CUT has developed into a leading institution able to take its place on the national, as well as international, higher education landscape.
The university embraced its new status as a university of technology in 2004 and has since positioned itself to succeed as such.
Boasting two campuses – one in Bloemfontein, the judicial capital of South Africa, and one in Welkom, in the heart of the Free State goldfields – the university offers education opportunities in a number of technological fields, including:
- science, technology, engineering and mathematics (Stem);
- management sciences;
- humanities; and
- education.
Today, the institution boasts more than 21 000 students, making positive contributions to social and technological innovation outcomes in the central region.
As a university of technology, the CUT has made significant strides in many strategic areas.
Its applied research competencies in additive manufacturing, advanced product manufacturing, agriculture, and food safety assist us to develop new and effective ways to secure a sustainable regional food supply and improve manufacturing capacity.
The intustution’s research also includes technology transfer through various centres, such as: the Centre for Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing (CRPM), the Product Development Technology Station (PDTS), the Centre for Applied Food Security and Biotechnology (CAFSaB), the Unit for Lean Construction and Sustainability (ULCS), as well as the Unit for Drug Discovery (UDD).
CUT is a leading South African university in the design and production of customised medical implants.
The university houses several centres of excellence and units reflecting its dedication in applied research.
The Idea Generator Centre (IGym) offers a “development hub” where students, staff and even the public can develop their innovative ideas and projects into products that can be commercialised.
CUT’s drive is to promote innovation and entrepreneurship among students and staff to discover and develop their full potential and create wealth – not just by acquiring knowledge and skills, but also by exploring how they can exploit the knowledge and skills for their own livelihood, as well as that of their families, communities, the city and ultimately the region.
The PDTS, CRPM, Research Unit for Evolvable and Manumation Systems (RGEMS), CUT Innovation Services and the Technology Transfer Office (TTO) are leaders in various niche areas such as prototyping, research and business development.
In addition, the university has launched the Medical Device Additive Manufacturing Technology Demonstrator Project (MEDADD) at the Bloemfontein campus, funded by the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI). This project aims to develop the local medical device industry and reduce the country’s reliance on costly imported medical devices that local hospitals cannot afford.
To date, the centre has facilitated support to more than 2000 patients.
In 2022, the university launched a state-of-the-art Biochemistry and Tissue Culture facility: the Centre for Quality of Health and Living (CQHL). This was envisioned to apply new knowledge to drive improvement in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of illness, which maximises healthy outcomes for the people, with results that create a societal return on investment with lifelong dividends.
CUT also boasts a farm, which serves as a knowledge centre to provide academic training and research to students, unlocking their full potential and equipping them with a range of agricultural skills through applied learning and demonstrations.
