A lecturer in the Information Technology Department is currently flying the CPUT flag high in Sweden where she is conducting her PhD research at Chalmers University of Technology.
Nelisa Freitas, who lectures quantitative techniques and accounting at CPUT, is the first PhD guest from the African continent at the Department of Mathematics and Statistics.
This move became possible after Freitas was awarded the Research Development Grant in December by the Department of Higher Education and Training. The grant is intended to encourage universities to enhance research capacity and improve research throughput by focussing on developing the research capabilities of their academic staff.
The funds are channelled towards the development of junior academic staff to enable them to become qualified and competent researchers by obtaining higher qualifications.
Freitas has been in Sweden since last December and is due to present her research work later this month, which focuses on an intervention to enhance the mathematics capability of first year IT students at a university of technology
As part of her PhD research, Freitas interviewed Dr Tommy Gustafsson from Chalmers University of Technology who has been heading a successful foundation programme called Tesknikt Basår for 20 years. Gustafsson’s course is focused on improving students’ skills in mathematics, biology, physics, project management or chemistry.
Students following the course are those who want to improve their chances of being accepted in IT courses at Chalmers or students who want to join other programmes Swedish universities.
Freitas will return to CPUT next semester.
