The Chair seeks to optimise the benefits placed upon the EBET Faculty by the university to lead the development and maintenance of multi-disciplinary human settlements academic programmes at both under- and postgraduate levels, since 2014. Formal education programmes are complemented by non-formal short learning programmes targeting practitioners in the three spheres of government and the private sector. A suite of short learning programmes (SLPs) has thus far been offered to Members of Parliament, Councillors, Traditional Leaders, and other government officials. These SLPs include topics such as sustainable human settlement planning, informal settlement upgrading theories and practices, social housing facilitation and administration, housing finance, housing business processes, project management, construction management, the theory of land use planning and management, property development and investment, property law and property valuation.
Particular focus is also given to sustainability-oriented research for cities and for cities and settlements aimed at forging new paths to solution of complex societal problems such as impact of climate change, poverty and inequality, employing methods that promote co-creation of knowledge between the university, community organisations, industry and international partners. The Ndlambe EcoSUN Green Village project in Ekuphumleni Township in Kenton-On-Sea is a typical innovative community engagement research which is pursued in a trans- and inter-disciplinary manner and anchored on a strong multi-sector engagement framework. The EcoSUN Green Village promotes science and technology transfer between South Africa and Germany, facilitated by the Nelson Mandela University (South Africa) and University of Potsdam (Germany) with participation and cooperation choices made by the Germany Department of Education and Research, the South Africa Department of Science and Innovation, Department of Human Settlements, the National Home Builders Registration Council and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research. The project aims at offering scientifically proven solutions for the key challenges facing the human settlements sector in South Africa, especially through the application of innovative technologies for water recycling and renewable energy use, organic waste management, green landscaping as well as education, job creation, and enterprise development and support. In essence, the project seeks to demonstrate how a climate change responsive settlement can be designed from scratch, employing innovative technologies, harnessing multi-stakeholder participation and streamlining internal and external funding streams, and building sustainable communities in the Eastern Cape. This project has also sought to introduce a Community Green Village Technician professional, with research and development involving the Berlin-Brandenburg Vocational Institute and Technical University of Berlin (Germany), the Port Elizabeth and East Cape Midlands TVET Colleges (South Africa) supported by European funding situated at Potsdam University, and implementation programme managed by Nelson Mandela University.
Academic and contract research continues in the theme of informal settlements, in partnership with the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, the Eastern Cape Department of Human Settlements, and the Lund University (Sweden). This research seeks to explore innovative interventions that can be pursued to bring about improvement in the quality of life of low-income urban settlements, with communities involved in finding long-lasting solutions to their challenges. Key issues that are explored include access to energy, solid waste management, and local economic development, decongestion of densely populated settlements to curb the spread of communicable diseases, addressing barriers to uptake of innovative building systems, alternative water, and sanitation solutions.