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Prepare for Success With a Bachelor of Computing

When it comes to choosing a higher education qualification, you can’t go wrong with a Bachelor of Computing degree. Not only is a degree the entry standard for many professional careers, but the tech industry also remains one of the fastest-growing industries in the world. If you are looking for a higher educationinstitution that offers such a qualification, there are many reasons why Belgium Campus iTversity should be your first choice. Some of these reasons are outlined below. We surpass European standards All our qualifications are audited every five years and benchmarked against the accreditation protocol of the Dutch-Flemish Accreditation Organization. The most recent audit, conducted by international universitiesKU Leuven (ranked 7th most innovative university in the world) and UAntwerpen, found our Bachelor of Computing programme to be more advanced than an equivalent programme of European standards. Our throughput rate is high Despite being our most challenging qualification at NQF Level 8, our Bachelor of Computing degree has an 87.5% throughput rate! What does this mean? Throughput rate is the percentage of students who complete their studies within the timeframe allocated for their qualification. This is rather impressive when you compare it to the national throughput rate which is only 33.3%. Our students work on real-world projects All the theoretical knowledge imparted during this degree is grounded in a real-world application. Our students work on real-world projects that affect industry and society from their very first year of study! These projects range from smart systems for BMW to smart farming solutions for local farmers. By taking part in multidisciplinary innovation projects which often involve international counterparts, our students are transformed into well-rounded IT professionals who possess much-needed global competence. Our specialisations are industry-relevant and exciting Our entire curriculum, including our specialisations, is tailored to meet the specific needs of the industry. Our Bachelor of Computing students can choose to specialise in one of two in-demand fields, being Data Science and Software Engineering. It’s no secret that software engineering is one of the highest-paid professions globally, and according to Analytics Insight, a leading media authority that covers the latest industry trends, data scientists will be the most in-demand profession in the next five years! With this in mind, our students can rest assured that they will have a successful career regardless of the specialisation they choose.  We provide internship opportunities at top companies Part of our offering at Belgium Campus iTversity is to help our students secure workplace training at top companies. We have partnered with over 120 local and international companies to give our students as many opportunities as possible. Many of these companies hire our students after their internships once they see how well they perform and how easily they transition into the working environment. Are you interested in securing your future with us? Give us a call on 010 593 5368 or send us an email at [email protected] and we will guide you through the application process.

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The Best Platform for Online IT Courses

Distance learning courses saw a global spike due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with many education institutions scrambling to move online to remain operational. While some thought this was a temporary change born out of necessity, research suggests that distance education is here to stay. This is not only due to the convenience this mode of learning provides, but also its impact on learning retention. According to the Research Institute of America, remote learning increases retention rates by 25 to 60%. This is largely due to the increased control remote learning students have over their education. When it comes toe-learningplatforms, not all platforms are equal. While some institutions moved online simply to remain operational, others saw it as an opportunity to create a truly unique educational experience that prioritises student needs. One such institution is Belgium Campus iTversity. In the remainder of this article, we will take a look at Belgium Campus’ e-learning platform and how it addresses the challenges that traditional e-learning platforms present. Remote Learning at Belgium Campus Powered by HybeFlex, a system specifically designed to fill the gap in distance education, Belgium Campus has combined the convenience of online learning with all the benefits of a face-to-face environment. We have created a truly immersive remote learning experience that gives our students full control of their educational journey. This is made possible through the use of an intelligent multi-camera setup. Our intelligent multi-camera setup allows our students to choose their focus throughout a lesson. They can switch between instructor feed, whiteboard feed, computer feed, and classroom feeds, or even further enrich their remote learning experience by adding a supplementary feed to the corner of their screen (e.g., a sign language interpreter feed). The Isolation Challenge Unlike traditional e-learning platforms where there is little to no face-to-face interaction, our platform will give you that in-classroom feeling regardless of where you choose to learn. Thanks to our innovative video wall technology, remotestudents are no longer mere icons who can only passively observe but are active participants who can directly engage with their lecturer and in-room peers. The Load-shedding Challenge In a country like South Africa, load-shedding is one of the biggest challenges that e-learning students face. It is impossible to study online and keep up with your courses when experiencing regular power cuts. Our platform addresses this issue with the use of a cloud server. All our coursework and class recordings are saved to the cloud where they can be reviewed at any time. This gives our IT students the freedom to catch up on classes they’ve missed at their own convenience. The Technical Issues Challenge Distance learning can be daunting due to the complicated setup and technical difficulties some platforms pose. This is a non-issue at Belgium Campus iTversity. Our platform’s user-friendly design and minimal setup requirements allow our students to focus on their IT courses rather than wasting valuable time trying to understand complex technology. All you need to study IT courses online with us is:  A device that connects to the Internet. A webcam and microphone. 1Mb Internet speed. Are you interested in studying IT courses through distance learning? Choose the IT institution that will continue to adapt to provide you with the best distance education. Choose Belgium Campus iTversity. Apply now: https://www.belgiumcampus.ac.za/Apply-Now.html

