Institute aims to expand, contribute to new leadership

Siyavuya Mzantsi

THE Cornerstone Institute, a private college, is expanding its footprint.

Next year it will enroll 200 more students and employ researchers, lecturers and support staff.

Yesterday, Cornerstone executive officer Noel Daniels announced plans to broaden and expand its footprint across Africa.

Speaking at its premises in Salt River, Daniels said the institute wanted to increase the number of students from 400 to 600 next year.

“People are looking for quality education in an environment that takes care of them. In big institutions, students can become invisible, but not at Cornerstone,” he said.

“Here every individual matters. Through our value-based approach, we know we have something different to offer.”

He said Cornerstone was also working hard to secure bursaries for its students

“This is part of our consultation process,” Daniels said.

“We say we believe in inclusivity and we want to practice that. We also employ a number of our students and also provide some bursaries. We are using all the networks we have to try and secure bursaries for our students.

“We have a fulltime faculty and we have 30 fulltime staff, but in terms of our plans in the short term, we can provide work for 50 part-time staff. We are trying to find the best people that are available to come and work for Cornerstone and create working opportunities for people.”

Newly appointed chairperson of the Cornerstone Institute board Marcel Golding said the Cornerstone Institute had for the past 45 years offered higher education opportunities to those who were previously disadvantaged by the apartheid system.

“Our aim is also to expand education and training opportunities in the light of the emergence of the new economy and political landscape,” Golding said.

“In this vein, our goal is to contribute to the develop- ment of a new brand of ‘knowledge-economy’ leadership and socially-minded entrepreneurs.”

siyavuya.mzantsi@inl.co.za

@Siyavuya2