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Calling All Corporates

Virtual Career Days Calling All Corporates Belgium Campus iTversity invites all corporates in search of skilled IT interns to attend our Virtual Career Days. To register, please visit the following link Register Now Each year, Belgium Campus iTversity hosts a number of Career Day events where top companies with available IT internship positions are invited to showcase their organisations. These events allow companies to see the high standard at which our students perform and to engage with them as potential employers. They also provide our students with an opportunity to secure their crucial internship year at one of the attending organisations, in order to gain vital industry knowledge and complete their qualifications. This year, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we will be hosting our Career Days online. Each attending organisation will be allocated different time slots to meaningfully engage with small groups of our students, between 9am and 5pm, on one of the following dates:   24 July 21 August 16 October All organisations will also be given access to our students’ CVs and work portfolios prior to the event, so that they can get a better idea of who our students are as well as their specific competencies. applicable, a second short testimony video featuring a Belgium Campus student or alumni currently working/completing their internship at their organisation. The videos can contain the following information: Introductory Video (5-10 minutes) A short intro/background on the company; An explanation of what the company does; The company mission/vision; Projects that the company is involved in; The type of students the company is looking to recruit e.g. bachelor’s degree or diploma; Any other important information or fun facts. Introductory Video (5-10 minutes) What it’s like to intern/work at the company; What the company culture is like; Opportunities for growth and development at the company; Any other important information or fun facts. Creating opportunities for talented young individuals to access quality higher education regardless of their socio-economic status is high on our agenda at Belgium Campus iTversity. It is for this reason that we request a R25,000 placement fee for every Belgium Campus student successfully placed at an organisation. These placement fees contribute towards our bursary fund and are used solely for the purpose of increasing the number of deserving students who can study with us. If you are an organisation who would like to take part, please indicate this by registering at the following link: CLICK HERE. As soon as we have an indication of the amount of organisations that will join us, a schedule will be drawn up and forwarded to each organisation. If you have any enquiries or need further clarification, you can contact us via email at [email protected], or by phone at 010 593 5368.

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Some Positivity Amidst the Pandemic

Some Positivity Amidst the Pandemic We find ourselves in unprecedented times. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on our daily lives and routines. We have been forced to become resilient and adapt, and we are proud to say that the Belgium Campus iTversity community has risen to the occasion. In a time where bad news seems to outweigh the good, we thought we would share some good news to brighten your lockdown period. Below are some of the achievements of our staff, students and the Belgium Campus community as a whole.   With the help of our dedicated staff, our students’ technological competence and willingness to adapt, and the support from their parents, we were able to make an almost seamless transition to online learning in just 3 weeks. More than 90% of our students are successfully participating in online classes, and tests and assessments have been able to continue as scheduled before the lockdown. The Belgium Campus community’s resilience and positive attitude also shone through when we were faced with the challenge of handling upcoming events during lockdown. We were able to successfully host our first Online Open Day where we were joined by over almost 600 unique visitors! We are eager to make the upcoming one just as successful. We are also making the necessary arrangements to host our Career Days online so that our students don’t miss out on this unique learning and networking opportunity. It was with great sadness that we had to postpone our official graduation ceremony. However, this sadness quickly turned into pride and joy when our students allowed us to be a part of their lockdown celebrations by sharing their celebratory images with us. We are thankful that we can still look forward to coming together to celebrate when it has been declared safe to do so.   Our students have also continued to work on joint innovation projects with their international counterparts at the University of Sydney and Penn State University. Their projects concepts ranged from improving the automotive industry with BMW, to a vertical farming robot that automatically plants and harvests crops in a three story vertical hydroponic greenhouse.   Our students also participated in this year’s international virtual hackathon, Hack the Waste. We are proud to announce that 3 of our students, Thabang Mahlangu, Coert Grobbelaar and Chantel Mokoena, were even part of the winning teams! Visit our website to read about their innovative solutions and their contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals:https://www.belgiumcampus.ac.za/News/Hack-the-Waste-2020.html   Since the announcement of the first few cases of the COVID-19 virus in South Africa and throughout this period of transition, we have remained dedicated to maintaining a transparent and constant stream of communication with our students and their parents. We are overjoyed with the support and compliments we have received and we commit to continuing to live up to this precedent. Below is some of the positive feedback we have received from students and parents. It really lifted our spirits and we hope it does the same for you. “I am impressed by how seamless Belgium Campus made the transition to digital platforms and I love that our online classes allow us to maintain the same lecturer-student relationships that we had in person.” Tebogo Moropa, 3rd year BComp student “The transition from campus life to online classes has been surprisingly smooth. The platforms at our disposal and the engagement from students has been exceptional.” Keamo Matlala, 3rd year BComp student “Thank you to Belgium Campus iTversity for taking such good care of our children (their students) and for the regular correspondence. I really appreciate it.” Ms. Adelheid Celliers, Mother. “I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to Belgium Campus iTversity and your incredible staff. I will be forever grateful for the assistance, understanding and dedicated attention you give to your students. My daughter graduated with an Honours degree in Computing (specializing in software engineering). Words alone cannot express the joy and gratitude we are experiencing right now! May Belgium Campus iTversity continue to excel in equipping our children with critical and essential skills and in all its endeavours. Thank you once again and may God Almighty bless all of you and Belgium Campus iTversity. I look forward to meeting you all in person at the graduation ceremony.” Ms. Adelheid Celliers, Mother. We will be reopening our campuses to some of our students to make sure that no student is left behind in the 2020 academic year. The students returning are in line with the 33% guideline set out by the Department of Higher Education and were selected based on a survey assessing their ability to access online resources. The necessary measures are being implemented to make sure these students return to a safe and regulated environment. We look forward to welcoming them, and their innovative energy, back to our campuses.   We would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every member of the Belgium Campus community for supporting us during this difficult time. Thank you to our students and their parents for trusting us to provide the best quality education regardless of the circumstances. We will continue to live up to the standard we have set as an institution and we will keep our promise to leave no student behind. Together, we can overcome any obstacle.

