The usual is that departments and faculties prepare for the following year much later in the year. This year the Faculty of Natural Sciences’ Executive Committee (Exco) convened on 1 November 2023, to address crucial matters related to the enhancement of programmes within the faculty. This was the preparation for the 2024 academic year. The Dean of the faculty, Professor Roger Coopoosamy, said the meeting “entailed discussions over a broad array of topics that impact on the core business of the institution. The SoP’s for programme development towards a vertical articulation were discussed to provide a uniform understanding of the processes to follow”.
Professor Coopoosamy said that the faculty aimed to implement some of the decisions taken at the meeting in their teaching with technology, and at the same time to augment the hybrid mode of teaching and learning. He also said that amidst the different agenda items discussed, the intentional use of technology as a mode of deliverance was noted. Professor Coopoosamy said they decided that they would create public platform knowledge on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a teaching tool. “The discussions around the use of AI technology brought out avenues of advancement in the teaching space, and at the same time ensures that we as academics keep abreast of technological development in enticing the younger brain to excel in the academic space. AI is changing every day. We need to prepare ourselves to be in tune with these changes and developments,” said Professor Coopoosamy.