Rhodes University officially launched its new Postgraduate Studies Centre (PGSC) yesterday (17 February 2015). Part-time director Professor Heila Lotz-Sisitka said the center is set to enhance the quality of postgraduate studies at Rhodes University.
Addressing the audience she emphasised that “the centre will not be duplicating the work done by the different faculties but it will rather seek to find new areas of practice that can support the work of the faculties.” She said this will be done with the help of the different faculties and heads of departments.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Development, Dr Peter Clayton emphasised the importance of postgraduate studies at Rhodes University.
“Rhodes University has positioned itself as a research-led university. This gives the university much of its intellectual identity, and is accounts for an emphasis on postgraduate education at Rhodes,” he said. “Rhodes already has the best postgraduate completion rate of all South African Universities, but we wish to improve this further, and not be complacent.”
He said the establishment of the Postgraduate Studies Centre is vital in strengthening the postgraduate studies path within the university. “The Centre is a virtual one at the moment, and we plan to build its functionality over the coming years and work towards a physical facility for Postgraduate Support,” added Dr Clayton.
The Postgraduate Studies Centre will focus on academic writing, because it has been highlighted as one of the more urgent demands of post graduate scholars. “Academic writing is a social practice that we all have to learn,” said Prof Lotz-Sisitka.
She added that “the centre should not be viewed as a technical centre for technical activities but rather an academic endeavour that can potentially alert us to some of the more complex dynamics of our scholarship.”
She further said, scholars need to focus on what matters and how to work this out in their societies and amongst themselves within the range of disciplines they inhabit. This would then lead to them learning from each other and producing knowledge of the highest quality for the continent.
The Postgraduate Studies Centre will periodically host a range of activities. These will include student led seminars and also collaborations with the Directorate of Institutional Culture to address issues of curriculum transformation and other dynamics of institutional culture.
The launch celebrated the new centre and at the same time welcomed the postgraduate students. Advising the postgraduates students about the stature of the work they will be producing, the Deans agreed that different input or collaboration is necessary in ensuring that an individual produces high quality work. They also stressed that help is always available when one needs it.
Article by: Nomfundo Lukwe
Picture: Dr Peter Clayton, Prof Lotz-Sisitka, Prof Boughey, Dr Kruger, Prof Martin, Prof Wells, Prof Sewry.