The purpose of this Chair is to grow human resources in electrical, industrial and mechanical engineering, as well as mechatronics in order to enhance the manufacturing industry in the Eastern Cape to enable competitiveness and a growing and sustainable economy. The objectives are to increase capacity at FET Colleges; promote women in engineering; create an aware- ness of the relevance and importance of engineering at schools within rural communities in the Eastern Cape Province; increase capacity of educators at technical high schools in the Eastern Cape Province; and develop specialist training courses to address the needs of the manufacturing industry.

mersetachair.mandela.ac.za

eNtsa is recognised as a leading research, design and technology support centre for the manufacturing sector. This is achieved through provision of research supporting new technology development, technology support for optimising existing production processes and infrastructure and advancing the high-end skills level by offering technical training according to international best practices.

eNtsa provides support for enterprises in the first, second and emerging economy within the engineering and manufacturing sector, with a specific focus on the automotive component sector. This is in order to improve the sector’s ability to be innovative and competitive with the aim of making the South African automotive industry more attractive as a financially viable exporter of high quality components.

The Technology Station is actively involved with testing, contract research, industrial design and development and the transfer of knowledge. eNtsa is constantly involved in assisting various SME’s with product and process evaluations to ensure conformity and to assist with evaluating different process techniques to make data available that could assist SME’s to address a specific problem.

entsa.mandela.ac.za

AMTC is a non-research entity focusing on growing human resources development in the field of engineering. This include the Siemens accredited training facility, the FESTO accredited training facility, the Automotive Experiential Career Development Programme (AECDP), the Starting Blocks community outreach project, and the AIDC HRD programme which includes the advancement of black engineers, technicians and technologists.

amtc.mandela.ac.za

Technology Research Activity Centre (TRAC) Eastern Cape Centre

A national, non – profit programme which supports Science, Mathematics and Technology Education in South African secondary schools. The Technology Research Activity Centre (TRAC) also tries to improve what is being done to enhance these subjects among school learners.

TRAC is involved in education intervention programmes, where the main aim is to uplift the standard of Physical Science education in South Africa. This is done with educator training programmes, vocational guidance assistance, as well as classroom intervention in schools where the resources are limited or lacking. By doing so, TRAC is true to its mission to enable and encourage South African school leavers to enter careers in Science, Engineering and Technology. TRAC is instrumental in redressing not only educational problems, but also industrial shortages.

Ford Engine Research Unit (FERU)

Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa entered into a partnership with Nelson Mandela University to create an engine research unit with the focus on achieving a higher level of expertise, innovation and competitiveness in the automotive industry. The FERU will centre its activities on new engine research and development trends, new initiatives within the field of engine testing and associated research, and facilitating the transfer of knowledge into teaching and learning concepts for both undergraduate and postgraduate engineering programmes.