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Mangosuthu University of Technology Annual Report
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activities to the event, the University was able to reach out
to schools servicing other races outside Umlazi such as in
Chatsworth which is a predominantly Indian area. Learners
in the area were sensitised about the importance of literacy.
These activities resulted in the Dawn Ridge Primary School
organising their own ILD on the 11th of September 2015.
Furthermore, the Chatsworth Rotary Club in collaboration
with MUT and eThekwini Municipality organised a clean
–up campaign at Sunset Avenue in Chatsworth which was
held on the 25th of September 2015.
Student Volunteerism
There was a marked increase in a number of MUT student
volunteers participating in various activities during the
second quarter of 2015. Forty-five students volunteered
as follows: one student assisted in the food processing
training of Dexter and Matu Zama Agricultural Academy
with the assistance of MUT’s Department of Community
Extension Department; five students developed a website
for a community-based organisation; five students offered
computer training tutorials for educators; ten students
were involved in IKAMVA Youth Organisation activities;
four students volunteered at the Natural Science Museum
and twenty participated in the career assessment
conducted by MUT’s Student Counselling Unit.
5.6 Significant Developments And
Achievements In Work-Integrated
Learning
Cooperative Education is a philosophy of learning that
promotes the concept of enhanced learning based on
cooperation between education institutions on the one
hand and industry, commerce and the public sector on
the other (HEQC, June 2004:40). Through Cooperative
Education, students are able to embark on Work-
Integrated Learning or Service Learning. Work-Integrated
Learning is a programme that integrates academic learning
with industry-based learning that is monitored, assessed
and evaluated. Service Learning is a “course-based,
credit-bearing educational experience in which students
participate in an organised service activity that meets
identified community needs and reflect on the service
activity in such a way as to get further understanding of the
course content, a broader appreciation of the discipline,
and an enhanced sense of civic responsibility” (Bringle
and Hatcher: 1995, 113).
At Mangosuthu University of Technology, Cooperative
Education is seen as one of the programmes that
contribute to the enhancement of student employability
through the following objectives:
•
Offering work readiness programmes to all students;
•
Increasing the number of programmes requiring
Work Integrated Learning;
•
Increasing the number of programmes that require
Service-Learning; and
•
Increasing the number of industry, parastatals,
NGO’s and other relevant partnerships established
with the focus on student employability and
placement;
The Cooperative Education highlights for 2015 are
mentioned below:
Institutionalisation of theWork Readiness Programme (P0)
For MUT, the work readiness of our students has been
set as one of the vehicles to set our students apart and
therefore enhance their employability. Historically, P0
was not timetabled, was not included in the academic
system of the institution and did not include employability
skills training for the students. A lot of effort was put
into changing this situation. To this end, processes to
institutionalise P0 took priority in 2015. By the end of 2015,
the following had been achieved:
a)
The roll-out of the Employability Improvement
Programme took place in earnest. The Employability
Improvement Programme (EIP) is a work readiness
programme that teaches students soft skills that are
required by industry across all disciplines. It is rolled
out as an initiative that resulted from a partnership
between the Department of Higher Education
and Training (DHET) and the Japan International
Cooperation Agency (JICA). MUT is only one of two
UoTs in the country that have commenced with the
roll-out of the programme.
b)
P0 was included in the timetable of 7 academic
programmes. This means that the programme now
has a specific timeslot in the weekly schedule of the
institution.
c)
A comprehensive learner guide for the P0 has been
drawn and it now includes approximately 6 weeks
of EIP training for students in preparation for their
engagement with industry.
d)
P0 will, as from July 2016, be included in the
academic system and will, appear in a student’s
academic transcript.
Training Partnerships
Work-Integrated Learning partnerships are crucial
for the attainment of qualifications in most academic
programmes in a university of technology. As a result,
the establishment of such partnerships is one of the
objectives of the institution’s operational plan. In 2015,
17 partnerships were in place. Significant partnerships
created in 2015 are those we created with various funding
agencies. Through these particular partnerships Work-
Integrated Learning placement opportunities were
created in industry, resulting in 346 students benefiting
and thus completing their qualifications.