Page 50 - DUT Excellence Semester 2

MAGUBANE’S BOOK EXPLORES LOVEIN THE ERA OF
fraud and corruption free higher education system and environment, and South Africa as a whole.”
He took the opportunity to congratulate the team that put the conference together under the able leadership of DUT’s Chief Risk Officer, Sikhuthali Nyangintsimbi.
“As is always the case, organising an international conference is certainly no menial task. I wish this conference fruitful discussions that will generate ideas, that will inspire creativity and innovation,” he said.
Giving a brief background of the conference,Mr Nyangintsimbi stated that as per the DUT ENVISION2030, the university community intended to build mutually beneficial partnerships to help improve lives and livelihoods across society.
He said that DUT was extremely grateful to have such esteemed keynote speakers on board to share their thought leadership perspectives, and expertise, with the delegates.
One of the highlights of Day One was the address by the Chairperson of KPMG South Africa, Professor Wiseman Nkuhlu, who spoke on how KPMG South Africa nearly collapsed in recent years but managed to turn things around.
Liezl Groenwald, (Senior Manager: Organisational Ethics Development, TEI), gave a thought-provoking insight into navigating a whistleblowing maturity curve.
Another segment that provided ‘food for thought’ pertained to the topic of Risks Pertaining to Failure to Commercialise IP within Universities, which was facilitated by Dr Sibanda: Megethos from Legacy Catalyst.
Ms Naomi Ngoasheng, an Intellectual Property Specialist at the National Intellectual Property Management Office (NIPMO), spoke of the role of NIPMO and challenges it faced pertaining to protecting intellectual property (IP).
DUT’s Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation & Engagement, Prof Motaung focused her presentation on how many IPs are filed per year, how many are commercialised, licensed and if students are aware that they can license their IP. She also focused on the ingredients of successful spin-out companies.
“You do need to consider how IP and the ideas which it protects will be applied in the market.They need to be able to form the basis of a sustainable business opportunity which can generate a return for investors. Do your market research early, the proof-of-market is as important as the proof-of-principle,” she remarked.
We must ask ourselves what creativity and innovation could we bring to bear to design a fraud and corruption free higher education system and environment, and South Africa as a whole.
– Professor Thandwa Mthembu
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DURBAN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY