consultancy and thus enhance the capacity of CBU to contribute to national human resource and economic development. The Project was designed with intent to transform the University’s teaching and research as reflected in the four research thematic strands. The five Project Objectives are as follows: 1. To develop, review and offer socially and economically relevant programs through staff training and curriculum reform 2. To improve the capacity of CBU to develop and deliver quality teaching and learning in accordance with international standards 3. To enhance quality research and consultancy by strengthening organizational and human capacity in the five academic areas 4. Gender mainstreaming in educational programs, staff training, teaching and learning, and in research and consultancy HEART PROJECT NEWSLETTER 2013 1. What is the HEART Project? The Project aims to ‘strengthen Higher Education and Research Training’ at Copperbelt University, thus the acronym HEART. It is a Dutch-funded (NUFFIC-NICHE) project to the tune of 1,591, 200 Euros and is being implemented during 2011-2014 with three partners: VU University Amsterdam and Wageningen University and Research Centre in the Netherlands and the Stellenbosch University in South Africa. 5. To develop labour market oriented curricula, training programs, knowledge skills, and demand-driven research and consultancy aligned with needs of industry and other segments of the Zambian economy Objective 1 and 3 are linked to to the four thematic areas of: (a) economic and entrepreneurship, (b) mathematical modeling and statistics, (c) mining and mineral processing, and (d) environmental and chemical engineering. Four Schools of Business, Mines and Mineral Processing, Mathematics and Natural Sciences, and of Natural Resources are more directly targeted. Objectives 2, 4, and 5 are broader and encompass the whole institution. CBU administrative block. The project is designed to improve the capacity of the CBU to develop and provide quality and relevant education programmes, practical research and 2. What is the value added? These five objectives should produce a number of concrete results by at the end of the project:  Links between CBU and relevant industries and market parties in four focus areas  Links between CBU, Dutch and South African universities  6 CBU lecturers trained at PhD level, 4 at Masters, and others undertaking tailor-made training in topics such a gender mainstreaming  Quality Assurance instruments developed and implemented  Firm institutional positions of Quality Assurance, and Continuous Professional Development in the Centre for Academic Development  Entrepreneurial skills and corporate social responsibility integrated into CBU and its academic programmes  A significant number of research projects, publications and consultancy in the four focus areas  Research equipment and textbook provision. 3. Who makes up the local Project team? The team is supervised by the Deputy Vice Chancellor and is comprised of the following members coordinating various sub-projects: Administrative arrangements  Dr. Exhildah Kasumu, Subproject 4 ‘Gender Mainstreaming’  Prof. John Lungu, Subproject 5 ‘Labour market and Entrepreneurship’ Mrs. Petronella Nyembele coordinates all logistics for the missions and provides administrative and secretarial services to the Project. The manager and three sub-coordinators of the HEART Project also serve in the University as the Coordinators of Research Groups. These are organised into four thematic groups that reflect the desire to promote collaboration and multidisciplinary teaching and research. The thematic groups have been reformulated as follows:     Mining, Engineering and Built Environment Environment, Medical and Natural Sciences Economics and Entrepreneurship Mathematical Modelling Prof. Glasswell Nkonde, Project Manager 4. How is research being enhanced? Mrs. Petronella Nyembele, Project Secretary Mr. Kanyanta Muyangwa, Project Accountant Subprojects and coordinators  Prof. Overson Shumba, Subproject 1 ‘Curriculum and educational programme innovations’  Prof Patrick Azere Phiri, Subproject 2 ‘Teaching, Learning and Centre for Academic Development’  Prof. Frank Tailoka, Subproject 3 ‘Research and Consultancy’ The HEART project has infused specialist research equipment that will significantly enhance capacity for research and graduate teaching. The following specialist research equipment has been received and is meant to be accessible to all researchers and Schools:         HEART Project vehicle – Reg. No. ALD 3844 Camfar Software Broad Communications – Survey equipment Carbolite equipment Autoclave equipment Rover & PSION Controller (Survey equip.) Labogene Safety cabinet 160 books ordered for participating schools (SMMS, SMNS & SNR). These arrived in April 2013. While the HEART Project was designed around the four schools Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Business, Natural Resources, Mines and Mineral Sciences, the equipment and education and training is meant to benefit all Schools in the University. . 5. HEART supports development of expertise in the University The HEART Project complements the University Staff Development Policy and thus contributes towards development of needed expertise through graduate studies. Four Doctoral students are in various stages of their field work and research by institution and progress update. Stellenbosch University PhD (Modelling of industrial processes): Mrs Baweni Mtonga and Mr Mwandawande Ikukumbita started their studies mid-July 2011. Now in their 2 nd year of the 3 year programme, their PhD research proposals have passed successfully all required levels at Stellenbosch and their research is going well VU University Amsterdam PhD (Entrepreneurship): Mr Mwansa Chabala and Mr Progress Choongo started in February 2012 in a sandwich programme. Following 5 months of studies and preparing the research proposal, they began with identifying the research population and preparing the first round of field work in July 2012. Good progress is reported by their supervisors. Wageningen University Research PhD (Natural resources, fisheries and forestation): Mrs Justina Ngoma and Mrs Concilia Tembo started in February 2012. They returned to Zambia for an initial round of field work in August 2012. By the end of the year their equipment needs had been finalised. The HEART Project supports fieldwork by topping up University support ($5000) to a maximum of 3000 euros. In addition, specialist equipment for current doctoral students will enhance research capacity in the University. Departments and Schools benefit from injection of specialist research equipment previously not in the University, e.g,:   Dendrochronology analytic equipment Fish tanks Mr. Benjamin Mubemba recently joined the University of Pretoria to pursue the MSc Veterinary Science (Tropical Diseases). 