Briefs

PCS website

Please note that the Professional Communication Studies website is www.pcs.uct.ac.za. The new unit runs communication courses across the entire engineering and built environment faculty.

Economics Conference

UCT's School of Economics recently hosted the 4th annual Economics Postgraduate Conference in the Sanlam Hall at the Baxter Theatre.

Held on April 22, the conference was attended by approximately 140 postgraduate students from UCT, and the Universities of Stellenbosch and the Western Cape.

The event gives students the opportunity to present their research to fellow students and academics.

Topics included an international analysis of cigarette affordability, research conducted by UCT's Evan Blecher, while Bongani Johnny, also a UCT student, talked about his work on estimating the inherent subsidies in the South African Electrification Programme.

Safety, health and environment manager Michael Langley has asked staff to note that the management and administration of all COIDA (Workers' Compensation) claims are now being managed by the Safety, Health and Environment Department and not the Insurance Office. All claims and accounts relating to an injury on duty must be forwarded to this office. Enquiries can be directed to Marion May on tel 650 3552 or e-mail mmay@forest.uct.ac.za or hsafety@forest.uct.ac.za

Occupational therapists gather for thirtieth time

UCT students and staff featured prominently among the practitioners and scholars that gathered last week for the 30th National OTASA Congress. The gathering was hosted, of course, by the Occupational Therapy Association of South Africa (OTASA) and took place at the Holiday Inn in Strand Street, Cape Town. Subtitled Doing Things Differently: Enhancing Human Potential, the congress attracted some 300 delegates - local occupational therapists and assistants, students, a sprinkling of international visitors, as well as individuals who work alongside occupational therapists in various contexts. In addition, many of the 72 international delegates that trekked to Cape Town for the preceding executive and council meetings of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT), also hosted by OTASA, attended and contributed papers to the congress. The event also saw the launch of a new book, Transformation Through Occupation, a project of UCT's Division of Occupational Therapy and the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC). The volume was edited by UCT's Emeritus Associate Professor Ruth Watson, who retired from the university two years ago, and Professor Leslie Swartz of the University of Stellenbosch (but formerly of UCT) and the HSRC.