The Fundani Unit recently hosted a high-level delegation of American experts in diversity best practice.
The visit from Diversity Abroad was arranged by Dr Misiwe Katiya a senior lecturer in Academic Staff Development at CPUT after she interacted with many of the experts during conference visits to the US in 2015 and 2016.
Katiya says sharing stories with her US guests and Fundani colleagues made her realise that CPUT can do much more to make our classrooms, offices and shared learning environments more welcoming to the diverse group of staff and students we service.
Katiya runs Xhosa language classes and heads the Teaching and Development committee so is at the forefront of the challenges facing lecturers and students alike.
“Diversity is not a concept of BEE and ticking boxes, it is about true multiculturalism in language, race, gender, internationalisation and ultimately it’s about making CPUT a more inclusive space for all who inhabit it,” she says.
The delegation from Diversity Abroad are professionals from a variety of US educational institutions, government agencies and NGO’s. They also visited Stellenbosch University and UCT during the visit.
Katiya hopes to launch a CPUT version of the delegation made up of like-minded individuals who are passionate about advancing diversity and greater emphasis on inclusiveness.
Contact Katiya at katiyam@cput.ac.za if you are interested in sharing ideas on the topic.
