says Prof Santos, “and we

are lucky that South Africa now has the

resources to push this research at the

international level – and that UWC can play

a leading role in the process.”

Launch of new Centre for Radio Cosmology

UWC NEW AND NOW

Artist’s impression of the SKA dishes. Credit: SKA Organisation/TDP/DRAO/Swinburne Astronomy Productions.

T

Producing & Attracting Excellent Talent Sustaining Financial Stability Growing Our Profile Internally & Externally Sense-Making Through Leadership Development

3

South Africa is widely celebrated for

being a multicultural, multilingual

and multiracial society that promotes

unity through diversity. But recent

outbreaks of student protests, charges of

racism, conflicts stemming from economic

inequality and anxiety about violence

suggest that South Africa is still struggling

with diversity.

The University of the Western Cape

launched its new Centre for Diversity in

Counselling and Psychotherapy (CDCP)

on 14 March 2016, that will focus on

issues related to diversity – specifically

the counselling and psychotherapeutic

interventions necessary to address

challenges arising in a multicultural society.

The virtual centre is a partnership with the

CDCP at the Ontario Institute for Studies

in Education (OISE) at the University of

Toronto in Canada, Christ University in

India and the University of Verona in Italy.

“The launch of the centre is of critical

importance to UWC, but even more critical

is the work that we hope will emanate

from this collaboration,” said Professor

Tyrone Pretorius, UWC’s Rector and Vice-

Chancellor (and a trained psychologist)

at the launch. “It’s more than an exercise

in intellectual curiosity – psychologists

working together can make a positive

contribution to society.”

The CDCP will draw on expertise across

faculties at UWC, from disciplines such

as clinical psychology (CHS), educational

psychology (Education) and industrial

psychology (EMS). It will conduct research,

design training programmes, develop

interventions and contribute to policies

that can address the challenges of

diversity as they relate to counselling and

psychotherapeutic interventions.

The Centre will examine emerging

trends and issues related to

multiculturalism and diversity, with the

aim of developing suitable treatments

in mental health. Prof Mokgadi

Moletsane, Deputy Dean of Research and

Postgraduate Studies in UWC’s Faculty of

Education, is the driving force behind the

Centre, which grew out of collaborative

work she did with OISE.

“Mental health practitioners must not

disregard the importance of diversity,”

Prof Moletsane said. “The reality is that

mental health professionals are faced with

tremendous challenges of assessing and

providing psychological services across a

diverse and multicultural nation, and existing

approaches may not be up to the task.”

“We hear a lot, and in different

contexts, that our psychological training

is using borrowed models, which is a

challenge that we face in India as well,”

said Associate Professor Tony George of

the Department of Psychology at Christ

University. “The need to provide training

versus the lack of adequate models is a big

tension that we grapple with, and I think

one of the goals of a centre like this would

be to narrow those gaps.”

Thanks to globalisation, there are no

more truly monocultural societies, said

Agostino Portera, Professor of Intercultural

Education at the University of Verona.

This provides a range of opportunities for

dialogue, but also poses some challenges.

“We should start with the theories that

we already have, but then try to develop

more that take into consideration the new

reality and the complexity of the differences

that we have,” said Prof Portera.

Canada, too, faces issues of

multiculturalism. Half the population of

Toronto, for example, were born in other

countries, explained Prof Jeanne Watson

of the OISE.

“South Africa is in a unique position

to offer cutting-edge ideas about mental

health and wellness,” said Prof Watson.

“These ideas are of great interest to the

rest of the world.”

Academics from four universities at the launch of UWC’s new Centre for Diversity in Counselling and Psychotherapy (from left): Prof Mokgadi Moletsane (UWC), Dr Tony George (Christ University, India), Prof Agostino Portera (University of Verona), Prof Jeanne Watson (OISE, Canada) and Prof Tyrone Pretorius (UWC).

New Centre to study cultural diversity

UWC NEW AND NOW


4 UWC NEW AND NOW

E-Learning at UWC

Universities are not just places where students sit in

silence in lecture theatres and learn passively. They

are also institutions that tend to be early adopters

of new learning techniques and technologies. At the

University of the Western Cape (UWC), the Centre for

Innovative Education and Communication Technologies

(CIECT) is exploring opportunities for more effective online

teaching, learning and outreach to augment traditional

teaching methods.

Among the e-learning innovations initiated by the CIECT

at UWC are:

1. Skills Training: The CIECT offers ICT skills and digital

literacy training packages in a range of subjects to

students and staff.

2. E-Learning Departmental Partnerships: The CIECT

assists lecturers to incorporate e-tools and technology

in their teaching practice. It has helped the Arts Faculty

create approximately 140 online modules for the first

semester of 2016, assisted the School of Public Health

to create an online educational environment and

helped the English for Educational Development (EED)

programme to use online tools such as Blogger to set

up group activities.

3. Distance Learning: With the help of the CIECT,

UWC’s Law Faculty offers a blended (almost entirely

online) master’s course titled Labour Law in the

New Global Market, an online Executive Leadership

Programme for the School of Government (for working

professionals, including local government councillors),

and several Social Work programmes for the Master’s

in Child and Family Studies programme and the

Postgraduate Diploma in Child and Family Studies.

4. Teaching and Learning Research: Since 2007,

CIECT has published its research on topics related to

the institutionalising of e-learning at UWC, change

management strategies, training interventions and the

effective use of e-tools.

5. Sharing experiences: The annual E-Learning

Colloquium discusses a wide range of new technology

and applications, giving e-learning experts and recent

adopters in the UWC community the chance to share

experiences and learn from one another.

For more information about online/blended learning

at UWC visit the CIECT website or follow the CIECT on

Twitter (@CIECT_Team) and Facebook.

PORTAL TO A WORLD OF INFORMATION

The modern academic library is more than just a place to

find a book although there are books of course – over 350

000 of them at last count at the UWC Library. Along with

about 2 000 ebooks and 300 print journal titles, the Library also

subscribes to electronic database packages of 25 000 journals,

containing hundreds of thousands of articles in a variety of

academic disciplines.

The Library provides students and academics with a number

of other crucial resources and services:

1. Training: The reference library staff provide SmartSearch

training and assistance with research clinics. The building

has several fully-equipped training rooms. There are also

workstations in the Self-Learning Zone on Level 5 that offer

students a variety of online multimedia presentations and

tutorials on using information resources.

2. Knowledge Commons: The Knowledge Commons on

Level 6 has 111 computers linked to four printers, with full

access to MS Office, the internet, and to the databases and

other Library resources.

3. Past Exams: The Library maintains an extensive repository

of past examination papers based in Google Drive that can

be accessed electronically by any student or staff member.

4. Studies online: All UWC theses and dissertations are

available online in the Electronic Theses and Dissertations

archive. Postgraduate students can upload their theses

themselves.

5. Open Access: As a signatory of the Berlin Open Access

Declaration, UWC strives to make academic research

freely available to all. The Library maintains the Research

Repository, which stores digital copies of UWC’s research

outputs. The repository is organised according to research

communities associated with faculties. Users can browse

the collections of a research community, or search for a

paper or article by author, subject, title or publication date.

6. Ask a Librarian: a new virtual service that can be accessed

from the Library home page (http://www.lib.uwc.ac.za). A

query can be posted after clicking the blue tab in the lower

right-hand corner of the screen. Library staff usually answer

the query in real time, or within 24 hours if received after hours.


5

Due in part to globalisation and the

expansion of large manufacturing

and retail corporations in the food

system, indigenous and environmentally

sustainable small-scale food production

systems are being increasingly

marginalised in many Southern

hemisphere countries. Malnutrition

is increasing in many countries, both

in the form of high levels of chronic

undernutrition and in the rates of

overweight and obesity, and their

related diseases.

With South African food corporations

expanding into Sub-Saharan Africa and

impacting on these countries’ food

environments, South African experiences

and food system policies can inform

understanding and policy making on

the continent.

The DST-NRF Centre of Excellence in

Food Security (CoE-FS) at the University of

the Western Cape (UWC), in partnership

with the World Public Health Nutrition

Association (WPHNA), will be hosting

the WPHNA’s second annual congress at

UWC’s main campus from 30 August to 2

September 2016.

UWC and the University of Pretoria

co-host the CoE-FS. The CoE-FS is the

first CoE to be hosted by a historically

disadvantaged university since the Centres

of Excellence programme was initiated by

the National Research Foundation and the

Department of Science and Technology ten

years ago.

