Page 83 - Research Awards Brochure

The teams consists of Masters students who benefit from the interaction with the community not only in terms of clinical experience but learning to network and interact with the various different role players within communities. The community, NGO, NPO, sports clubs, corporates, schools,
churches and many others that submit requests and provide a link person as part of the organisation of the outreach project(s). Many of these representatives are volunteers that give of their time to enable this interaction between the DUT and the many communities that this project interfaces with.
Name of Project
Igniting COIL
Project Leader
Dr Lavern Samuels
Dr Lavern Samuels is a dental surgeon and medical scientist with a special interest in oral medicine and broader public health. Currently, he serves as the Director of International Education and Partnerships (IEP) at the Durban University of Technology (DUT). He was the Senate Representative on the University Council and the Council EXCO
for 16 years. He is also the immediate past Chairperson of the DUT Institutional Forum, a position he held for 14 years. Dr Samuels is the Vice-President, President Elect and immediate past Chairperson of the Directors Forum of the International Education Association of South Africa (IEASA). In addition, he is the current Vice-Chair and Chair Elect of the Southern African Nordic Centre (SANORD), a consortium of 60 universities across 15 countries from the Southern African and Nordic regions. Dr Samuels is also a member of the steering committee of the International Virtual Exchange Consortium (IVEC) and represents South Africa on the Network of International Education Associations (NIEA), the peak global body for international education associations.
Project Team Member(s)
Dr Savo Heleta, Dr Penny Orton, Ms Philiswa Mncube, Ms Divinia Jithoo
RESEARCH AND INNOVATION AWARD 2022 83