The Vaal University of Technology (VUT) has made significant strides and is aggressively researching avenues for green energy. To this end our academics from the Technology Station has also been privileged to have been part of the Climate Talks at the COP17 Summit with exhibits on the latest wind turbines technology.

VUT is committed to research and development resulting in several approved research focus areas that are currently underway. This has led to international collaboration agreements for staff and student exchange programmes to advance research, innovation and partnerships. VUT is working at a pace that sets us apart from other institutions of higher learning.

The participation of VUT chemistry research group in the NanoAfrica 2012 conference that took place at the University of Free State, Bloemfontein gave rise to awarding of South African Nanotechnology Initiative (SANI) committee to VUT as the host of the next and 5th international conference in Africa in the year 2014. The conference had good attendance from scientists who gave presentations on nanotechnology from all over the world. VUT had six participants, two staff members (M.J Moloto and T. Xaba) and four MTech students (T.Thema, S.B Sibokoza, D.S More and M.H Chiloane) under Prof. Moloto’s leadership, who gave a talk on some of the research outcomes from his projects in nanotechnology.

There are an estimated 1 billion persons with disability living throughout the world today and many of those live in extreme poverty, experience hunger, lack of basic healthcare education. These issues are compounded by discrimination and stigma, as well as harsh physical environments and poor infrastructure which hinder persons with disabilities in gaining access to fundamental services. At-risk women, children and minorities with disabilities, whether displaced by natural disaster, war or conflict, compete with other victims for goods and services and as a consequence, suffer two-fold.

Our proud culture of being first in leading edge technology is what sets us apart from the pack. As a University of Technology, it is initiatives such as the French-South African Schneider Electric Education Centre that makes us proud to be uniquely positioned at the southern tip of Gauteng, yet offer opportunities beyond our boarders to encompass the globe. This engagement will stem into various other opportunities for research coloration as an institution of higher learning and other Schneider developments.