Postgraduate Diploma in Engineering Infrastructure Management

Purpose

The purpose of this qualification is to provide further education and specialised training opportunities for qualified professionals in the field of Engineering Infrastructure Management (EIM). The initiative to develop such a qualification is also in support of addressing the needs, challenges and required resources as stipulated in the goals and objectives included in the National Development Plan (NDP), National Infrastructure Plan (NIP) and the needs identified by JipSA (scarce skills) within the public and private sector. This qualification will be in support to professionals employed in the infrastructure and construction industry. Many learners within the public sector and private sector that deals with infrastructure are not qualified on NQF Level 8 and the purpose of the qualification is to address this need. It will capacitate and empower learners in terms of their daily responsibilities and will enable them to pursue an NQF Level 9 qualification based on research specialisation.

Rationale

Research within the First (Central Government), Second (Provincial Government) and Third (Municipal Government) Spheres of Government in terms of performance and management practices and outcomes within the infrastructure domains clearly illustrates the need to formalise and improve the education and training profiles of learners responsible for technical infrastructure management. Addressing this shortcoming should focus on formal training, retraining and building of specialised capacity in order to enable and capacitate such learners in the applicable infrastructure management theory and best practices. This implies that this formal education and training qualification will empower persons employed in the public sector and persons who render services to the public sector.

This qualification will address the existing need within the building environment in both the public and private sector, the construction industry and development sector in terms of providing professionally qualified individuals that can render appropriate infrastructure management support. This qualification on NQF Level 8 with specialisation in Engineering Infrastructure Management can therefore play a crucial role in addressing the current market gap and industry needs. The introduction of this qualification will be dynamic and will target individuals already employed persons in the public and private sector. It will enhance capacity development within the built environment.

Currently, there are numerous individuals involved in the infrastructure and construction industry with NQF Level 7 qualifications that were obtained from the previous technical institutions. These individuals cannot obtain entry into undergraduate qualifications in traditional institutions. The rationale behind this qualification is that individuals who find themselves in such predicament will be able to enrol for a Postgraduate Diploma in Engineering with specialisation in Infrastructure Management. This qualification will not only address the present gap in the public and development sectors but will also allow successful learners of the qualification to continue with a relevant NQF 9 qualification.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

This institution subscribes to the principles underlying outcomes-based, source-based and lifelong learning. In this context, considerations of articulation and mobility play an important role. This institution endorses the view that Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) constitutes an essential element of the transformation of access and admissions policies at education institutions in South Africa. The transformation of access and admissions policies is intended to increase participation and to broaden access to higher education in order to produce learners with the skills and competencies necessary to meet the human resource needs of the country.

The RPL concerns the provable knowledge and learning an applicant has acquired. At all times the question will be what the level of the skills is, and skills will be assessed in the context of the exit level skills required by the qualification, or the status for which the applicant applies. RPL will therefore take place in terms of applied skills and competencies demonstrated by the applicant in his or her application, taking into consideration the exit-level outcomes that have to be obtained by means of the qualification.

The institution acknowledges that the RPL must be conducted in a valid, reliable and equitable way. The learner will be assessed in accordance with the institution's RPL policy and the Faculty's processes for gaining admission to the qualification. The structure of this qualification makes the RPL for the purposes of access possible.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• Bachelor of Science in building or construction environment, NQF Level 7.

This qualification consists of the following compulsory modules at National Qualifications Framework Level 8 totalling 128 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, 128 Credits

• Policy and Legislation guiding Engineering Infrastructure Management, 12 Credits.
• Planning and Layout Design Principles, 12 Credits.
• Infrastructure Planning: Bulk Infrastructure Services Planning, 16 Credits.
• Infrastructure Planning: Internal Infrastructure Services Planning, 16 Credits.
• Infrastructure Management, 16 Credits.
• Infrastructure Construction Project Management, 12 Credits.
• Technology and Infrastructure Management, 12 Credits.
• Infrastructure Project, 32 Credits.

1. Integrated knowledge and critical understanding and application of theory, techniques, principles and research methodologies relevant to public sector infrastructure management.
2. Critically interrogate multiple sources of knowledge associated in the field of infrastructure management. This includes the ability to evaluate and review the knowledge underpinning infrastructure management in terms of procedures, methodologies and techniques applied and followed.
3. Judge the ethical conduct of team members in public infrastructure management within different cultural and social environs and to effect and implement change in management practices and conduct where necessary.
4. Apply accurate, coherent, appropriate and creative presentation and communication practices inclusive in public and private sector infrastructure management in applying methodologies and technology to all service providers and supporting professionals, stakeholders, communities and interested and affected parties. Capacity building and sensitivity for the restriction related to intellectual property conventions, copyright and rules on plagiarism.
5. Operate effectively within a professions involved in infrastructure management, project teams, organisational entities and institutions and in cooperation with other trans-disciplinary disciplines as to ensure understanding of the roles of participants to solve problems related to infrastructure management, to guide and monitor progress.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Apply knowledge of laws and regulations applicable to infrastructure planning;
• Explain and predict the impact of planning and layout and design principles in the provision of infrastructure;
• Integrate and apply working knowledge with basic Knowledge of standards for infrastructure planning and levels of services;
• Integrate project management principles within the field of infrastructure management;
• Employ technology in order to do infrastructure planning and design, development and maintenance;
• Align theory to practice through a practical project forming part of the project assignment;
• Correlate overarching knowledge and skills of persons working with infrastructure management in the public sector; to render technical support to professionals involved in infrastructure management and decision making.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Distinguish between different infrastructure services, design approaches and standards applied;
• Access and identify basic sources in infrastructure management;
• Generate an elementary services and design structure for formal and informal townships;
• Recommend appropriate infrastructure system design, operation and maintenance considerations approaches and standards.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Apply and implement appropriate ethical conduct and approaches in terms of infrastructure management;
• Address unethical conduct of team members through applicable interventions;
• Elaborate on the role of different cultural and social environments in infrastructure management;
• Implement change in infrastructure management practices.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Apply appropriate skills inclusive of verbal and non- verbal communication in the infrastructure management environment;
• Apply methodologies and practices in infrastructure management amongst all stakeholders and participants;
• Communicate technical design and operating standards, practices and information to stakeholders inclusive of professionals, team members, workers and communities;
• Identify, explain and enforce the restrictions applicable to the property infrastructure management;
• Apply infrastructure management design conventions while adhering to copyright and plagiarism obligations.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• Differentiate between the diversity of professions and role-players involved in infrastructure management within the public and private sectors and its organisational structures;
• Apply integrated knowledge of management practices underpinning infrastructure project management;
• Incorporate appropriate skills to address problems in the organisational context.

Integrated Assessment

Opportunities for both continuous formative and summative assessments are embedded in the learning design of this qualification. It consists of online written assessment as well as a practical assignment for each of the modules to be offered. Learners will be assessed on the application of learned skills in order to ensure that theory learned translates into effective practice. The outcomes as defined and as assessed relates in an integrated manner. It culminates eventually in a formal engineering infrastructure research project in the second semester of the second study year. In this research project the learners need to illustrate mastering of discipline-specific knowledge and skills that will be internally and externally assessed. It will include the learners writing and communications skills, computer literacy and ability to critically analyse and effectively evaluate a work-place related engineering infrastructure project. Report writing, graphical analysis and illustration are important ability and skills to be demonstrated in such a project.