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Our Open Days

Tap to select the previous period Next OPEN DAY INTERACTIVE ONLINE OPEN DAY We are all familiar with the saying ‘seeing is believing’, which is why we invite you to join us for an online IT journey of discovery and innovation. Our open days are the fastest, most effective way for us to show you what makes IT, and more specifically a Belgium Campus iTversity qualification, an excellent investment in your future. Join us online and discover first-hand the exceptional standard of education and unique educational experience only offered at Belgium Campus. We promise you won’t be disappointed! GET TO KNOW BELGIUM CAMPUS Belgium Campus is a private higher education institution that specialises in IT; the fastest growing industry on earth! Our students work on innovation projects with real-world impact from their first year of study. These projects are varied and far-reaching, including projects that improve the health, aviation, automotive, agriculture and even aerospace industries! We collaborate with international universities and industry experts to give our students a competitive edge. The words Belgium Campus iTversity carry weight in the South African IT industry and with a Belgium Campus IT qualification, your name can too! Whether you would like to study programming or have a burning desire to study artificial intelligence, this is the place for you. Interested? Attend our Online Open Day and find out more. YOU CAN LOOK FORWARD TO Exciting workshops covering topics including: HTML, C#, AWS, BI, Automation (BMW), Aviation (eye tracking) and Aquaponics; A detailed breakdown of the world-class, industry-relevant IT qualifications we offer; A virtual campus tour showcasing the state-of-the-art facilities and varied activities our students have access to; A chance to view the real-world innovation projects our students work on; An explanation of our unique, truly participative education model; A look into our dedicated programme for Deaf students; Answers to all your pressing questions surrounding IT and Belgium Campus iTversity; A live chat to assist you with your application. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=in41OvypOh4&feature=emb_imp_woyt&ab_channel=BelgiumCampus

