Page 9 - Annual Report A4

Steering Committee Deputy Vice Chancellor Research

Chairperson Remarks Innovation and Engagement

Remarks

The university prides itself as being the

peoples university that makes knowledge
work. The high unemployment rate in the

country and the skyrocketing statistics
for our young people present a fertile

opportunity for TUT to engage with research,
teaching and learning at postgraduate level

and innovation for commercialisation in a
radically different manner.

The Gibela partnership in establishment

of this research chair to embody the
social compact universities need to be

creating with industries is an example
that needs to be replicated across the
DR. VATHISWA PAPU-ZAMXAKA
DEPUTY VICE CHANCELLOR
RESEARCH, INNOVATION AND
ENGAGEMENT

various faculties. The development of technologies that speak to the localisation of

manufacturing will create not just job opportunities but entrepreneurial vessels that will
accelerate the eradication of poverty while solving the country’s transport challenges.

The multi-partner approach including merSETA, SEDA, TETA, NRF, just to mention a few

complementary allies, have seen to leveraging much value for the research enterprise.
Without a doubt the mission of advancing social and economic transformation through

relevant postgraduate curricula, impactful research and engagement, quality learning
experiences at postgraduate level has been realised. The dedicated staff from the Gibela

Research Chair (GRC) steering committee, management committee to the research
assistants in this chair has gone beyond being an enabling environment but an ideal to be

replicated even in the global South to create the research, innovation and commercialisation
impact needed globally to address unemployment, poverty and inequality in our life time.

RESEARCH CHAIR IN MANUFACTURING AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT ANNUAL REPORT 2021/22 5