6. Centre for Academic Development (CAD) For two years, Carmen Peters of VU University Amsterdam has been involved in preparations for establishing the Centre for Academic Development with the Director, Prof Patrick Phiri. With a view to training future CAD trainers, two workshops on didactical skills and active learning were conducted at CBU for groups of about 18 – 20 lecturers. In addition, three teams of these (6 at a time) came to the Netherlands for a 1-week workshop on teaching and learning and curriculum development. Further involvement of the VU team will contribute to sustaining the adopted teaching techniques and the development of a quality assurance system at CBU. The CAD now occupies this block, once the inaugural home of the School of Graduate Studies. Under the Directorship of Prof. Patrick Azere Phiri, the CAD conducts various internal professional development workshops. From 18th to 24th March 2013, Dr. Carmen Peters supported teaching and learning workshops conducted in the newly assigned premises of the CAD. In all 37 lecturers attended. Prof. Phiri says “It is exciting to see very good participation and leadership from the academics who travelled to the Netherlands for training in curriculum development. Dr. Peters has assured participants completing the curriculum workshops with CAD will be awarded Certificates”. 7. Capacity enhancement required for Mathematics Department The Mathematics Department identifies challenges and solutions as lying in capacity enhancement. Use of ICT in University Mathematics and in particular the use of simulation software, financial modelling and Econometrics, use of neural-network (Non-linear) techniques in modelling, environmental modelling including water resources forecasting and climate change, and statistical modelling focussing among others on quality education and school effectiveness, road traffic, and in poverty and health issues. 8. Anticipated missions by external experts In 2013, several expert missions are expected to support capacity development in several areas. So far the following are confirmed. The first series of workshop gave an opportunity for self-assessment (audit) of the staff who attended. Issues already highlighted for further training are:  making balanced tests and exams based on Blooms’ taxonomy using the right level of questioning  improving course outlines based on a model example from the School of Business.  Using interactive boards in teaching. Further training needs will surface at each workshop. The CAD programme and team of facilitators will address these, so improving teaching and learning on campus, supported by policies in schools or CBU.  Project Support (Clair Jacobs, May 2013)  Gender Policy and Mainstreaming (June 2013)  Environmental modelling, climate change, hydrological research methods, extractive mining activities, and statistical modelling tools and open source software such as ‘R’ and GIS tools (July 2013, Erik Querner, Alterra Institute)  Modelling, curriculum and biodiversity (October 2013, Bob Planque, VU) 9. Completion of 2012 annual report The 2012 annual report has been successfully completed and due for submission to NUFFIC in May 2013. So far the Project is on track to deliver its terms of reference as reflected above. 10. HEART Project External Audit Mr. Muyangwa is in charge of project finances, monitoring and reporting, variance analysis and arranging external audits at year end. The Heart Project had a total amount of eligible costs of €163,108 over the period 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2012. In February-March 2013, Grant Thornton Chartered Accountants conducted an audit of the HEART Project and reported. The external auditors expressed the opinion that the external funds provided have been used in accordance with conditions of relevant financing agreements, the project activity document and for the purposes for which the financing was provided. be handling for the upcoming academic year (beginning approximately two weeks from then). Discovering university teaching I am very excited and looking forward to my first day in class and as a lecturer. I scrounge around to look for the school handbook so as to acquaint myself with the content of the material. I manage to find one dated 2010 and seems to be the latest edition. I am quite disappointed with my discoveries. On the content of my course is just a title, a few lines on the contents, 3 recommended books (of which are not available in the library) and nothing on how I should conduct my classes or lecture. I ask the people around me and I am told that everyone just teaches using their own technique and that I should just ensure I teach and produce results at the end of the academic year. This was the experience that I first had when I started lecturing at the Copperbelt University and I knew there was something wrong with this kind of approach and that something needed to be done about it. Little did I know the great opportunities that awaited me in my professional career from the Heart Project under the then Academic Development Centre (ADC) now Centre for Academic Development (CAD). 