Page 92 - UniZulu Annual Report 2020

WORKING WITH INDUSTRY
TThe departments that have a credit-bearing WIL as a component of their programmes have a strong and healthy relationship with industry, which not only offers internship positions but also employment opportunities. Examples are the departments of Recreation and Tourism, which have strong connections with the tourism industry, KZN Ezemvelo Wildlife, King Cetshwayo District Municipality and tourism businesses in KwaZulu-Natal and other relevant stakeholders. The Department of Social Work has a strong relationship with the Department of Social Development, the South African National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (SANCA) and Families South Africa (FAMSA). These organisations have accommodated final-year social work students to do WIL. The University, through the Faculty of Commerce, Administration and Law, works with various industries for teaching and learning. These include RBCT and Tronox, Transnet and RBIDZ. In some, MoUs are in existence while some are in progress. The Department of Human Movement Science (HMS) facilitated an MoU between UNIZULU and the Richards Bay Rugby Team. The Department of HMS also has MoUs with Biokinetics practices in the private industry. The industry helps in the evaluation of fourth-year students’ practical work during the June/July holidays. Mathematics in Industry Study Group (MISG) academics, applied mathematicians, graduate students and overseas guests worked collaboratively on research problems submitted by local Industry.
UNIZULU hosted the Mathematics in Industry Study Group (MISG SA) for the first time at KwaDlangezwa Campus from 13-17 January 2020. A number of industry problems were presented by industry representatives. UNIZULU postgraduate students and academics, as well as mathematicians from various institutions, attended the workshop.
Other important strategic partnerships with industry includes the following:
• The Department of Chemistry has more than three
MoUs to accommodate industrial needs so that students are easily absorbed by local industries. The department has three MSc, one Honours and two PhDs employed by the local industries (Foskor, RBM and Tronox).
• Judo South Africa appointed Dr Erasmus in the Department of Human Movement as their coaching course examiner/moderator. Dr Erasmus also joined WITS and Lions Rugby as a contributor to the ‘school sports interest group’.
• The Human Movement Science is a collaborating centre for Asian Journal of Sport Medicine (accredited international Scopus journal).
• The Department of HMS gained HPCSA-accredited Biokinetics practices (Schmidt, Hunter and Van den Heever Biokineticists, Trevor Hutton Biokineticist, Magdel Massyn Biokineticists Inc., Anine vd Westhuizen Biokineticist, and Kerry Wahl Biokineticist) to assist students during November and December to gain additional practical hours (WIL) in order to fulfill HPCSA internship requirements (four weeks).
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND
SERVICE LEARNING
The Community Engagement Unit (CEU) conducted workshops for academics on Community Engagement in teaching and learning as well as an initiative for the University to give back to communities from which it harvested data, information and knowledge. The Unit, in collaboration with the UNIZULU faculties, also conducted information workshops for staff about what CE entails and how it can be implemented in curricula. Important CE activities during the year under review include:
• The Faculty of Science & Agriculture participated in a two- day breakaway hosted by CSIRD in collaboration with CEU. Various sessions were held where the common interests of the CSIRD, CEU, the Umhlatuze Municipality and the four faculties were identified. These common interests were further explored to determine what the strategic priorities for CSIRD and CEU should be in order to facilitate existing UNIZULU outreach programmes and to better contribute to the developmental programmes of the uMhlatuze Municipality.
• Dr Linda has partnered with Scientifeast NGO to offer health talks and education to communities through Zululand, Nongoma Community Radio Stations as well as Ukhozi National Radio FM Station on topics related to food and nutrition, chronic conditions and COVID-19 respectively.
• In the Department of Geography, Dr L.M. Mdoka volunteers as trainer or helper at future Summer Schools across South Africa. Dr LM Mdoka is also part of the Research Data Alliance (RDA) to support the urgent COVID-19 pandemic support. RDA has set up a fast-track working group titled the ‘RDA COVID-19 Working Group’.
• Mr S.P. Dludla in the Department of Agriculture is coordinating a departmental project in Underberg, Melmoth, Vryheid and Jozini on indigenous chickens.
• Dr F. Fon in the Department of Agriculture coordinates a programme on voluntary teaching of Agriculture, Maths and Science subjects at the Gingindlovu Community School Project with Ophindo High School. Dr Fon also
UNIVERSITY OF ZULULAND ANNUAL REPORT 2020
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