UWC Professors David Sanders and Rina

Swart, who are the principal investigators

of the CoE-FS Food Consumption thematic

area of research, are respectively acting

as Congress chair and chair of the local

organising committee.

The congress will bring together

researchers, policymakers, students and

activists from fields as diverse as land

and agriculture, dietetics, food retail

and advertising, health systems, and

nutritional outcomes.

Poster and oral presentations, as well as

workshops, will be organised within the

following themes:

• The impact of food systems on

livelihoods, nutrition, diet and health;

• Community health and nutrition

programmes and interventions;

• Malnutrition treatment and prevention;

• The right to health, food, water, land

and resources;

• The political economy of public health

nutrition;

• Law and regulation in public health

nutrition;

• The first 1 000 days, infant feeding

and early childhood development;

• Food and nutrition security;

• Capacity development for public health

nutrition.

UWC NEW AND NOW

More information on the congress can be found on the conference website at www.wncapetown2016.com.

UWC Hosts World Nutrition Congress


6

VANITHA NAIDOO

Vanitha Naidoo is the Coordinator of

Student Administration. The core functions

of her unit are to issue transcripts to

students, issue the students’ unique cards,

help students with registration and issue

proof of registration and the termination

of studies. The unit also assists in general

admission requirements, as well as

admissions requirements pertaining to

specific programmes set out by

the University.

Contact Student Administration at 021 959 3348.

NAYTHAN KAYSER

Naythan Kayser, Programme Coordinator.

The HIV/Aids programme’s vision is to

develop a model and integrated response

to the challenge of HIV/Aids, based

on the values and practice of caring,

compassion and non-discrimination. The

HIV/Aids programme at UWC strives to

address all the key functions of a tertiary

institution, namely: teaching, research,

prevention, care and support, advocacy

and community. The unit focuses on peer

education, HIV counselling and testing and

LGBTI projects.

Contact the HIV/Aids Programme office at 021 959 3365.

CLINT PRINS

Clint Prins, Risk and Compliance liaison

officer. The Risk and Compliance

department of the University of the

Western Cape ensures a safe and secure

learning environment. Its responsibilities

include Campus Protection Services, postal

services, transport services, asset and

insurance, and fire/medical and emergency

services.

Contact Campus Protection Services at 021 959 2100.

ARNOLD MDEPA

Arnold Mdepa, Facilitator. The Centre for

Student Support Services (CSSS) has four

units consisting of academic support,

therapeutic services, leadership and social

responsibility, and the office for students

with disabilities. The Centre plays a crucial

role in assisting students on their academic

journey at the University of the

Western Cape.

Contact CSSS at 021 959 2299.

AKHONA LANDU

Akhona Landu, UWC Student

Representative Council (SRC) President.

The SRC protects and advances the

interests of the students at the University

and in the Higher Education sector. It

represents and acts on behalf of the

students at UWC in matters affecting

their academic and social wellbeing.

Contact the SRC Office at 021 959 2802.

ABDUL JAPPIE

Abdul Jappie, Manager. The UWC Campus

Lifestyle Store serves as the UWC brand

retailer for all faculty uniforms, promotional

clothing, corporate clothing, gifts and

branded UWC fashion trends on campus.

We also offer personalised branding on all

our garments.

Contact the UWC Campus Lifestyle Store at 021 959 9341 or 021 959 9342 (sport division).

How can UWC Help you

UWC NEW AND NOW


7

The University of the Western Cape is among the eight leading universities in South Africa and ranked in the top 15 on the continent.

UWC NEW AND NOW

UWC’s Department of Institutional Advancement recently randomly interviewed students on campus to

gauge whether students were making use of all the services available at our institution. Students were

asked why they chose UWC, which services they made use of and what their general impression was of the

student experience.

Sharne Abrahams (20): “I was afraid at first, especially with the

protests last year. But I soon realised that

it was not student against student but the

fight was for everyone’s benefit. Campus

life is the most chilled. It is like we are all

a family. I will start attending my tuts this

semester and I know they will be very

helpful.”

Sonwabile Qumbelo (23): I get help mainly from my tutors. Library

assistants here on campus are also a great

help. UWC was recommended to me by

a friend who is an alumnus. I wanted to

see what the big deal was, and here I am

today. The only thing about this place is

that we are far from the shops and we

have to travel all the time.

