2018 Annual Report

At the Centre for AAC, we are well known for innovation and excellence: a philosophy that has underpinned many of our achievements and initiatives during the past year. However, our reputation depends mostly on people. People who teach and conduct research, in other words, our committed, passionate and talented academic staff, as well as the staff who support all these endeavours.    
People who make use of our offering, such as our students, alumni, peers (locally and internationally) and the community and industry members who believe that we can add value. People who support our work by providing us opportunities to develop, specifically our Dean, Prof Vasu Reddy, the deputy deans, members of UP’s executive and our advisory board. Therefore, I would like to start this Director’s Message by saying thank you to each and every one of you. Because of you, our centre has succeeded in earning a strong reputation for academic excellence in teaching, learning and research, and for socially valid community involvement projects!  

The beginning of a new year brings with it opportunities to put together a smorgasbord to tease the taste buds. Producing an annual report can be compared to the creation of a recipe, and although most scholars don’t refer to the use of recipes when describing their work, academia does make use of many of the same ingredients year by year. If you add new flavours and spices, something novel and creative can result.    

However,    by accidentally leaving out certain ingredients, by adding others that the recipe did not call for, or by using the right ingredients but in the wrong proportions, it is entirely possible to end up with something not even edible! Did we succeed in using the right ingredients in the right proportions in 2018? You will be the judge.