In a significant academic collaboration funded by the Royal Academy of Engineering through the Higher Education Partnership in Sub – Saraha Africa (HEP SSA), Dr Tabbi Wilberforce Awotwe from King’s College London has joined hands with Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) to revolutionize the automotive sector through project – based learning aimed at producing industry – ready graduates.
The initiative, which aims to bridge the gap between academia and industry, focuses on equipping students with unique opportunities to learn from a distinguished academic and gain valuable insights into the latest trends and practices in the automotive industry. By engaging in project-based learning under guidance from external partnership such as the King’s College London, students will be better equipped to meet the demands of the industry and emerge as industry – ready graduates.
The collaboration between King’s and TUT underscores the importance of international partnerships in enhancing the academic experience and preparing students for a successful career in engineering.
The Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, Dr Grace Mukondeleli Kanakana – Katumba said that the project will have a lasting impact on student’s learning journey as well as “contribute to the development of a skilled workforce ready to tackle the challenges of the modern engineering landscape.”
Students participating in the King’s College and TUT Project-based learning initiative.
Dr Tabbi Wilberforce Awotwe congratulated the students for being innovative and going out of their comfort zones to defy all odds in the development of their various automotive miniature cars. He encouraged them not to sit on their laurels but see this as opportunity and a stepping stone into their future in the world of design and manufacturing. He equally acknowledged the effort of the academic team led by Rouxzeta Van der Merwe from the TUT Department of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering.
Van der Merwe was beaming with excitement on the level of progress made by her students through the adoption of project – based learning as a teaching philosophy.
She said that the level of passion exhibited by the students and how their engagement, particular for this project, deviated from the norm. She thanked all the partners for the exposure given to her and the students to learn something new.
The project has other collaborators from Durban University of Technology, University of South Africa, Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), Aston University and University of Warwick.
Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment staff and students
participating in the King’s College and TUT Project-based learning initiative