by Kegorapetse | Aug 11, 2021 | SMU Media
Students at our off-campus residences embarked on protest action since Friday 25th June 2021 due to what was considered perennial challenges that had not been addressed over a period of time by the proprietors of these facilities. Among others, the students demands centred on reliable WiFi to ensure full participation in online teaching and learning, CCTV cameras, geysers/hot water, poor mattresses and lack of sufficient washing machines.
Dr. Irene Mohasoa, the ED: Student Affairs has for the past couple of days engaged with the off campus residence management teams in attempts to resolve these challenges. In this regard she received support from the SMU ICT team and the Office of the DVC Research and Post Graduate studies to assist in the diagnosis of the WiFi challenges, and also to provide additional data to our students.
Today the SRC Residence Officer together with student residence representatives from the Heights and Tshwane Varsity Lodge requested the Vice Chancellor to intervene so that there is speedy resolution to the impasse. Subsequently the Vice Chancellor together with the student leadership met with the CEO and Executive Management of the Heights and TVL for an intense meeting on the student demands. Thereafter the team addressed students at these residences in which firm commitment has been promised to address the demands the students, with immediate effect.
In view of the fact that our students have already lost a lot of time following previous protest action on campus, and now this current protest on off campus residences, and the firm commitment from the Management of the Heights and TVL to address the student demands, students have agreed to resume online teaching and learning as from tomorrow Thursday 1st July 2021 with the understanding that commitments will be fulfilled.
On the request from students, the Vice Chancellor has acceded that assessments and any assignments that were due this week be postponed to next week. This is to mitigate against any unforeseen WiFi challenges that are to be fully assessed by Friday.
Issued by the Marketing & Communication
RESUMPTION OF ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES 30 June 2021
by Kegorapetse | Aug 11, 2021 | SMU Media
As a result of the recent suspension of academic activities, the Executive Committee of Senate has approved the following:
- The standard summative assessments in the School of Science & Technology (for both undergraduate and postgraduate students) scheduled to commence on Monday, 19 July 2021, be rescheduled to commence on Monday, 26 July 2021; and
- The standard summative assessments in the School of Health Care Sciences for undergraduate students only scheduled to commence on Monday, 19 July 2021, be rescheduled to commence on Monday, 26 July 2021. However, in the event that a School and the relevant Department decide to proceed with the assessments during the week of 19-21July 2023 for sound academic reasons, the School will communicate the final decision to the affected students at its earliest opportunity.
- The above decisions under (1.1 and 1.2) notwithstanding, all other assessments (of both formative and summative nature) in the other three Schools (Medicine, Pharmacy and Oral Health Sciences) for both undergraduate and postgraduate students will take place in line with the already published and agreed upon timetables, which have been communicated to students already by the respective Schools.
Follow the download below for more details:
Revised Academic Calendar for the Balance of 2021 Academic Year – 16 July 2021
by Kegorapetse | Aug 4, 2021 | All News, Dintshang
The days of some students completing their degrees, only to be faced with the reality of unemployment and the frustrations that come with it, are surely numbered. Thanks to SMU’s Entrepreneurship in Higher Education Community of Practice (EDHE) graduate students finding it hard to get jobs, will be equipped with entrepreneurial skills in order to unleash their creativity to create jobs for themselves and for others.
This ground breaking initiative was recently launched by Prof Eunice Seekoe, deputy chairperson of the National Community of Practice for Entrepreneurial Universities, at the Fire and Ice Hotel, in Pretoria.
In her opening remarks, Prof Seekoe, said “Today marks the beginning of our journey to formalise the Community of Practice (COP) at SMU. The first 120 students of the SMU will be trained as entrepreneurs from tomorrow.”
“The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and Universities South Africa (USAf), with the support of the British Council, made a call to all the universities to position themselves in the global commercialisation of higher education institutions,”.
“Since 2016, the EDHE developed a model to guide universities, in South Africa to respond to a call for transformation to become entrepreneurial. Universities are guided to create an entrepre-neurial ecosystem through establishing communities of Practice. In order to achieve this goal, universities are expected to ensure closer engagement with industry, business, and communities to form a helix model of partnerships. And SMU identified the need to respond to this call”, shed emphasized
Having set the stage, an impressive array of speakers, who are leading lights in their various fields, took to the stage, to speak, at Fire and Ice Hotel, and others joined virtually, via Microsoft teams. The most notable speakers who also spoke were Dr Gwen Ramokgopa, SMU’s own alumna, in her own right but also the Chancellor of the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT). Ramokgopa spoke on the topic ‘National Health Insurance (NHI): Implications and opportunities for entrepreneurs in the health sector.
Ms Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, Member of the Executive Council (MEC) of Gauteng Province addressed the Role of Gauteng Finance and e-government in driving innovation, entrepreneurship, and youth development in Gauteng: opportunities and implications of the 4IR”.
Representing the EDHE at Universities South Africa (USAf) was Dr Nora Clarke, who delivered a virtual talk and spoke about the policy framework and objects of entrepreneurship in higher education.
Mr Saki Zamxaka, from the Gauteng Enterprise Propeller, spoke on the range, scope and criteria for financial and non-financial support programmes and packages.
Dr Irene Mohasoa, SMU’s Director of Student Affairs, addressed Entrepreneurship: Enabler for promoting sustainable development amongst university students.
Ms Gugulethu Dhlamini, SMU EDHE Student representative, spoke about the Past lessons and future expectations in entrepreneurship programme for the student community. She said student expectation is to be empowered with skills that spark entrepreneurial spirit which will enable them to develop problem solving skills to address socioeconomic challenges. She added that experience shows that most successful societies in the world are those that have high rate of entrepreneurship amongst its populations.
Mr Thato Masekoa, SMU SRC President spoke about the role of the SRC spear heading entrepreneurship development. He also pointed out the need to reinforce health sciences skills acquired by students with money management skills, to enable them to be well rounded health professionals.
Mr Kgatso Kobo, NYDA, on the topic, range scope, and criteria for financial and non-financial support programmes and packages by NYDA. He spoke about the need to empower students to see far ahead and be able to see the bigger picture and not be fixated on small petty and small stuff. He called upon the students to conduct their own proper market research, pricing and knowing their competitors. He said NYDA offer funding. But repayment on funding may not be repaid, but NYDA can offset it if and when the beneficiary makes success of the businesses and hires young people.
