BLOEMFONTEIN: The Central University of Technology (CUT), Free State, has expanded its reach through its first fully online academic programmes. This milestone of technology-enabled learning was launched at the Bloemfontein campus on Friday, 26 September.
Prof. Pamela Dube, vice-chancellor and principal, stated that the programme responded to the evolving needs of students, industry demands, and the growing importance of flexible, future-ready education. She said the institute was enabling global access to education.
The initial suite of online programmes includes the advanced diploma in Human Resources Management and Health Management, and the postgraduate diploma in Information Technology (IT).
“The launch signals the university’s unwavering commitment to meeting the evolving needs of our society, while removing barriers to education through reaching students in their homes, workplaces, and communities,” said Dube.
“We know that not all students are able to attend campus-based programmes. Many are working professionals, caregivers, or based in rural or remote areas where access to traditional higher education remains a challenge. Through technology-enabled learning, we are removing such obstacles − CUT Online is our answer to these challenges.”
Prof. David Ngidi, deputy vice-chancellor for teaching and learning, confirmed the first cohort of students began studying on 1 September.
“In terms of gender, the majority (63%) are female students, and 69% of registered students are based in Gauteng. Interestingly, we have already received applications to be included in the second cohort, which is starting next month,” said Ngidi.
Dube said the launch also marked the fruition of a strategic and collaborative partnership with Higher Education Partners Africa (Hepa), an organisation with deep expertise in online programme management.
She described these programmes as a true reflection of the university’s responsiveness to market needs and the demand for flexible learning and upskilling in a fast-changing world of work.
Sarietjie Musgrave of Hepa said through this partnership, Hepa supported the CUT through instructional design and online pedagogy, faculty training and professional development, digital marketing, student recruitment, and engagement and seamless student support from onboarding to graduation.
“Importantly, while Hepa brings operational excellence and technical infrastructure, the CUT retains full academic control from curriculum to assessment, from teaching to quality assurance,” explained Musgrave.
The institute had its fair share of difficulties during the Covid-19 pandemic, which affected several students due to lockdown. To mitigate learning challenges, the university established the multimodal teaching and online learning programme and the Centre for Global Engagement (CGE) to continuously communicate with international students locally and abroad.
During the lockdown, the institute provided devices and data to 2 294 students outside the national borders to enable them to continue with their studies.
This group of students were returned to their respective countries as part of the global lockdown regulation. The overall student population for the CUT is approximately 21 000 for both campuses in Bloemfontein and Welkom. For this year, the university reported that it received more than 200 000 applications from first-time students.
