An executive from the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) has called on WSU to place young people front and centre of the institution’s strategic academic research goals as it heads into the future.
In his address to both a live and virtual audience during this year’s edition of WSU’s Research and Innovation Day, DSI Deputy Director-General for Innovation, Dr Mmboneni Muofhe, called on researchers to be exemplary and compassionate in their duties so as to ignite potential and enthusiasm for academia within their students.
“In order for research to prevail and thrive at WSU, we need to foster a culture of interaction – a culture stimulated by bring on board as many stakeholders as possible, especially young people because with them an environment is created where honest and vibrant discussion can be had, critique and criticism without filters is allowed, and an energy to drive the agenda forward is in abundance,” said Dr Muofhe.
He warned the institution against underutilizing the capacity and talent of its students – a lapse that can create a vacuum within the university experience and thus invite a less-than-ideal response from student body seeking to fill the void.
Dr Muofhe staunchly advocated for the empowerment of the youth, launching a clarion call to faculties, departments, units, and directorates to utilize the energy, enthusiasm and drive of students to assist the university, especially regarding research, by going out into public and collecting data; interacting with communities; helping researchers analyse the data; and helping the researchers maximize the ability of technology to assist in research.
“The university needs to come up with a retention plan for students who exhibit talent and skills for research and then create opportunities for them to grow in this space within the confines of its own walls so that they don’t seek greener pastures elsewhere,” he said.
Themed “Forging a new future for research and innovation excellence”, the day saw just over 20 papers being presented which covered fields which included chemistry; indigenous knowledge systems; physics; social sciences; technology; fine art and education.
Only the best research articles were presented on the day following a preliminary round that saw all the four campuses hosting their own Research and Innovation Day activities that witnessed campus-based staff jostling for a spot in the main event.
“This is a culmination of a number of campus-based activities wherein researchers were invited to participate and showcase what they’re doing in terms of research. Today marks an opportunity for researchers to, at a much broader level, share with the university community what research academics are involved in and we trust that this will open doors for development of that research, as well as collaboration amongst the different researchers,” said Prof Mthatha Campus Rector, Prof Mashudu Davhana-Maselesele.
- Thando Cezula