DEPARTMENT OF CONSTRUCTION

ECONOMICS AND MANAGEMENT

Doctor Louie van Schalkwyk
Private Bag X3, Rondebosch, 7701, South Africa
Room 5.34, Level 5, Snape Building, Engineering Mall, Upper Campus, University of Cape
Town, Rondebosch, 7700, South Africa
Tel: +27 (0) 21 650 3443
E-mail: louie.vanschalkwyk@uct.ac.za

4 November 2021

Re: Bursary for MPhil by Research Dissertation

Applications are invited for a bursary to complete an MPhil by Research Dissertation, focusing
on one of the below-mentioned topics. The MPhil will be under the auspices of the
Department of Construction Economics and Management in the Faculty of Engineering and
the Built Environment at the University of Cape Town. The successful candidate will receive a
bursary in the sum of R100 000.00, funded through the supervisor’s research project. Certain
additional research running costs will also be funded. The bursary is for one Master’s student
only. Depending on the student’s area of interest, the student’s dissertation must focus on
one of the following aspects:

Regulation of Land Use for Renewable Energy Generation

This study will entail an examination of national spatial planning and land-use legislation, as
well as land-use bylaws of selected municipalities to investigate what policies and
procedures are currently applied when determining land use for renewable energy
generation. This will require a comparative analysis of the chosen municipalities to
determine whether trends can be identified in policy approaches. The selected
municipalities should be located in different provinces and cover both the urban and rural
contexts. This sample diversity will enable the student to consider the impact of issues such
as competing land uses (e.g. housing, industry, agriculture, conservation, etc.), building and
population density. The aim is to establish best-practice regulatory provisions to facilitate
the roll-out of renewable energy generation.

The Role of Private Landowners in Independent Power Producer Projects

This study will entail an examination of the relationships between private landowners on
the one hand and the state or independent power producers (IPPs) on the other hand. It will
investigate the extent of consent and cooperation required from private landowners to host
and facilitate IPP projects. Potential benefits (such as an alternative income stream) to
landowners will also be explored. This may be especially relevant in rural agricultural areas
where farmers have lost their source of income due to prolonged droughts. This project will
involve case studies of existing IPP projects. Similar to the above-mentioned project, the
selected IPP projects should be located in different areas of the country and cover both the
urban and rural contexts.
 2

Eligibility requirements:
To be considered for the above-mentioned bursary, applicants:
• Must pass the admissions criteria for post-graduate studies at UCT’s Faculty of
Engineering and the Built Environment and must complete the appropriate application
form, found at http://www.ebe.uct.ac.za/ebe/postgradstudies/apply. The application
process to become a registered student is separate from this application for the
bursary. Contract Ms Mareldia Fagodien: Mareldia.Fagodien@uct.ac.za for more
information;
• Must commence with the first year of their MPhil studies in 2022 and complete the
degree within two years. Continuation of funding in the second year (2023) is
dependent on satisfactory progress in 2022;
• May not be employed in a full-time, salaried position during their studies;
• Must have a strong foundational knowledge of the principles of the law of property;
• Must be willing to reside in Cape Town full time during their studies;
• Must have excellent fluency and articulation in English (reading, writing and speaking)
• Must have good computer literacy (including MS Word and online research tools)

To ascertain your suitability for this research project and the associated bursary, please submit
the following documents to louie.vanschalkwyk@uct.ac.za by 3 December 2021:
• A cover letter motivating your suitability for this research project and outlining your specific
research interests
• Curriculum Vitae
• Full, official university study record, including academic transcripts
• Undergraduate/Honours degree certificates
• Recent academic writing specimen (e.g. a research paper, dissertation or journal article)

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Dr Louie van Schalkwyk

Senior Lecturer: Department of Construction Economics & Management
Researcher: SARChI Research Chair: Mineral Law in Africa

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