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IT Degree Students Develop Life-Saving Software

Four Belgium Campus IT students are developing life-saving software to prevent hot car deaths. A hot car death, also known as Paediatric Vehicular Heatstroke, is when a baby or toddler dies of heatstroke after accidentally being left in a locked vehicle during a hot day. It is horrifying to think about it, but, unfortunately, happens more often than you might think. According to the National Safety Council, in America alone, an average of 38 children under 15 fall victim to hot car deaths each year. That’s 38 children too many! Recognising the gravity of this issue, our students decided to use their IT knowledge and skills to come up with a solution.  The Solution Working with a BMW X3, our students have been developing software that will notify vehicle owners via their cell phone when they have left a child, or even a pet, in their vehicle. So, how exactly does this work? All living organisms produce CO². As such, the car’s CO² and motion sensors, along with its built-in camera, will be used to detect life within the vehicle. If life is detected, a notification will be sent to the vehicle owner to inform them. At the same time, the car’s internal thermometer will monitor the temperature within the vehicle to provide the owner with regular temperature updates. If the vehicle owner does not return to their car or respond to any of the notifications received, the software will crack the car’s windows to try to reduce the temperature. If the driver still does not return and the temperature does not reduce or continues to rise, the software will start the car and switch the air conditioner on. Of course, this is just a surface-level explanation. In order to successfully develop this, our students will have to bring their idea to life through design, coding, and finally testing and debugging – an easy task for our students! Degree Options at Belgium Campus iTversity As you may have gathered, Belgium Campus iTversity is unlike other institutions that merely focus on theoretical understanding. At Belgium Campus, we equip our students with the theoretical knowledge, practical skills, and thoughtfulness needed to uplift communities and drive real social change. Are you ready to be the next great IT professional who changes the world and impacts people’s lives? Our revolutionary degree programmes will help you do just that. Choose between our 4-year Bachelor of Computing degree or our 3-year Bachelor of IT degree and watch yourself transform. The world is in desperate need of thoughtful leaders, don’t keep it waiting! Need more information or assistance with the application process? Give us a call on 010 593 5368 or send us an email at [email protected]. We look forward to helping you realise your true potential.

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IT University Launches Educational Platform

