Company Profile
VISION STATEMENT
To establish a \'State of the Art\' research and education environment for the development of Mechatronics and Robotics Technologies. To educate students in the field of Computer Integrated Manufacturing. To collaborate with local and international academic institutions incorporating South African industry partnerships.
MISSION STATEMENT
Education: To provide training in the field of Mechatronics and Robotics fundamentals for undergraduate and postgraduate students. To develop industry related technologies for senior undergraduate and postgraduate researchers.
Research: To perform \'state of the art\' research for local and international industrial applications. The research includes the development of new theories and methods in Computer Integrated Manufacturing encompassing the fields of Mechatronics and Robotics.
Industry: To collaborate with local industry for the benefit of students and the School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Natal, Durban. To provide practical solutions to industry problems.
Collaboration: To collaborate with local and international universities to provide students and local industries with \'state of the art\' solutions in Mechatronics and Robotics. To establish postgraduate transfer programs with overseas research groups.
The University
The University of KwaZulu-Natal has, over almost a century, grown to be one of the subcontinent’s top research and teaching institutions. It is home to many of the region’s leading academics as well as a significant number of internationally acclaimed scientists, as rated by the National Research Foundation.
The full spectrum of research is encouraged and supported – from curiosity-driven research, to application-based and participatory action research with community partners. Research is conducted by, and in association with, members of the academic staff and associated research units. Increasingly critical to most of the research conducted is the development of meaningful, collaborative partnership with industry, business, government and local communities and international institutions and agencies.
The University provides a vibrant environment for basic, applied and medical research. Several of its academic staff members are recognized as international leaders in their respective disciplines. Centres of Excellence have been developed in several areas, ranging from the social sciences and humanities, through medical science, to natural science and engineering. In areas such as HIV/AIDS, Forestry, Water Technology, Invertebrates and Economic Development, the University is at the cutting edge of international research.
Presently, one third of total student registration are in postgraduate studies and, as part of its strategic objectives, the University is committed to increasing this proportion. The Research Office, headed by the Deputy Vice- Chancellor (Research and Development), is responsible for the management and nurturing of research. There is strong emphasis at the University on team research, and senior academics at the University take great pride in the mentorship provided to graduate students, encouraging them to develop their skills in critical appraisal and independent thought.
The University is particularly aware of its responsiblity to society.
The Province of KwaZulu-Natal provides fertile soil for researchers, embodying as it does both the opportunities and challenges of the development and growth in South Africa. The University actively encourages practical research that will improve people’s lives. This outcomes-driven approach has led to the setting up of inter-disciplinary “centres of excellence”, devoted to particular projects and often involving collaboration with institutions from around the world
