On Wednesday, 24 February 2016, Executives from the National Research Foundation (NRF) visited postgraduate CUT students who are pursuing masters’ and doctoral studies.  The objective of their visit was to monitor the progress these students are making, for purposes of improving the study support they provide to students.  

Students were encouraged to apply for NRF funding, and to effectively deal with the challenges they face in their various study programmes.  The importance of the review panel members for students, and the need for more regular interaction between the NRF and the students, were also on the agenda.  The NRF will consider appointing panel members for a period of three years at a time, in order to provide study support to students who are pursuing their doctorate degrees.  In addition, CUT staff and students were introduced to the NRF’s current funding programmes in support of establishing excellent postgraduate programmes at universities. According to Gansen Pillay, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Research and Innovation Support and Advancement (RISA), doctoral students require full support, as they cannot prosper in isolation. “The chance of success for students in isolation is very slim. They need support; not only for their studies, but for their surroundings, too. If we have to produce researchers of note, we have to make sure that their institutional environment and climate is conducive”, she said. The NRF is a research foundation with the mandate to support and promote research through funding, and by recognising the importance of collaborations with institutions such as CUT as a basis to ensure the facilitation of knowledge creation.   

In the past, CUT has had a number of collaborations with the NRF in areas of innovation and research; hence the university is taking a lead, not only in terms of its academic programmes, but also in terms of applied research and Additive Manufacturing (AM) technology. 

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NRF Executives and CUT academics, from left (front row): Dr Andrew Kanaki, Executive Director: Knowledge Fields Development; Ms Rentia Hamilton, Manager: RISA Finance and Administration; Dr Romilla Maharaj, Executive Director: Human and Infrastructure Capacity Development;  Dr Kaluke Mawila, Executive Director: Institutional Engagement and Partnership Development; Ms Bessie Monchusi, Director: Project Management and Coordination; Dr Makobetsa Khathi, Executive Director: Research Chairs and Centres of Excellence; and Mr Karabo Toka, Manager: Information Technology. From left (back row): Dr Daisy Selematsela, Executive Director: Knowledge Management and Corporate; Prof. Henk De Jager, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Engagement at CUT; Dr Gansen Pillay, Deputy CEO: RISA; Dr Aldo Stroebel, Executive Director: International Relations and Cooperation; and Prof. Laetus Lategan, Dean: Research and Innovation, CUT.