Belgium Campus iTversity, a private university in South Africa specialising in information technology qualifications, has launched an online educational platform. The platform, titled BCTV, aims to educate and excite the public’s curiosity on the importance and pervasiveness of information technology. The Platform’s Significance According to Stats SA, South Africa’s unemployment rate has hit an all-time high at 34.4%. This is in stark contrast to the World Economic Forum’s most recent skills report on the increasing skills gap that not only our country will soon face, but the world. Out of 20 job skills that will increase in demand, 70% are in information technology or related fields. With this in mind, it is clear that IT education is the most effective way to eradicate poverty and invest in the economy of our country. Powered by Belgium Campus iTversity, a private university that aims to alleviate South Africa’s educational and unemployment challenges by bridging the information technology skills gap, BCTV aims to further these efforts by encouraging more individuals to pursue a career in information technology. What the Platform Features The platform features video interviews with IT professionals from successful organisations that use technology in innovative ways. In addition to covering some of the innovative projects these companies work on, the videos also explain complex technologies like artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things. Many of the companies featured on the platform have students from the IT university completing their internships with them. These students’ experiences are also featured on the platform to give viewers insight into what it’s like to enter the professional IT world. Read on to find out which companies have been interviewed thus far and which disruptive technologies/ innovation projects they’ve provided insight on: Retro Rabbit Retro Rabbit is Africa’s leading software development, user experience, data science, and design thinking company. They provided insight on their Smart Safe Project – a drop safe that accepts, validates, and counts all notes fed through it and links each deposit to the user who made it. Liberty Liberty is a leading financial services company. They were interviewed regarding their use of the world’s number one customer relationship management platform, Salesforce, their use of AI, big data, and robotics, and their recently erected vaccination centre. CIRT CIRT is a tech company that provides cutting-edge IoT solutions. BCTV interviewed the company on two of these solitons. The first, Q-HOP – a solution that allows customers to scan the barcodes of items they purchase using a mobile application and then pay for these items using digital payment platforms. The second, VACCLOC – a solution that measures location and temperature to ensure optimal COVID-19 vaccine distribution. Interested in Collaborating? Would you like your company to be featured on BCTV, or are you interested in recruiting some of our industry-ready graduates? Contact our university on 010 593 5368 or send us an email at [email protected]. We welcome new collaborations and would love to hear from you.

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Top Quality IT Certificates

People often have the misconception that information technology certificates are the last resort for people who did not meet the requirements to study towards a degree or diploma. While this is sometimes the case, and they can prove to be a helpful stepping stone to further study opportunities, they should definitely be given more credit.  IT certificates are an affordable option for people who would like to quickly launch their careers. They provide a specialised set of skills that will grant you swift entry into the working world, where you can start making an income. For some, a steady income is just the support needed to pursue further studies through part-time learning.  Studying at Belgium Campus iTversity  Belgium Campus iTversity offers top-quality IT certificates in the fields of systems and database development. Created in line with our mission to promote gainful employment, these courses will teach you to understand, use and apply IT in effective, efficient, and ethical ways. Read on to learn more about these certificates. Information Technology(Systems Development) This one-year programme will give you a solid grasp of computer industry concepts allowing you to work in areas of systems development with intermediate technical difficulty. In addition, should you choose to further your studies in IT, this NQF level 5 programme will give you the necessary undergraduate foundation to do so at a higher education level. Students who complete this qualification can apply to study one of our NQF level 6 qualifications. These include the below database development course and our Diploma in Information Technology. Information Technology (Database Development) This NQF level 6 qualification will transform you into a skilled data expert in just one year! You will learn advanced database skills that will allow you to complete complex tasks and procedures in the data science space. With this course under your belt, you will have no issue finding employment in today’s data-driven world. Why Complete Both Courses? Accredited by MICT SETA and aligned on the NQF with the South African Qualifications Authority, these purely vocational programmes will provide you with the immediate, hands-on, specialised knowledge to quickly enter the industry. Successful completion of both programmes will equip you to solve operational business problems in systems hardware, networking, security, and database. You will enter the working world with the ability to expertly design, develop, test, and document software solutions used in today’s business environment. Need Help Applying? Are you ready to kickstart your career with one of the above programmes? All you will need to apply is an NSC (or equivalent) with the appropriate endorsement. Need some help with the application process? We would be more than happy to assist. Give us a call on 010 593 5368 or send us an email at [email protected].

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Why Study an Information Systems Course?

