Kehdinga GF, Exploring Research and Innovation in a South African University (2).pdf (252.11 kB)
Exploring research and innovation in engineering education: the case of a South African University
journal contribution
posted on 2021-11-25, 09:51 authored by Dr. Kehdinga George FomunyamThere has been increase in the global population and
this comes with the need to have a rethink to sustain economic
growth. Research and innovation is an identified avenue which
encompasses several fields of science and technology, such as
engineering, social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences.
This study explored research and innovation in engineering
education using a South African University as a case study.
University of Pretoria was chosen for the case study because this
institution ranks highly among others in engineering discipline.
Findings from the study reveal that in a world shaped by a high
degree of complexity, fluidity and uncertainty, there is a dire need
for research and innovation.. To explore Research and
innovation in engineering education at this university, data was
gathered using the right keywords, and a total of 57 thesis and
dissertation were downloaded and categorized for this study. The
categorization was done using keywords and concepts in the
research topics to ensure uniformity. From the categorization,
seven themes were drawn which are project management,
intelligence and leadership, emerging technologies in pedagogy,
engineering systems and product design, heat and energy,
innovation and knowledge, entrepreneurship and career. The
study concludes that increasing investment in research
innovation remains a vital option to ensure growth and economic
increase. Thus, creating a conducive atmosphere for the conduct
of the discipline and increasing funding for research and
development along that line is paramount.