The Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology hosted a research workshop entitled ‘Creating and Sustaining Conducive Research Environment’ on 20 August 2014. A keynote speaker, Prof. Adam Habib, who is the Vice-Chancellor and Principal at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), addressed research in the higher education arena.  

In his presentation, Prof. Habib mentioned the three principles that define an institution and how they (institutions) can be successful in research. “Institutions need a balance as they differ geographically, they need to take into account, the national context by acting locally while thinking globally and they also need to think as a system and not compete with one another.” Prof. Habib emphasized that South African universities need to compete as a system with other systems rather than competing with one another at the expense of developing a synergy in the national system of higher education institutions. Prof. Adam spoke about the formula to build a research culture in an institution. The three building blocks he mentioned was,  recruiting good top academics, providing adequate funds for them to carry-out their research as well as creating an enabling environment for them to survive against all odds. He highlighted three enabling factors:

1. An effective budgeting system which will create a sustainable academic pipeline to ensure entry of new generation academics that will continue the work of retiring academics,
2. An active collaboration with national and international funding institutions, and
3. Creating an attractive and effective campus environment

Prof. Habib is an academic, an activist, an administrator, and a renowned political media commentator and columnist with more than 30 years of academic leadership. He was instrumental in transforming the University of Johannesburg into a well-known research institution, and currently has a target of transforming Wits into the leading university in Africa. A rigorous workshop continued with presentations by various faculty members who drive the research agenda. Other presenters included Dr Mohamed Mostafa, the Faculty Research Manager who presented a comparison between yesterday, today and tomorrow in terms of CUT research. Prof. Arthur Swart, Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering shared his own experience in terms of the perks of doing research, while Dr Willie du Preez, Senior Researcher shared his industry research experience. Then, Dr Dillip Das, Senior Lecturer introduced his international experience with research to the audience and Ms Zenobia Louw, NRF Officer at CUT, discussed the possible opportunities of research funding. 

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From left: Dr Willie du Preez, Senior Researcher in the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering; Dr Mohamed Mostafa, Faculty Research Manager and Senior Lecturer in Civil Engineering; Prof. Alfred Ngowi, Dean: Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology; Prof. Adam Habib, Vice-Chancellor and Principal: University of Witswatersrand; Dr Dillip Das, Departmental Research Chair and Senior Lecturer in Civil Engineering; and Prof. James Swart, Research Professor in the Department of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering.