Learning fest aims to inspire

PROSPECTIVE students, parents and the public are set to benefit from a free, two-day learning programme at the Cornerstone Institute festival of learning next week.

The festival will run from Thursday to Friday at the university’s campus in Salt River, featuring provocative speeches, workshops and presentations targeting those who have just completed Grade 12, academics, educators, parents who want to introduce their children to cutting-edge thinking, and those who are lifelong learners at heart.

The purpose of the festival is to provide learning pathways into higher education for young people from the region and to bring cutting-edge presentations from champions of a variety of industries and disciplines to those who attend, according to the institute’s marketing manager, Grant Nuss.

“It is our goal to prepare students for the 22nd century, enabling them to learn to change the world and this can only be realised if we do things that are going to have them thinking in this way,” Nuss said.

At least 1 000 people are expected to attend the events.

Among those scheduled to make presentations are Marianne Merten, senior political correspondent at Independent Media whose topic is titled: “Hurry up and Wait: Being a Journalist in South Africa”. Attorney Gary Jansen will speak about “Law and the Future”; university transformation expert Nazeema Mohamed will present “Universities in South Africa: Decolonising the Mind” and author Rhoda Kadalie will speak about “Improving the Quality of life of the Poor”.

“We are pleased that, as we close this rather tumultuous year in higher education, we are able to complete the academic year successfully and move full steam ahead in our preparations for next year,” said Nuss.

Cornerstone Institute is a not-for-profit, private higher education institution offering a range of certificates, diplomas and degrees (including honours degrees) across a variety of disciplines.