/ 18 March 2016

Historic milestones and research projects at VUT

A VUT student conducts research in the library
A VUT student conducts research in the library

In 2016, the Vaal University of Technology (VUT) celebrates its 50th anniversary. A series of celebratory events are being planned to mark this historic milestone.

VUT was established as a College for Advanced Technical Education in 1966. It later became Vaal Triangle Technikon, from 1979-2003. 

The Technikon Act of 1993 empowered the university to confer technikon degrees at three levels: bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral. With the advent of the new higher education landscape in 2004, the institution was granted the status of a university of technology and accordingly changed its name to VUT.

Research Enterprise 

The research environment at VUT has shown signs of maturing every year, and we are extremely excited to be a part of this development.

As a research development team we remain committed to supporting the staff and students in developing their capacity to enhance their research.

The nature of research at our institution, too, is maturing. Systematic investments into infrastructure as well as student scholarships to enable full-time studying clearly indicate the university’s commitment to creating support structures that enable an advanced research culture.

Centre for Alternative Energy 

The focus of the research at the Centre for Alternative Energy is to supply small rural communities in South Africa and Africa with sustainable electricity independent of national electricity grids. 

Rural and informal communities suffer many drawbacks as a result of not having adequate electricity supply, and our research attempts to combat these.

New technologies are being developed and implemented, including advanced solar energy harvesting; 3D printing of fuel cell membranes; additive manufacturing techniques for fuel cell components such as flow plates; low pressure hydrogen storage techniques; and control technology for fuel cell operation.

Centre for Renewable Energy and Water 

The Centre for Renewable Energy and Water (Crew) at VUT was created in 2013 to address the many water management challenges South Africa and the world face.

Efforts to meet challenges such as sanitation, clean water provision and affordable energy are constrained by a lack of skills and natural resources that are being depleted by population growth. 

Scientists at Crew have adopted a strategy aimed at creating more with less. At the centre of this strategy is the use of low-cost materials, solar energy and technologies based on regional and/or site-specific conditions. 

Crew has partnered with the local government’s Energy and Water Seta, the Water Research Commission and international collaborators, and is presently running four major projects.

Science and technology hub 

VUT Southern Gauteng Science and Technology Park (referred to as the Science Park) is a strategic technology hub established in 2012 with the vision of becoming a leading institution that makes a significant contribution to the wealth and wellbeing of people in the southern Gauteng region. 

The business model drives impact through the Enterprise Development Centre, which works with the Small Enterprise Development Agency and industry partners to offer training, intellectual property management and incubation support to entrepreneurs so they can develop sustainable enterprises. 

Teaching and learning at VUT

VUT has ambitious plans to support the development of blended learning. A new e-learning unit was established to drive the implementation and development of the learning management system. 

The intention is to keep the unit small, with specialised staff who can make a definite impact. A new staff member was employed in 2014 and a further three will be employed in 2016 to implement the system. 

E-learning fosters increased student success and throughput rates and goes hand-in-hand with blended learning at VUT, which is gaining momentum among students and lecturers who are committed to best teaching and learning practices. 

This portfolio reports to the deputy vice-chancellor, academic and research through the Centre for Academic Development.