CUT Annual Report 2013

Basis for research participation and productivity
In acknowledging the research cycle and the execution of the research assignment as core university value,
the following categories for research participation and productivity are identified:
Study towards highest qualification in field of study.
Participation in research training;
Publication writing;
Conference presentations;
Postgraduate supervision;
Research grants;
Professional research engagement (editorial boards, review panels, assessment panels, etc.); and
Transfer and innovation.
These categories concentrate on (i) research skills development and (ii) creating an enabling research environment. The
outcomes will now be integrated into four leading principles articulated in Vision 2020. These principles are sustainable development;
socio-economic development; input leading to outcomes; and outcomes leading to impact. The following research
clusters, programmes and foci serve as platform for the research and innovation activities.
Quality of health and living Applied Food Safety and Biotechnology
Sustainable Farming Systems
Applied Health Technology
Environmental Assessment and Management
Biotechnology
People and skills development Socio-Economic Development Studies
Leisure Management
Education (Sub-themes: Health Science Education, General Education,
Service Learning, Vocational Pedagogy)
Research Education
Research clusters and programmes
The University Research and Innovation Committee identified 15 strategic STEM research programmes (2011 to 2013)
to facilitate research and innovation. Benchmarks for strategic research programmes are the number of postgraduate
students enrolled and graduated; the number of post-doctoral fellows; the amount of external funding awarded to the programme;
the number of active researchers; the number of rated researchers; the number of research publications (books,
articles, published conference proceedings and reports); and commercial work. These programmes were integrated into
three research clusters.
CLUSTER
Industrial design,
communication and
development
PROGRAMMES
New Product Development and Design
Evolvable Manufacturing, Automation and Vision Systems
Sustainable Engineering
Energy Management
Water Resource Management
Information and Communication Technology
Based on this approach, the following plan facilitated the development of research and innovation:
Research and Development Plan (2011 to 2013)
FOCUS OBJECTIVE ACTIVITY PROGRESS
Scholarly
development
through research
and innovation
training.
Scholarly engagement
with the research
process and research
cycle.
Pre-doctoral training
Doctoral training
Post-doctoral training
Programme on postgradu
ate supervision
Programme on scientific
writing
Programme on tech
transfer and innovation
Annual faculty research
seminars
Colloquiums and discussion
groups
In total, 16 workshops
were presented and 470
staff and students
attended (cumulative).
The workshops
addressed a variety of
research themes in order
to develop the generic
skills of researchers.
(See Table 5 for detailed
information on the
research and development
workshops.)
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