Lubabalo Dyantyi (20): I am not aware of all the services available

to students here on campus but I

personally make use of the Writing Centre.

They are really helpful and ever since I

started going there I have seen some

improvements. I am enjoying my time at

this university so far.

Musa Mdletshe (21): UWC is a nice place with helpful

programmes like the Writing Centre.

Most students just don’t know about

the services on campus. The Centre for

Student Support Services (CSSS) is very

helpful – they have really exciting stuff

happening there, and they support you

academically and mentally. ICS also helped

me with my laptop and I have made use of

most of the services on campus.

Janice Marion (19):During Orientation Week, the peer

facilitators divided us into groups. They

gave us tips and motivated us. I really found

it helpful because they told us hard facts.

Something about UWC has a family vibe.

You get people from different backgrounds

with a common goal to succeed.

Aphiwe Msila (19): Most people need counselling because

they are struggling. The awareness of

these programmes isn’t emphasised here

on campus. The only time I saw or read

about these was on my application at the

beginning of the year. I don’t know much

about these programmes but I picked up

that people are making use of the Writing

Centre.


8

UWC launches Co-curricular Record “Academic success is not enough to

change students’ lives. In today’s

organisational environment, students

going into any employment opportunity will need

requisite skills that are not taught in the classroom.

This means that a conducive atmosphere is a

requirement for the holistic development of

students. Essentially, there is a need to balance

the IQ with EQ (emotional intelligence),”said

Lukhanyiso Matebese, UWC SRC Deputy President,

at the launch of the Co-curricular Record at the

Student Centre.

The UWC Co-curricular Record is an online

programme that encourages students to participate

in both curricular and co-curricular activities. At

the launch, attended by representatives of most

student structures, students were encouraged to

join societies and student movements where they

would learn invaluable leadership lessons on how

to run organisations and apply strategic thinking.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Student

Development and Support, Professor Pamela

Dube, said UWC was one of five universities to

have co-curricular programmes to this extent.

“We would like to thank the Information and

Communication Servises (ICS) department’s

project managers for getting involved and walking

the road with us,” she said. “From today, students

will be able to apply for their co-curricular records

and have their academic information and extra-

curricular activities verified.”

At the launch, which included a video screening

showing students how to apply online, Deputy

Vice-Chancellor Academic, Prof Vivienne Lawack,

said: “We want to celebrate academia and what

happens beyond the lecture halls. The record will

appear on the student’s transcript with the DVC:

SDS and Registrar’s signatures at the bottom

along with the academic transcript.”

Validators will do screening and verification of

qualifying students before they can receive their

Co-curricular Record.

UWC NEW AND NOW

EQIQ


9

Professor Pamela Dube is UWC’s

newly-appointed Deputy Vice-

Chancellor for Student Development

and Support (SDS). She joined the

University in December 2015, replacing

Prof Mokgadi Moletsane, who acted in the

position after Prof Lullu Tshiwula retired at

the end of 2014.

Prof Dube exercises oversight over the

Centre for Student Support Services, the

Financial Aid Office, Residential Services,

Sports Administration, Campus Health,

the Office for Student Development and

Student Governance, and works closely

with the Student Representative Council

and its structures.

Prof Dube joined UWC at a time

when the higher education sector faced

immense challenges with students and

staff protesting over various grievances.

“In my view the unprecedented protests

call on us as leadership and communities

of not only the affected universities but

of the country as a whole to listen and

to engage effectively,” Prof Dube says.

Prof Dube supports the principle

of access to affordable education,

“especially given our history as a

country, and I think it should be possible

but I’m mindful of the limitations.

There should be an opportunity to start

addressing the least advantaged among

us first.”

Driving the SDS strategy of supporting

a holistic, strength-based and enabling

approach to the development and

support of students, the promotion

of student engagement and collective

efforts in addressing the challenges of

financial need, accommodation, food

security and study materials are high on

her agenda.

“We will work with faculties to

increase synergy between curricular and

co-curricular activities, to embed UWC

graduate attributes from an approach

of shared values. And we will enhance

efforts at broadening the concept of

learning and submit to the rigours of

research-based interventions,” she adds.

Prof Dube holds a BA degree and a

BA Honours in Drama and Performance Studies from the then University of

Natal, and a master’s (cum laude) and PhD (summa cum laude) in Comparative Literature and Media Studies from the University of Siegen, Germany. She was Dean of Students at the University of the Witwatersrand before joining UWC and has served in various positions at

a number of institutions locally and

internationally.

New Deputy Vice-Chancellor for SDS at the helm

UWC NEW AND NOW

Professor Pamela Dube


10

1. UWC’s Sustainability Conception workshop On 23 January 2016 two dozen academics from different disciplines gathered

at the University of the Western Cape for a two-day workshop aimed at creatively conceptualising a Centre for Sustainability to be

based at UWC, which will promote interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research collaborations. | 2. UWC Beach Volleyball Club triumphs On 31 January, the UWC men’s volleyball team of Leo Williams and Grant Goldschmidt won the first Flying Fish National

Beach Volleyball Series. | 3. UWC team visits abuse survivors UWC Rugby Club members, led by coach Chester Williams and

captain Philbrey Joseph, visited the Saartjie Baartman Centre for Women and Children. On 1 February 2016 the team was there to help

out around the centre and play with the children.

EVENTS

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4. O-Week 2016: Fresh faces at UWC The University of the Western Cape (UWC) commenced its official orientation day on

9 February 2016, when close to 4 000 accepted first-year students and their proud families gathered on campus. | 5. Pharmacy and Public Health graduate receives the 2016 Jakes Gerwel Award On 17 February 2016, the Jakes Gerwel Award was

presented to Evans Sagwa (third from the right), a graduate of UWC’s School of Public Health (SoPH), for his contribution to introducing

a holistic approach to strengthening national pharmaceutical systems. | 6. UWC dentists conferred international fellows On

24 February 2016, a number of UWC dentists and dental specialists joined the class of international ‘outstanding professional achievers’

when they were inducted as fellows of the International College of Dentists (ICD).

EVENTS

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12 EVENTS

7. SA-JINR Seminar: Nuclear research brings nations together

On 29 February and 1 March 2016,

the University of the Western Cape

hosted the South Africa-JINR Education

and Research Collaboration Workshop

which discussed ongoing and potential

partnerships with the Joint Institute for

Nuclear Research (JINR).

8. Centre for Diversity in Counselling and Psychotherapy Launch UWC launched its new

Centre for Diversity in Counselling and

Psychotherapy (CDCP), in partnership

with the CDCP at the Ontario Institute

for Studies in Education (OISE) at the

University of Toronto in Canada, Christ

University in India, and the University of

Verona in Italy, on 14 March 2016.

9. Swedish Delegation University

of the Western Cape (UWC) Rector and

Vice-Chancellor, Prof Tyrone Pretorius,

together with UWC’s Executive, hosted a

delegation from Swedish universities on

18 March 2016. The purpose of the

visit was to strengthen institutional

partnerships with UWC.

7

8

9


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10. Inaugural Brian O’Connell Visiting Fellows Lecture On 30 March 2016, the inaugural Brian O’Connell Visiting Fellows

Lecture was held at the University of the Western Cape. The prestigious Brian O’Connell Visiting Fellowship is awarded to distinguished

scholars from the African diaspora who are working in Africa or elsewhere. | 11. HySA and Implats introduce first Hydrogen Fuel Cell Forklift prototype On 31 March 2016 at Impala Refineries in Springs, Naledi Pandor, the Minister of Science and

Technology, unveiled South Africa’s first prototype hydrogen fuel cell forklift and refuelling station built by UWC’s Hydrogen Systems

South Africa (HYSA Systems). | 12. R13 000 donation to Ikamva Lethu – Our Future Fund The University of the Western Cape

received R13 000 from Ogle Enterprises in collaboration with uButsha Communications on 6 April 2016, which was donated to the

UWC Ikamva Lethu – Our Future Fund campaign.

EVENTS

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14

UWC astrophysics student to attend prestigious Nobel Laureate meeting

The Academy of Science of South

Africa (ASSAf) has nominated five

top young physicists from South

Africa to attend the 66th Lindau Nobel

Laureate Meeting later this year in Lindau,

Germany. ASSAf, as the official partner of

the Lindau Foundation and with funding

from the Department of Science and

Technology, annually nominates young

scientists to attend the Lindau Nobel

Laureate Meetings which is designed as

a forum for young scientists from all over

the world to have an in-depth exchange

with Nobel laureates. The meeting will take

place from 26 June to 1 July 2016 and

a total of around 30 Nobel laureates are

expected to participate.