All organisations rely on information systems (IS) to support their key processes. IS help companies effectively store and retrieve important information which enhances their decision-making and planning processes, saving time and money. Specialists in this field are responsible for designing and implementing these systems and maintaining the hardware and software that keep them operational. With the above in mind, it should come as no surprise that experts in this field are in increasingly high demand. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of managers within this field is expected to increase by 11 per cent from 2020 to 2030. In the remainder of this article, we briefly outline different types of IS, the many job opportunities a course in this field affords, and where you should consider enrolling. Types of IS Most organisations rely on the following six IS to manage operations within their businesses: Transaction Processing – manages all customer and employee transaction data to allow companies to improve their workflow efficiency and effortlessly retrieve necessary information. Office Automation – enhances teamwork and communication within a business by handling all managerial and clerical duties. Knowledge Management – improves job performance by keeping users informed through knowledge-sharing and the management of an extensive range of information. Management Information – uses transaction processing data to assist middle managers with performance monitoring and decision-making. Decision Support – assists managers with their decision-making process by processing all the details pertaining to this.  Executive Support – handles all the necessary information to help enterprise leaders conduct internal performance monitoring, competition tracking, and growth opportunities identification. Career Opportunities A course in this sought-after field will give you access to a range of exciting career opportunities which offer flexibility, plenty of room for growth, higher than average salaries, and job satisfaction. These include: Application analyst Systems analyst Cyber security analyst Software engineer Data analyst Penetration tester Data scientist IT technical support officer Database administrator IT consultant IS manager Where To Study Are you interested in studying an IS course? Rather than simply enrolling for a short course, why not position yourself for success by completing a degree programme? But don’t just choose any degree, a Belgium Campus iTversity degree will help you stand out above the rest. Belgium Campus’ Bachelor of IT degree not only focusses on IS modules but also provides foundational knowledge in the fields of software engineering and business intelligence. The programme consists of three years of academic training, during which you will cover an extensive range of topics, from mobile and wireless networks to artificial intelligence and intelligent systems. You will be transformed into a complete professional who is ready to lead, not only in this field but in a variety of interesting fields anywhere in the world! Visit the qualifications section on our website to learn more or give us a call at 010 593 5368. Our career advisors would be happy to help you make the right choice for your future.

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Dispelling Artificial Intelligence Myths – A Crash Course

AI has become a popular yet polarising topic. While some marvel at the endless possibilities it presents, others are apprehensive and even fearful of this emerging technology. Much of this fear stems from misinformation. This short article briefly outlines what artificial intelligence is and dispels some common myths surrounding this controversial topic. Definition Simply put, artificial intelligence is the mimicking of human intellect by computer systems. As such, it allows computer systems to carry out tasks that would usually be done by humans. It may sound complicated, but it is actually more common than you might think. If you’ve used your phone’s autocorrect function or any sort of navigation system, then you’ve used AI! More exciting examples include self-driving cars and human-like robots, like Hanson Robotics’ Sophia robot that has been doing the rounds on social media. Now, before you start panicking over a robot takeover, read on to find out why this isn’t something you should be worried about, at least for now. The ‘Robot Takeover’ Myth Despite what the media and movies like I, Robot may lead you to believe, we are a long way away from robot domination. It will take many further advances before robots achieve the level of consciousness and free will needed to take over the world, and even if we do eventually get to a stage where this is possible, you can rest assured that lawmakers all over the world will ensure that a full-scale takeover does not happen. The ‘Humans Will Become Obsolete’ Myth Another unfounded fear of this increasingly popular technology is that it will completely remove the need for human workers. Though this is a very real fear for some, a recent paper, published by MIT Task Force, predicts that AI will, in fact, lead us on a different course. The paper, titled “Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Work,” argues that AI will continue to spark growth within existing industries and may even lead to the development of new ones, ultimately leading to job creation. With the above in mind, it should come as no surprise that completing an artificial intelligence course will significantly increase your job prospects. But why stop at a simple course? A Belgium Campus iTversity qualification will set you up for success in any field. Our IT qualifications are specifically designed to meet the changing needs of the industry. In addition to artificial intelligence, our three-year Bachelor of Information Technology course covers an extensive range of topics, from mobile and wireless networks to intelligent systems. We also offer study-abroad opportunities, including an international minor programme, Global Acting in IT. During this programme, our students travel to a number of countries to complete various IT modules, including an AI module in Belgium. Want more information? Send us an email at [email protected] or give us a call on 010 593 5368. Our career advisors are always on hand and would be more than happy to assist.