11. Personal reflections on value added? Early impact of pedagogical training Ms. Yaki C. Namiluko, I was invited to attend a workshop on pedagogical skills training facilitated by Carmen Peters from the Netherlands and a lot of knowledge and skills came out from this workshop and a new flicker of hope and enthusiasm was triggered off in my mind as I now had a new positive outlook to my professional career. Lecturing could be exciting after all for both the lecturer and the student. Ms. Yaki C. Namiluko, School of Natural Resources reflects on the Pedagogical Training experiences I have just been employed by the Copperbelt University as a Lecturer and told the courses that I am going to At this workshop, the audience interested me so much and exceeded my expectations throughout the entire programme. During the workshop, I was gratified to find that almost all the lecturers present had similar challenges as the ones I had first encountered at the institution. work, role playing and debates using power point slides and video clips. It goes without saying that I did not initially expect to gain so much from this workshop as various facets of pedagogical skills and training were revealed to me daily. In point of fact, I went away from that workshop with various techniques such as interactive teaching and student engagement which I started utilizing in my classes almost immediately since the classes were still in session at that time Reflections and anticipation for publishing Among the people who first participated in the workshop on pedagogical skills, I was one of the 18 participants that were selected to undergo some training in pedagogical skills in the Netherlands in February 2013. I was in the final trip in the three groups that had been picked. My experience in the Netherlands was even more interesting and exhilarating as we were exposed to actual real life instances of a classroom setting with various lecturers facilitating on the various aspects of teaching and learning. Every evening after attending my lecture I took down points that I thought I could immediately implement in my individual capacity upon returning to my job. My goal was to make sure that I did not miss out any important aspect and that I always learned something new about how to be a good lecturer and conduct productive lectures. The training programme would not have been so successful without excellent logistical and physical arrangements, and for this we thank Dr. Mike Cantrell. Venues varied greatly, but were mainly at VU University. Major benefits of using the clubs were ample parking and on-site restaurants. It has been great fun and a real privilege to learn so much and benefit from the HEART project. My thanks to all involved! We also made some great new friends along the way and long lasting networking via the Moodle programme. I have since been involved in facilitating pedagogical skills training workshops within the institution in various faculties I am also proud to be part of a group of researchers who shall be soon publishing research papers in the international journal of educational development. 12. Reflections on PhD Experiences Posing with other participants outside the Vree University building in the Netherlands At his workshop, we were exposed to skills such as:  Handling of large classes  Developing a curriculum and course contents  How to set assessments such as test questions and assignments Each facilitator came with a different way of lecturing which was a way that appealed to different participants depending on preference such as group Bawemi Sichinga Mtonga I am currently a PhD student in the Process Engineering department at Stellenbosch University. My research area is in mineral processing; in particular, the modelling of hydrocyclones using computational fluid dynamics. My research journey began in July 2011 - a new phase in my life. Leaving my family and work place to come to South Africa was exciting. When I first arrived in the Cape it seemed a different world altogether - even the weather, since I came in the winter period. At the beginning I was so overwhelmed with the research tasks ahead. Working on the proposal was the first major milestone as it had to meet the high standards required by Stellenbosch. However, the department provided seminars and workshops imparting skills for the preparation of my research proposal. Working with a supportive research team and supervisors, the proposal was eventually completed and accepted. At this point, the journey to obtaining the PhD with all its challenges began to seem possible. In my view, the education and skills acquired along the way will not only improve me as a lecturer and student research, but will also give me the confidence to identify new research areas in my home country and to carry out much needed research. For the time being, the journey continues. Ikukumbuta Mwandawande I am currently studying for my PhD in the Process Engineering Department at Stellenbosch University. I came to South Africa to carry out research in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), particularly on its application in the flotation concentration of minerals. I actually arrived at Stellenbosch University without any prior knowledge or experience of CFD. However, I have integrated into a very helpful research environment in which regular meetings with my academic supervisors have made my research burden somewhat lighter. For example, the department organised a very good training seminar in CFD which served as a good foundation for my research work. There are also a number of other training programmes on scientific writing, design of experiments and research skills, all of which contribute to an exceptionally good academic environment. The Process Engineering Department is a wellequipped department in terms of academic personnel, laboratory equipment and resources. We have access to high performance computers that are capable of handling the type of simulations that have to be carried out in CFD. Stellenbosch University also has very good facilities, including postgraduate sections in the library, tailored specifically to meet the needs of a postgraduate research student. In addition, the library has an intranet server with a huge database of scientific publications which I have found useful in my research work. I am hopeful that the knowledge and research skills that I will have learned by the end of my PhD programme will also be beneficial to the Copperbelt University, who nominated me to come and pursue studies under the NUFFIC-Heart Scholarship programme. Thank you very much for giving me an opportunity to share my PhD experience on this forum. Compilers: Overson Shumba & Mike Cantrell, May 2013