Background
The SAIMC has been in many consultations with tertiary education institutions to modify their curriculums due to Industry complaints that the “products” received from tertiary education “do not comply” with the requirements of industry.
The SAIMC has discussed this with the SAIMC Supplier Advisory EXCO (SAC). During a meeting with B-BBEE experts from the SAC they recommended that the SAIMC investigate the use of a tool with which SAIMC can provide incentives to tertiary education institutions.
It also became apparent that the SAIMC had to implement some sort of incentive to get education institutions to support the needs of our industry and to have a body that represents this industry rather than have individuals discussing topics with education institutions and creating confusion.
The SAIMC decided to implement another membership category, namely the Didactic Institution membership and the Didactic Member membership.
Legal Requirements
Some lecturers need to be registered with the Engineering Council of South Africa:
IoEW paragraph 17 (1): Any person who oversees the planning, design and delivery of education and training programmes accredited by ECSA and assessment of students at the engineering exit level at a higher education institution that is established, deemed to be established or declared as a public or private higher education institution under the Higher Education Act, 1997 (Act No 101 of 1997) or at a public college as defined in the Further Education and Training Colleges Act, 2006 (Act No. 16 of 2006), is deemed to be a person who performs identified work contemplated in item 2 of this Notice.
Membership Fee
- The membership fee is in line with that of a Regional Member, currently R 5,500 p.a.
- This full membership fee is paid into an account for the dedicated use of the Didactic Institution to create and run a branch of the SAIMC.
Benefits of a Didactic Institution
A Didactic Institution has the following benefits:
- ECSA discount: Certain lecturers need to be registered with ECSA. Being a member of a VA such as the SAIMC provides them with a discount on ECSA membership fees.
- Free Individual Membership. All lecturers and students in their third academic year and beyond receive free membership, called Didactic Member. This is on the proviso that they register on the SAIMC website as Didactic Members and the SAIMC receives confirmation that they are indeed registered at the Didactic Institution.
- Industry Interface: Interface with industry during Technical Evenings and other SAIMC events.
- Education and Training Advisory Council. Each Didactic Institute may nominate a person to serve on the SAIMC Education and Training Advisory Council where they can interface with End Users and Suppliers.
Who may Register as a Didactic Institution?
Any educational institute that provides training and education to members of our industry.
Who may register as a Didactic Member?
- The tertiary education institute must be a paid – up Regional Member of the SAIMC.
- All lecturers and students in their third academic year and beyond involved in Automation, Instrumentation, Mechatronics or Computer Engineering will be eligible for free SAIMC membership as long as they are part of the institute.
- A list of SAIMC members of such an institute together with their academic year of study must be submitted by the institute to ina@saimc.co.za to ratify the membership before the end of January of every year.
- Lecturers and Students must register on the SAIMC website for membership