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Student Communication: Campus Return

Belgium Campus iTversity is committed to ensuring students’ safety, and that no student is left behind. We are able to accommodate 66% of our student population at our Pretoria and Kempton Park Campuses under the current Lockdown adjusted Level 2 regulations. We would therefore like to invite our students to return for face-to-face classes from 1 September at our Gauteng campuses. As a result of the high number of COVID-19 cases in the Eastern Cape, our Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) campus will provisionally remain online until the 27th of September. Students returning to campus will be required to register for their classes. The registration will be made available on the current class schedule where all the classes are listed. Please indicate with a YES, if you would like to register for face-to-face attendance for a particular class. If a class is fully booked, you will no longer be able to register for that class. COVID-19 rules and regulations as implemented must be adhered to at all times to ensure that we, as a community, do everything possible to curb the spread of the virus.  These include: • Wearing an appropriate mask (covering mouth and nose) at all times. • Maintaining a physical distance of at least 1.5 metres. • Truthfully completing the daily pre-screening via the Belgium Campus Screening app before arriving on campus. • Completing daily on-campus screening at the security gate in Pretoria and at reception at both Kempton Park and Gqeberha. • No student will be allowed on campus without their RFID card Student residence will remain open at both Pretoria and Gqeberha campuses. Please note that all exams will still be conducted via AssessmentQ at all three campuses and classes will continue to be hosted on our Hybeflex system. We would like to encourage all our students to get vaccinated. Persons 18 years and older are now eligible to register and get the COVID-19 vaccination. The Pfizer-BioNTech’s vaccine was fully approved by the US Food and Drug Administration on 23 August 2021. You can read more about this by Clicking here:  Pfizer-BioNTech’s vaccine If you have questions or need further clarification, please contact Ms Annelien Loest at [email protected]. Yours sincerely, Belgium Campus iTversity Management

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Mega Project Finale: Sustainable Living

At the end of the semester long collaboration, the I.T. students from Belgium Campus iTversity (South Africa), PXL University of Applied Sciences and Arts (Belgium), and Fontys University of Applied Sciences (The Netherlands), met to present their unique solutions around sustainable living in the programme finale event which took place online. The virtual event was attended by 78 people from around the world with six participating teams made up of students from various disciplines and faculties. The nerve wrecking and thrilling programme experience went beyond the construction of projects to providing students with an adventure of interacting with the world through international peers, and dealing with communication and cultural differences that form part of different nationalities. The purpose of the Mega Project was to provide students with a meaningful opportunity to be part of building sustainable living for a smarter world, with a specific focus on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The three areas of sustainable living that were addressed was Waste Management, Energy Transition, and Air Quality. Participating students from around the globe took over the virtual stage to present their well-researched and ably-arranged projects to the audience and impressed the jury panel. Waste Management Challenge In this category the students were challenged to come up with solutions that focus on waste prevention, reuse, recycling and recover. Team 1 dubbed themselves Vastum Magna, and Team 2, came guns blazing to present their ideas where they both zoomed in on waste pickers, who are already cleaning the cities. The SDG goals targeted by both teams included good health, economic growth and responsible consumption. Their solutions were different but both teams provided some attainable ways to manage waste. Vastum Magna put emphasis on a solution that aims to provide resources that will enable waste pickers to efficiently continue with what they currently do by offering them adequate support. With this solution they hope for the social inclusion of the waste pickers by giving them recognition similar to what the South African Waste Pickers Association (SAWPA), whose mission is to get the waste pickers the respect they deserve, is doing. Their solution aims to assign territories for the waste pickers with reduced geographical zones but access to more waste.  Lastly, allocate designated drop off sites in those zones cutting down on their travel time to the recycling centres. At these drop-off sites there will be an onsite waste sorting machine which will cut-out the need for the waste pickers to go through the garbage. Team 2’s solution hoped to involve various stakeholders  involved in the waste creation process  to be part of the overall waste management solution. This includes households, waste pickers and retailers. Their solution process would start with a provision of barcoded refuge bags to households who will be responsible for sorting out garbage before taking it out for the waste pickers to collect.   Waste pickers will collect the already sorted-refuge bags for drop off at the recycling centres where they will exchange them for cash. The recycling centres will scan the refuge bag’s barcode and households will receive incentives in a form of points which would be redeemable at participating retail stores. Households will be able to track their incentives via a web-based application (app) developed by Team 2 for this purpose. Energy Transition Challenge   In this challenge, the students were to create tools which must optimise the management of renewable energy by predicting and creating a balance between production and consumption. Team 3 chose the ‘Reaching the maximum autarky’ theme. Their solution highlighted that the general public does not have accurate knowledge of how solar production works, therefore limiting interest and potential usage. Their website and app hopes to provide insight for the general public to understand the effects and benefits of solar energy.   They built their website and app on the linear regression machine learning model – by using different Python based technologies, various google functions for documents, and built-in cyber security. The smart app will automatically detect input information such as weather, time, and power usage which will enable the app to produce accurate information about power input and output at specific periods of the day. The average user will gain more understanding of their usage and make informed adjustments where needed.   Team 4 presented their goal of optimising solar generation and creating a predictive system by using UV data and helping users better understand their energy data while making use of open remote energy systems. They build their machine learning model using existing solar systems’ data, fitted with 20,000 rows. Their machine learning model was trained 50 times and presented a prediction accuracy of 90%. The basic layout of the app had three interactive layers which allowed users to log in, move from no specific data to predictive data after completing a few data fields. . This solution is designed for situations that typically have more reliable grid connections but provides a dynamic solution for going off-grid.  Air Quality Challenge The I.T. students participating in this challenge were tasked with the creation of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) app that is capable of consolidating information from existing air quality sensors to suggest actions that will maintain optimal air quality. Team 5 themed their presentation ‘Air pollution in the modern world’. The team’s main research focus was on designing an app that can personalise and improve the air quality index by providing users with an interactive and friendly experience.  Their app was designed to forecast air quality by entering personalised information such as name, surname and basic health questions into a solution database to provide sustainable suggestions based on user preferences for improving the overall air quality. Due to the sensitivity of the information captured on the app, it has a two-factor authentication process as an added security feature.   Team 6’s innovation was an app that predicts and provides homeowners with personalised and eco-friendly advice about solving air quality challenges that may emerge and affect their health.   The multi-platform mobile app,