Successful participants are outstanding

undergraduate and postgraduate students

and postdoctoral research fellows under

35 years of age, in the field of physics,

which is the focus of this year’s meeting.

They were selected after a multi-stage

international selection process. The

Department of Physics and Astronomy is

pleased to announce that Siyambonga

Matshawule, a Next Generation of

Academics Programme (nGAP) lecturer

and PhD student in the Department, will

join 402 other young scientists from 80

different countries at this year’s meeting.

Siyambonga is the second young UWC

astrophysicist to attend the Lindau Nobel

Laureate Meetings, which have been held

annually at Lindau, Germany, since 1951.

Siyambonga Matshawule, a lecturer and PhD student in UWC’s Department of Physics and Astronomy, explains his research to Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa on a recent visit to UWC.

UWC NEW AND NOW


15

Appointment of new Director for Research

UWC has appointed seasoned researcher Dr Thandi

Mgwebi as its Director for Research. The appointment

will strengthen UWC’s position as the university with the

steepest growth of research output in South Africa and, according

to Professor Frans Swanepoel, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for

Research and Innovation, will further strengthen capacity within

the research, postgraduate study and innovation portfolio as UWC

continues to grow its research profile.

“She will play an important role in operationalising the UWC

research strategy [currently under development] in collaboration

with faculties across campus,” Prof Swanepoel adds.

Prior to assuming her duties in December 2015, Dr Mgwebi was

the Executive Director, Research Chairs and Centres of Excellence

at the National Research Foundation (NRF). She has also served

the NRF as Executive Director, Institutional Engagement and

Partnership Development, Acting Executive Director, Human and

Institutional Capacity Development, and Director, Human Capacity

Development.

Dr Mgwebi previously worked at the Medical Research Council,

was appointed by the Minister of Higher Education and Training

as a member of the Ministerial Task Team in Mathematics and

Science, and serves on various committees and structures within

the South African National System of Innovation.

She holds a PhD from the University of Cape Town, a

Certificate in Higher Education Management from LH Martin

Institute, Melbourne, Australia, and completed the Management

Development Programme at the University of Stellenbosch

Business School.

UWC NEW AND NOW

Dr Thandi Mgwebi


16 SPORT

The Interdisciplinary Centre for Sport

Science and Development (ICESSD)

at UWC attained new heights

earlier this year when four PhD students

were capped and 17 students received

the Postgraduate Diploma in Sport and

Development.

A highlight of the ceremony was

the graduation of 66-year-old Isaac

Adom-Aboagye and his son Kwadwo

Adom-Aboagye, who graduated in the

postgraduate group. Both had been

inspired by Isaac’s daughter Nana Adom-

Aboagye, who previously did her master’s

degree through ICESSD.

Jakobo Jacob Moroe, who received his

diploma, is continuing with his PhD at

ICESSD in 2016. He has been selected

to attend the United Nations’ Sport and

Development Programme for young

leaders in Florida in June this year.

As in the previous year, there were two

students in the postgraduate diploma

group who went through the Recognition

of Prior Learning (RPL) programme that

took into account their many years of

experience working in the field.

“These are individual stories which

are amazing and reflect the belief in

sport as a vehicle for change and the

commitment of individuals and families

to use the power of sport and its values

to positively impact on their communities

and the next generation of sport leaders,”

says Professor Christo de Coning, who

supervised two of the four PhDs and

who has been teaching in the diploma

programme since its inception three years

ago.

The diploma is a stepping stone to the

Master’s in Sport for Development degree

that will be offered from January 2017

as a structured interdisciplinary master’s

coordinated by ICESSD.

The doctoral students who graduated

from ICESSD this year are Dr Tarminder

Kaur, who conducted research on Sporting

Lives and Development Agendas in the

context of farm workers of the Western

Cape; Dr Solomon Asihel, whose work

was an Evaluation of Mechanisms on

the Role of Sport in the Process of

Reconciliation in the Post-apartheid South

African Context; Advocate Lyndon Bouah,

who analysed the implementation of

the National Sport and Recreation Plan

in the Western Cape; and Dr Nelisiwe

Maleka, whose PhD dissertation was titled

Monitoring and Evaluation of Sport-Based

HIV/AIDS Awareness Programmes of

selected Non-Governmental Organisations

in South Africa.

