On behalf of your co-host, the Central University of Technology (CUT), may I welcome all the delegates of the October 2016 IAUP Semi-annual Meeting to be held in Cape Town, South Africa.

At the outset, I must thank the IAUP President, Prof Toyoshi Satow, the Secretary-General, Prof Alvaro Romo, and the rest of their team for having been so generous to award Africa this opportunity to host a semi-annual meeting after it was last hosted in Morocco, North Africa in 2011. This proves beyond doubt that the IAUP leadership is serious about bringing on board university presidents from all over the world, especially from our great continent, Africa.

This semi-annual meeting is co-hosted by CUT and our sister university, the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) based in Cape Town at the southern tip of Africa. I must also thank my colleague, Dr Prins Nevhutalu, for his generosity, too, for agreeing to co-host this semi-annual meeting. In addition, the South African Technology Network (SATN), a network of universities of technology in South Africa including the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST), is a major partner in all this. Thanks to the Chairman of the SATN, Prof Mashupye Kgaphola, for an equally generous partnership.

SATN will be hosting its annual conference at the same venue as the semi-annual meeting a few days before the latter starts on 14 October 2016. This is deliberate. Given how far the IAUP delegates will be travelling to get to South Africa, we felt they could also benefit from attending the SATN conference. Some of the delegates will present papers and participate in panel discussions. As usual, the IAUP programme consists of a session that allows for presentations and deeper engagement amongst the delegates beyond the business of the IAUP. The focus of that session will be on internationalisation and partnership building amongst our universities. There will also be an opportunity to learn more about our higher education system and the SATN itself.

More than just the SATN conference, of course, making the IAUP semi-annual meeting a rejoinder of sorts to the SATN conference also gives delegates more time in our historical and beautiful city of Cape Town. We deliberately chose to host the conference in this city because it is a must-see for anyone who visits South Africa. What can I say about the Cape Town experience that awaits your arrival? Standing on top of Table Mountain, a World Heritage Site that the city is perched around, you will see Robben Island, another World Heritage Site, just off the coast. This is where our beloved former President Nelson Mandela spent close to two decades of his life in prison. There are many other places on interest, including, of course, wine, wine, wine!

May I, therefore, take this opportunity to welcome all the members of the IAUP community and other presidents of universities from the rest of Africa to the 14-17 October 2016 IAUP semi-annual meeting? You cannot afford to miss this one!

Thandwa Mthembu

IAUP Regional Chair: Southern Africa

The programme for spouses of delegates attending the 2016 IAUP Semi-Annual Meeting includes exciting visits to some of Cape Town’s best tourist attractions, including the iconic Table Mountain, Robben Island, and Victoria and Alfred Waterfront.

The programme for the 2016 IAUP Semi-Annual Meeting includes a variety of business meetings and panel discussions, as well as exciting visits to some of Cape Town’s best tourist attractions, including the iconic Table Mountain.

Registration

Registration for the International Association of University Presidents Semi-Annual Meeting, which will take place from Thursday, 13 October 2016 to Saturday, 15 October 2016, is officially open.

Registration closes on 30 September 2016, the costs for registration are:

• $850 (including accommodation)
• $650 (excluding accommodation)
• $550 (accompanying person)

The above fees have been reduced, after further negotiations with local suppliers.

To register please visit our registration page at: https://fd2.formdesk.com/millennium/IAUP

For registration enquiries, please contact Ansu Colditz at ansuc@millenniumtravel.co.za

Accommodation

The Lagoon Beach Hotel is one of Cape Town’s premier business and leisure destinations.

Located in Lagoon Beach, the hotel has direct beach access, offering guests’ uninterrupted views of the Atlantic Ocean, Table Mountain and Robben Island.

The hotel features a wide variety of accommodation options, ranging from contemporary decorated suites to fully-equipped apartments.

Facilities include three restaurants – the Brasserie, Wang Thai and La Mizu beach bar. Guests also have access to a beach-side and roof-deck pool, gym, spa, lounge areas, laundry services and complimentary parking.

The hotel is located 20 km from the Cape Town International Airport and approximately 7 km from Cape Town’s central business district and the V & A Waterfront

For more information, please see: www.lagoonbeachhotel.co.za

Weather

October falls within the spring season in South Africa, thus delegates can expect temperatures of approximately 21 degree Celsius at the warmest point of the day. Evenings are much cooler, with temperatures reaching up to 11 degree Celsius.

Internet Access

Complimentary internet access will be provided at the Lagoon Beach Hotel.

Thursday, October 13 – Welcome Dinner

Delegates will officially be welcomed to the International Association of University Presidents Semi-Annual Meeting at a Welcome Diner that will take place at the renowned Cape Town Hotel School restaurant.  Situated on the Granger Bay Campus of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, the restaurant offers sweeping views of the Atlantic Ocean.

The restaurant is a choice venue for sophisticated occasions and is operated by hospitality management students, with the guidance of instructors. The Cape Town Hotel School is hailed by industry as the leader of hospitality education on the African continent.

Friday, October 15 – Table Mountain Excursion

Situated in the heart of the city, Table Mountain is Cape Town’s most notable landmark. A top tourist destination, this flat-topped mountain can be accessed via rotating cable cars, allowing visitors to enjoy the wonderful views of Cape Town, the ocean, and beyond.

Friday, October 15 – Richard’s Bistro

Be prepared to be entertained at Richard’s Bistro, a popular venue offering a unique dinner theatre experience. Located in the hip district of Sea Point, delegates will gain insight into the history of Cape Town through talented artists performing a variety of shows, ranging from comedy to cabaret.

Saturday, October 16 – Wine Farm/ Wine Tasting

The Western Cape’s wine region is internationally renowned for producing some of the world’s best wines. Delegates will have the opportunity to visit the Constantia Valley wine region, which is the oldest wine producing region in the southern hemisphere. During the visit to wine farms, delegates can participate in wine tasting.

Saturday, October 16 – Gold Restaurant

The International Association of University Presidents Semi-Annual Meeting will culminate at Gold Restaurant, which is situated in the centre of Cape Town.  An evening at this renowned establishment is the ideal way to end a trip to South Africa. Delegates will be transported to the heart of Africa through traditional entertainment as well as a 14 course African inspired menu.

Cape Town is one of the world’s premier tourist destinations. Visitors are spoiled for choice with exceptional restaurants, breath-taking views, and unique attractions.

Table Mountain

Situated in the heart of the city, Table Mountain is Cape Town’s most notable landmark. This flat-topped mountain can be accessed via rotating cable cars, allowing visitors to enjoy the sweeping views of the city.

V&A Waterfront

With more than 450 retail outlets, the V&A Waterfront is a shopper’s paradise. Situated at a working harbor, it is one of South Africa’s most visited destinations, attracting more than 23 million visitors a year.

Robben Island

Robben Island is one of the most significant sites in South Africa, having housed South Africa’s first democratic president, the late Nelson Mandela, as well as other notable political prisoners who fought against the apartheid government.  Situated approximately 9 km offshore from Cape Town, the island is a World Heritage Sites.

Cape Winelands

Boasting rolling vineyards and award-wining wine farms, a visit to the Cape Winelands is a must

The winelands are divided into several regions, with the most popular being Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, Paarl, Wellington and the Constantia Valley.

Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden

Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden is regarded as the most beautiful garden on the Africa continent. Set against the eastern slopes of Cape Town’s Table Mountain, the botanical gardens is a must see for any visitor to the region.

Cape Point

Cape Point is the one of the top tourist attractions in Cape Town, as it is the most south-westerly tip of Africa.   Visitors can take a walk up to the lookout point or the Flying Dutchman funicular, in order to enjoy the spectacular views of the ocean, beaches and surrounding hills.

The Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) is the only university of technology in the Western Cape and is the largest higher education institution in the region.

The institution was established on 1 January 2005, when the Cape Technikon and Peninsula Technikon merged. This merger was part of a national transformation process that transformed the higher education landscape in South Africa.

The University has six faculties focused on Applied Sciences, Business and Management Sciences, Education, Informatics and Design, Engineering and Health and Wellness Sciences. CPUT also plays a leading role in the provision of work- integrated learning and service learning opportunities for its students.

The University offers more than 70 career-focused courses and has infrastructure that includes, apart from the two main campuses in Bellville and Cape Town, the Granger Bay Campus with a hotel school and restaurant next to the world-renowned V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, as well as various campuses in Mowbray, Wellington, Athlone, Worcester, George and the two major hospitals in the region.

It is home to a vibrant and cosmopolitan student and staff community, boasting an enrollment of more than 33 000 students and just over 6 000 staff members.

Its research culture and history spans almost two decades and focuses on applied and problem solving research which is responsive to regional, national and continental needs.

Since its establishment the institution is making excellent progress in strengthening its research capacity with the establishment of a number of research and innovation centers, technology stations, and also boasts a large number of rated researchers and research chairs.

One of its most notable achievements in the past decade is the launch of Africa’s first nanosatellite, TshepisoSAT, which took place in November 2013. The nanosatellite was designed and manufactured by postgraduate students enrolled in the Satellite Engineering Programme at the University’s French South African Institute of Technology.

Visit www.cput.ac.za

The Central University of Technology (CUT) is the foremost higher education institution in the heartland of South Africa, dedicated to quality education and training in science, engineering and technology.

Situated in Bloemfontein, the capital city of the Free State Province, CUT was formerly known as the Technikon Free State, which was established in 1981.  However, with changes in the higher education landscape, CUT along with several other former technikons embraced its new status as a University of Technology on 26 March 2004.

Today, CUT has developed into a leading institution, which has taken its place on the national and international higher education landscape.

The University offers a wide range of qualifications in its four faculties, namely Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, Faculty of Health and Environmental awareness Sciences, Faculty of Management Sciences, and Faculty of Humanities.

Selected learning programmes are also offered at CUT’s Welkom Campus and Kimberley Regional Learning Centre.  Learning programmes in Kimberley are offered in conjunction with the Northern Cape Higher Education Institute.  CUT has also become renowned for distance education.  Through the utilisation of modern technology, a selected number of learning programmes can also be pursued electronically via the internet.

The University also boasts a thriving research and innovation culture.  As a university of technology, all research programmes are directed at solving problems in business, industry, and government, and are aimed at contributing to the socio-economic development of the region.

In 2011 the institution celebrated its 30th year of technological innovation – soaring to 2020. The milestone is a reflection of the university’s pursuit of quality education and academic excellence.

Visit www.cut.ac.za