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COVID-19 communication to Belgium Campus staff and students

Dear Belgium Campus iTversity Community,   We would like to thank the Belgium Campus community for following the COVID-19 protocols implemented around all our campuses since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is through a collective effort that we have been able to protect ourselves, our families and everyone around us against the COVID-19 virus as much as possible.   Many members of the Belgium Campus community have contracted the virus which has made some of them ill and sadly, some of them have succumbed to the illness. As we are seeing the decline of the third wave, it is still important that we do our best to curb the spread of this virus. Although the President announced the move to Lockdown level 3, we have decided to continue with online classes for the safety of our students and our staff until the 27th of August. However, students who need to make use of the infrastructure and would benefit from returning to campus, are welcome to do so if one of the following conditions is met   The student is a residence student The student is a Deaf student The student does not have the necessary infrastructure at home to attend online classes The student does not have sufficient data to attend online classes The area that the student is using at home is not conducive for learning. Some important notes: If you plan to attend classes on campus, please bring your own earphones to attend class If you attend online, you are required to make use of your camera at all times We understand that there are students who may be in need of support due to the impact of the pandemic and we would like those students to know that the lecturers and student support team are accessible for academic, emotional and psychological support.   Student Consultation Sessions Update: Students need to contact the lecturer via email, at least two days prior, to arrange a consultation session Consultation sessions will remain on Fridays between 10am – 12pm and 3pm – 5pm. The faculty will soon be arranging remedial classes for selected subjects on Fridays and students will attend per invitation. The invitations to the remedial classes for certain subjects will be sent out shortly. Students need to ensure that if they book their consultation sessions on a Friday that they are not scheduled for a remedial class. Together, we will get through this! Should you need further information and/or clarification, please contact your designated COVID-19 Compliance Officer:   Tshwane Campus             – Francois Venter & Melody Mandinyenya Kempton Park                   – Francois Smit P.E. / Gqeberha                 – Danelle Kruger   For any academic queries, please direct your email at Ms Annelien Loest at [email protected].   Yours sincerely, Belgium Campus iTversity Management

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