VUT’s Science and Technology Park, located along the N1 and squarely situated within the area identified by the Sedibeng Municipality as the site from which it intends to launch its Infrastructure Master Plan. This positions VUT well to contribute towards Government’s initiatives to stimulate economic activity.
While southern Gauteng is considered to be a rural area, with developing light and medium industrial growth along the R59 in particular, this poses the possibility of bridging from the rural/industrial environment into the urban environment of Johannesburg and northern Gauteng.
“A Science and Technology Park in the southern Gauteng region will provide a point for interaction and integration for complementary agendas of societal stakeholders to contribute towards eradicating poverty and stimulating sustainable livelihoods through resource sharing and support,” says Prof Deon de Beer, Executive Director: Technology Transfer and Innovation Division.
The Park aims to re-energise economic activity within the southern Gauteng region and offer a focal point or concentration point of sustainable business opportunities based on research and development potential. De Beer says, importantly, it creates a networking platform into which applicable and strategic research from the university can be harvested, along with government and industry, for commercialisation or new business opportunities, as well as community and development projects.
“It will allow government to participate in a platform which comprehensively engages new business opportunity development alongside skills for the economy and to demonstrate active support to developing rural small- and medium enterprises.” The industry will also benefit as a Park will create an opportunity for industries to demonstrate sustainable contributions into their Corporate Social Responsibility and especially the Corporate Social Investment Funds.
Industries in the surrounding area can showcase or exhibit new products which they intend to launch into the market or to contribute equipment and products to support the process of stimulating new business ventures. “Industry will gain access to the Vaal University’s experts, including ones established through its international partnership development to continuously stimulate Research and Development through addressing real-world challenges.”
Academics and students will be able to develop their own commercial activities towards creating a societal culture of entrepreneurship and sustainability and to ensure continual relevance and appropriateness of education, training and research. “Potential focus areas that are currently being explored are environmental health and pollution or water purification operations, chemical and bio technology, design, product development and manufacturing,” he adds.
This article originally appeared in the Mail & Guardian newspaper as an advertorial supplement