To the benefit of the Free State region, CUT’s Vision 2030 endeavours to create a harmonious community conducive to applied research, teaching, and learning. CUT has commercial and academic research centres, units and groups which provide an essential platform for social and technological innovations and solutions.

CUT has established yet another centre of excellence - The Centre for Quality of Health and Living (CQHL) in the Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences. Led by Prof. Tshepiso Makhafola, Director and Assistant Dean: Research Innovation and Engagement, the new establishment is a state-of-the-art Biochemistry and Tissue Culture facility.  The centre is envisioned to apply new knowledge to drive improvement in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of illness that maximises healthy outcomes for the people, with results that create a societal return on investment with lifelong dividends.

Asked about the drive behind the centre’s establishment, Prof. Makhafola said, “the objective is to broaden the scope of expertise in the two-focus areas of clinical research and basic scientific medical research. It is also to establish long-term collaborative partnerships with pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries and the government to develop a comprehensive and translational health research programme.”

“As one of CUT’s pockets of excellence, the idea behind establishing these centres is to have a research and innovation hub that will address and respond to real-life challenges. Our aim is to work together with communities and have interdisciplinary collaborations to deal with specific issues and develop solutions. We are moving away from just producing research papers but instead bringing about research that will have an impact. We believe that these centres will be among those entities that will bring about innovations that could later be commercialised and be able to create new industries as we move forward,” said Prof. Samson Mashele, acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research Innovation and Engagement.

Cllr Sisa Njikelana, a member of CUT Council, visited the centre as part of the Council’s oversight role to have first-hand experience of the activities within the faculty and monitor the implementation of the university’s strategic plan projects, which Council has mandated the university.  

“I dream of a day where there will be a buzz around any brilliant innovation that will emanate from this centre; moreover, a successful commercialisation,” said Cllr Njikelana.

He said that he was impressed by the aspiration that led to the establishment of the centre and encouraged the faculty to take advantage of commercialising that will bring about intended outcomes so that the faculty can contribute to the region’s socio-economic development.

 “The way the centre is crafting itself is clear on its intentions and interesting. I am grateful for the opportunity to move around campus and see the real life of the university.”

Cllr Njikelana is a renowned entrepreneur in the energy industry and enterprise engineering services, a senior advisor, and an industry specialist for UNIDO in the South African Industry Energy Efficiency Project in National Cleaner Production Centre. He has served on numerous executive portfolios in parliamentary committees.

Caption

From left: Prof. Samson Mashele, acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research Innovation and Engagement, Prof. Hesta Friedrich-Nel, acting Dean: Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Cllr Sisa Njikelana, renowned entrepreneur in the Energy Industry and Enterprise Engineering Services and CUT External Council Member (seated), Prof. Tshepiso Makhafola, Director: CQHL and Assistant Dean: Research Innovation and Engagement and Ms Edith Sempe, Acting Senior Director, Research Development and Postgraduate Studies.