“This has been an exceptional group

of students,” says Prof Marion Keim,

the Director of ICESSD. “Not only are

they all deeply committed to sport and

development, but they have collectively

inculcated the Olympic values of

excellence, respect, friendship and fair

play in how they relate to each other as a

team and through their work. It has been

an honour and a pleasure to have worked

with each one of them.

“At a moment when South Africa

is struggling more than ever with its

post-apartheid social contract, ICESSD

remains passionately committed to

supporting leaders in sport to deepen their

understanding of development and social

change issues and the leadership role

they can play towards building a better

society,” Keim adds.

New graduates in sport development

UWC’s Interdisciplinary Centre for Sport Science and Development graduated four PhD students in April.


17SPORT

The University of the Western Cape Cricket Club has many

reasons to be satisfied with the results of the 2015/2016 cricket

season. Both the female and the male teams reached no fewer

than five finals in different competitions during the season.

Early in 2016, the male team reached the final of the

prestigious Varsity Cricket competition, the country’s premier

university cricket tournament. Although the team lost the match

to the University of Pretoria by 21 runs, they put on a sterling

performance.

The team also reached the T20 final at Newlands Stadium

in April, losing to St Augustine’s by the narrow margin of 15

runs. Their female counterparts won the Western Province T20

final when they hammered Bellville Ladies by seven wickets at

Newlands on 10 April 2016.

That win, according to coach and captain Nuraan Pipers,

meant that the team had achieved the goals they had set for

the 2015/2016 season – to win the 50-over competition and the

T20 competition.

“We’ve won 22 out of 23 matches. I am so proud of the

commitment and dedication the ladies have shown this past

season. We all had the same goal and we all contributed towards

making that goal a reality.”

Pipers said the UWC Ladies Cricket team has grown in numbers

and in strength over the past few seasons and strive to maintain

and even improve on those standards “as long as there are ladies

passionate to play cricket and eager to learn the game. We need

to build on these successes for the coming season.”

Pipers commended the University and its Sport Skills for Life

Skills (SS4LS) bursary and mentoring programme for playing a big

role in her team’s success. “A huge thank you to all the parties

involved for making our dream come true.”

Nicolas Kock of the UWC Cricket Club added, “Every final is

special for us as it is a celebration of all the amazing sacrifices

our UWC students and UWC staff make, working shoulder by

shoulder in creating something special on our campus. We are

UWC and together we can achieve amazing things for

our community.”

Both Pipers and Kock attributed the success of the club to the

innovative SS4LS programme, which grooms young people for

successful cricket and academic careers.

Since its inception 16 years ago, the programme has produced

a number of players who went on to play for provincial,

professional and national teams while doing well in their studies.

The men’s component of the programme has produced 29

first-class cricketers of which nine played franchise cricket, two

represented the South African A Side, two played for Zimbabwe

and one played in the Italian national side.

The programme has been vital to the success of the UWC

Cricket Club, with the men’s first side having won 13 league

titles on their way to the top of the Western Province Cricket

Association’s Premier League.

The female component of the programme has given rise to four

Proteas and 12 provincial players, including Shandre Fritz, who

scored the first-ever international women’s T20 century with an

unbeaten 116 runs against the Netherlands in 2010.

UWC Cricket Club had a ball of a season UWC Ladies Cricket team celebrates its triumph at Newslands Cricket Stadium.


18

UWC Football Club dominated at

the recent University Sport South

Africa (USSA) National Club

Championships, where both the male and

female teams performed brilliantly.

The event was held at the University of

Free State in Bloemfontein in March 2016,

having been postponed in December due

to the university student protests. This

important tournament is used as a qualifier

for the Varsity Football tournament, of which

the UWC male team are current champions.

The male team finished third after beating

Fort Hare University 5-1 in the play-off for

third and fourth place. The team lost 4-3

on penalties in the semi-final to Central

University of Technology.

The female team were crowned

champions after they beat UP-Tuks 4-1

on penalties.

In addition to the win, three UWC

players were honoured for their sterling

performance at the tournament. Attacking

midfielder Nelly Mamabolo was chosen

as the Player of the Tournament for

the second consecutive year. Nhlamulo

Mathebula was the Goalkeeper of the

Tournament and Janice Smith was named

the Top Goal Scorer with eight goals.

Nathan Peskin, the coach of the

UWC female football team, says there

was only one objective that the team

set for Bloemfontein and that was to

go and conquer. “Nothing less would

be acceptable and nothing less was

discussed,” he says. “The team possessed

no shortage of talent and potential and

had only to apply the necessary focus,

discipline, application and execution to be

crowned champions.”

Peskin says, “Excitement and tears of

joy were shed by them all as emotion

spilled over. It’s been a long time coming.

The dedication and hard work of all these

players and management came together

and brought success that had been

brewing for the last few years.”

Head coach of the male football team,

Salie Adams, found the preparations for

the postponed championship challenging.

“The timing of the postponed tournament

coincided with the players in the squad

having other commitments,” he says.

“However, all the players performed

admirably in all the games. The team

didn’t lose a game in the group stages and

qualified to participate in the 2016 Varsity

Football tournament. It was an excellent

performance by the boys and we’re

looking forward to Varsity Football 2016.”

Udubs football teams score big victories UWC Ladies’ Football Club were crowned champions at the University Sport South Africa National Club Championships.

SPORT


19

UWC Beach Volleyball Club maintained its stature of being

the best team in the game by winning all three national

competitions so far this year.

After winning the 2016 Volleyball South Africa Easter Splash

Festival in Port Elizabeth in March, the female trio of Bejancke

Della, Tsidi Dlamini and Kayla-Lee Provins defended their Varsity

Beach Volleyball title for the third consecutive year on home soil

in May. The male pair of Leo Williams and Grant Goldschmidt also

made sure that the Flying Fish Beach Volleyball trophy remains at

UWC for the third year.

The Flying Fish National Beach Volleyball Series is a national

tournament league played at eight different venues around the

country throughout the year and features 24 male and 24 female

teams. Each three-day tournament begins with knockout rounds

on Fridays and Saturdays, with the semi-finals and finals played on

Sundays.

Williams and Goldschmidt, ranked number one in the

country, have won the men’s category since the inception of the

tournament three years ago. The players have their sights set

firmly on this year’s Rio Olympic Games, but are desperately in

need of sponsorship.

The Splash Festival was intended to identify future stars of

South African beach volleyball and the results showed that the

UWC club was a key breeding ground for future Olympians.

The Varsity Beach Volleyball competition is a premier university

tournament which pits some of the best teams around the

country against each other. In this year’s event, held at UWC, the

UWC ladies’ team was untouchable throughout the tournament,

cruising unbeaten through the pool stages, the semi-finals and

the final where they beat UP-Tuks 33-29 in a fiercely contested

encounter.

Della, who captained UWC, paid tribute to Tuks for their

impressive contest and commended the University Sports

administration, home fans, event organisers and sponsors for

making the tournament such a resounding success.

Elmien Cloete, UWC Beach Volleyball Club’s manager, attributed

their success to the support of the University and the Western

Cape Sport School. “UWC Volleyball appreciates the partnership

established with the Western Cape Sport School, which acts as a

feeder focus school for our Club. Many prospective students who

play volleyball are now making UWC their choice of study. And

UWC is recognising volleyball as one of the priority sports and

therefore supports the athletes on all levels.”

UWC beach volleyballers triumph again

UWC Beach Volleyball women’s team celebrates winning the Varsity Beach Volleyball competition.

SPORT

UWC MEDIA OFFICEDo you have any important UWC stories to share? Do you know of an event on campus that you’d like to see featured? Have you heard of UWC alumni who’ve done amazing things, which you think the world should know about? Or maybe you have a few suggestions, comments or questions about something in this newsletter? Whatever the case may be, the UWC Media Office would really like to hear from you.Just email us at [email protected], call us at 021 959 9525, or drop by our offices.

CONTRIBUTORSNastasha Crow

Myolisi Gophe

Nicole Isaacs

Nicklaus Kruger

Asiphe Nombewu

Luthando Tyhalibongo Nickay Photography


20

on campus - issue 1- july 2016

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