A ground-breaking research project which looks at how factors such as race, gender, class and language intersect to create inequality among university students is on the cards.
The three-year project sees a team of academics from four universities exploring how these demographic characteristics combine to create inequalities among students and whether universities perpetuate the latter. The team comprises of CPUT academics Prof. Lungi Sosibo and Drs Agnes Chigona, Misiwe Katiya and Daniella Gachago as well as Drs Lorna Dreyer (Stellenbosch University) and Sadhana Manik (University of KwaZulu-Natal) and Prof Vuyokazi Nomlomo (UWC). Funded by the National Research Foundation (NRF) to the tune of R661 975, this is the second NRF grant that Sosibo, the team’s leader, has been awarded in succession.
“Working on this multi-site and inter-disciplinary project, we are a team of experts in the different areas of language, information and communication technology, education as well as diversity and transformation,” says Sosibo.
“Our research outputs will include articles in journals accredited by the Department of Higher Education and Training, papers presented at peer-reviewed conferences, book chapters as well as Masters and Doctoral graduates.”
She adds that the collaborative nature of the project makes it a unique experience as each participant brings a different perspective based on the history of the university and personal background.
“The project will be enhanced by the team’s diversity as we boast both intermediate and established researchers.”
Nomlomo says the project talks to her passion as she has worked extensively with language in education.
“I’m excited about collaborating with colleagues from other institutions and in the end we’ll have a broader perspective of higher education, its past, present and future.”
Source: Cape Peninsula University of Technology
