CUT Annual Report 2008
The Annual Report is a premier publication that reports on institutional development and successes.
The Annual Report is a premier publication that reports on institutional development and successes.
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In view of the progress reported, it can be stated that<br />
although there is still much hard work ahead before the<br />
<strong>CUT</strong> can deliver on the desired outputs, many concrete<br />
achievements have been accomplished:<br />
• Four programmes approved by the NRF as<br />
niche programmes in its Institutional Research<br />
Development Programme (IRDP). These niche<br />
areas are in new product development and design,<br />
automated material handling in a reconfigurable<br />
manufacturing environment, hydro-informatics, and<br />
applied food safety and biotechnology. In <strong>2008</strong> a<br />
total of 12 researchers received funding in the IRDP,<br />
which is associated with the niche areas.<br />
• Ten researchers received funding in the Thuthuka<br />
programme. The grant holders’ research is associated<br />
with these strategic research programmes.<br />
• In <strong>2008</strong> more than 30% of academic staff<br />
members were involved in the identified research<br />
programmes.<br />
• International and national collaboration and<br />
partnerships were developed. Active international<br />
research partnerships are with the University of Ulm<br />
(FHU) for Applied Sciences, the University of Aalen<br />
in Germany for Applied Sciences, the University<br />
of Loughborough in the UK, and<br />
Indiana University-Purdue University<br />
Indianapolis (IUPUI) in the USA. Active<br />
national partnerships with the University<br />
of Cape Town (UCT), Stellenbosch<br />
University (SU), Nelson Mandela<br />
Metropolitan University (NMMU), Vaal<br />
University of Technology (VUT), Tshwane<br />
University of Technology (TUT), University<br />
of the Free State (UFS) and University of<br />
Johannesburg (UJ) can be identified.<br />
• There has been a gradual increase in FTE staff<br />
participation in research: 23.8 FTEs in 2003<br />
compared to 33.8 FTEs in 2007.<br />
• There has been sustainability in the master’s and<br />
doctoral degree qualifications awarded. During<br />
March <strong>2008</strong> seven MTech degrees and nine<br />
doctorates were awarded. During September<br />
15 master’s degrees and three doctorates were<br />
awarded. This is a continuation of the excellent<br />
performance in 2007 when five doctorates and 20<br />
MTech degrees were awarded.<br />
• There has been sustainability in publication outputs<br />
since 1998, when the <strong>CUT</strong> published 287 articles to<br />
the value 216 credits.<br />
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