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Hack the Waste 2020

Hack the Waste 2020 Creating Thoughtful Leaders Through Global Collaboration Three Belgium Campus iTversity students were part of the winning teams of this year’s Hack the Waste hackathon. The international hackathon brought 61students from across the globe together to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals through virtual collaboration. The challenge: develop innovative solutions to the global waste problem that meet requirements outlined by two socially responsible and environmentally friendly companies; Komunala Brežice d.o.o., a public utility company in the municipality of Brežice, Slovenia and Eco Baltia group, the largest environment management group in the Baltics. All of this year’s participating institutions are members of Businet, a network of international higher education institutions that promote good practices and international co-operation through the collaboration of like-minded institutions. Experts from each institution provided participating students with mentorship in fields including: IT, business, finance and marketing. This spirit of knowledge sharing and the embracement of internationalization provided the students with the necessary foundation on which to build their solutions. Working in interdisciplinary teams and fuelled by an inspirational speech by the creator of Hack The Planet, Tim Van Deursen, students from Belgium Campus iTversity (South Africa), Fontys University of Applied Sciences (the Netherlands), Avans University of Applied Sciences (the Netherlands) DOBA Business School (Slovenia), University Colleges Leuven-Limburg (Belgium) and Banku Augstskola (Latvia) had just 24 hours to conceptualise, design and pitch solutions to an international panel of judges. The panel, which included representatives from Businet, Bothlale Village, Hack the Planet, Eco Baltia group, Komunala Brežice d.o.o. and University Colleges Leuven-Limburg, judged the solutions based on criteria including: originality, feasibility, risk analysis, marketing and presentation and investment possibilities. Two winning teams were selected. Team Waste Pro – Coert Grobbelaar and Chantel Mokoena (Belgium Campus iTversity), Annija Balcere (Banku Augstskola), Janja Šincek Jagačić (DOBA Business School), and Esra Sariaydin and Hamelryck Axel (UC Leuven-Limburg) – for their concept to turn unsorted and unrecyclable waste materials into bricks for construction and team Waste Busters – Thabang Mahlangu (Belgium Campus iTversity), Jelle Zandbergen (Avans University of Applied Sciences), Alojz Gucek and Helena Marinović (DOBA Business School), Alise Dreimane and Reinis Stutans (Banku Augstskola) and Bram van Gils (Fontys University of Applied Sciences) – for their game app that aims to educate children about recycling. These solutions impressed the companies who expressed their desire to work with the students to further develop their design concepts into functional prototypes. All participants also received certificates from Credentify, the first European issuer of blockchain-secured stackable ECTS credentials. The importance of hackathons like this is undeniable. Far-reaching solutions that address sustainable development challenges cannot be developed through isolationism. They require a multilateral, multidisciplinary approach which Hack the Waste allows. Not only do students have an opportunity to develop their technical skills (programming, user interface design, mobile, web and database development), they are also challenged to develop the soft skills and multicultural mindset to become the thoughtful leaders the world so desperately needs. We are proud to be part of a global network co-creating for the benefit of our planet and all who call it home. To learn more about the hackathon and each team’s solution, visit the following website: https://hackthewaste.com   Tap to select the previous period Next

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The Future of IT and the Ideal IT Professional

The Future of IT and the Ideal IT Professional At Belgium Campus iTversity our students have the opportunity to attend a range of master classes, covering pertinent IT subjects presented by experts in the field. These classes provide our students with vital industry knowledge and skills, including an understanding of the latest software and technologies used in industry today. On the 10th of February 2020, we were joined at our Pretoria campus by renowned European Data Scientist, Prof. Dr. Jos De Brabanter, from the University of KU Leuven. Mr De Brabanter gave our 3rd year Business Intelligence students a week-long master class in Mathematical Optimization.   During his visit, we had an opportunity to sit down to find out his thoughts on the future of the IT industry, as well as what he believes every IT professional needs to excel in today’s digital landscape. Tap to select the previous period Next

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Alumni: Simba Mupfunya

Alumni: Simba Mupfunya Software Architect at Netropolix Since our inception in 1999, we have prided ourselves on producing graduates who enter the industry ready to lead rather than follow. We are extremely proud of our graduates and we try to celebrate their achievements as often as we can. This month we caught up with one of our first students, Simba Mupfunya, to find out what his journey has been like since his graduation in 2005 and to get some advice for our future graduates. 1. What was it like being one of the few students selected to travel to Belgium for your internship?“Belgium Campus opened the door for me to a new world filled with opportunities for those who are creative and work hard. Not everyone could go to Belgium so it was important for me to respect the campus name and prove my worth wherever they placed me.” 2. Where did you complete your internship and what was the experience like?“I was placed at Concentra Media, the largest newspaper publishing company in Limburg province, where I was able to put everything I learnt at Belgium Campus into practice. We developed all the company’s internal software and their main website, now called ‘zimmo.be’. I was also fortunate to arrive when C# had started gaining traction and was involved in migrating all VB classic apps to .NET C#, as well as migrating Oracle DB to MS SQL.”   3. Where did you go once you completed your internship?Concentra was pleased with my performance and asked me to stay on. I had the choice to go into IT operations (network) but I have always been a developer-cum-engineer at heart. Over the years I grew into this role, attending most of the tech events worldwide and even designing methodologies and contributing to Open Source Initiatives.” 4. How did you end up as a software architect at Netropolix?“After about 5 years at Concentra I decided to move on to more challenging projects which I felt would aid my personal growth. Netropolix allowed me to venture into all known types of technologies including, desktop, web, mobiles, AI, Cloud etc., and I am now responsible for all the architectural concepts for our developers. The experience I gained gave me the tools and know-how to produce my first game on the market, SPACERAT. The game links can be found on my website: https://microos.com/” 5. What advice do you have for current Belgium Campus students pursuing careers in IT?“Don’t for one second think that after BC your education is done. Technology is ever-changing, and one needs to be prepared to grow with it. Holding a diploma/degree means nothing if you do not apply yourself to this morphing industry.”

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2020 Internship Students

2020 Internship Students The gap between education and industry is a problem faced by many companies today. At Belgium Campus iTversity we understand the importance of preparing our students to deal with the challenges that come with the working world. One of the ways we do this is by helping our students secure workplace training at leading companies in the field. This year’s final year BComp and DipIT students have been placed and workplace training has commenced. We checked in with a few of our students to find out what their experience has been like so far: Decision Inc. Amelia Esterhuysen (BComp Student) “I am excited for the opportunity to put what I have learned over the past 3 years into practice in the working world. I am also looking forward to meeting new people, learning new skills and facing challenges I haven’t encountered before.” Decision Inc. Moses Nsubuga (BComp Student) “I’m enjoying being taken into the Decision Incorporation family and being in this new space. They are giving me all the support and resources I need to get from junior level to the best Business Intelligence Consultant in the Data and Information Analytics Department.” JCH Telecom Juan Heydenreich (DipIT Student) “I am enjoying working at JCH Telecom because I learn something new every day. This experience has taught me about customer service and how to ensure customer satisfaction. Skills I will carry with me throughout my working life.” DVT Kevin Terblanche (BComp Student) “My internship has been a very pleasant experience so far. DVT is a great company and I love the company culture. They don’t just throw you in the deep end and expect you to swim, everyone is there to help you where they can and management is also kind and approachable.” SEESA Mohamed Kader (BComp Student) “I am currently working at SEESA as a Junior Software Developer. My colleagues and seniors are friendly and extremely supportive. They are always ready to offer help and expertise to guide us in our projects. I am enjoying learning ASP.NET and although the project I am working on is difficult, it is a fun challenge and I am enjoying learning a new programming language.” RedScreen (Pty) ltd Chené Reichert (BComp Student) “I am grateful that I am able to broaden my experience with RedScreen. I have become part of an amazing team who made me feel like part of the family from day one. I have gained a lot of knowledge that will help me in the future as a commercial developer and I am excited to see what else this year has in store for me.” RedScreen (Pty) ltd Tania Cilliers (BComp Student) “I am enjoying working at RedScreen, not only because of the welcoming people and the environment, but also because of the experience and skills that I am currently developing.” Sybrin (BComp Students) What our Sybrin interns are enjoying most about their internship: “The diversity of the work and the great company culture.” – Jan de Jager “Learning about the industry” – Akhona Mthembu “inLearning” – Tseko Sejakes “The coffee and learning new things” – Phelang Molatudi “Constantly learning new things, the friendly atmosphere at the workplace and having colleagues that are also from Belgium Campus.” – Marcel Cloete “Learning how to practically apply what we learned at BC and how the industry functions.” – Jean-Pierre Nell “Pool games before work and being able to complete my training at Sybrin” – Brandon Steyn “Learning to use the company systems and growing with the company.” Simphiwe Kheswa “The company culture and the people.” – Alex Kotze “Being able to build something cool with the team.” – Calvin Monageng

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Official Academic Opening 2020

13/02/2020 Official Academic Opening 2020 On the 6th of February 2020, members of the Belgium Campus iTversity community lined up outside NG Kerk Wonderpark to celebrate the official opening of the 2020 academic year. We were joined by representatives from the Belgian, Flemish and South African government, delegates from industry, academic and support staff as well as past and present students all eager to celebrate this important event. Our guests were welcomed to the venue with a lively performance from the incredibly talented Mzansi Youth Choir before settling into their seats. We were delighted to be joined by Belgium Campus Chairman, Mr Jan Rombouts, who made the journey from Belgium to join the celebratory occasion and we were honoured to be joined by distinguished guest speakers: Dr Geraldine Reymenants, Representative of the Flemish Government in Southern Africa, Prof. Dr. Walter Sevenhans, Dean of the Faculty of Applied Engineering at the University of Antwerpen and Ms Pumeza Bam, Group Executive of Human Resources at Liberty. A common focus of the night’s speeches was the importance of using knowledge and the power of IT for the benefit of society and the world at large. Dr Geraldine Reymenants focussed on the important role of IT in enabling inclusive and sustainable development. She commended Belgium Campus for having community engagement as a high priority on their agenda and encouraged Belgium Campus students to do the same. “I urge you to use the knowledge and skills you will develop to make a positive social and environmental impact.” Ms Pumeza Bam highlighted the importance of Belgium Campus’ quest to produce industry-ready graduates with the necessary outlook and attitude to excel in the industry. “We, like many other companies, were frustrated with the limited amount of students ready to deal with the demands of the working environment. Belgium Campus students are different; they are able to provide innovative solutions to the real-world problems we present them with and they do it with a positive attitude.” The evening provided an opportunity to reflect on past achievements, including our successful collaboration with universities from across the globe on joint industry projects in the areas of: aquaponics, hydroponics, smart farming, smart aviation, vehicle automation and autonomous underwater vehicles, as well as our continued partnership with the National Skills Fund and Industry which will see 9 of our Deaf students graduating this year. The evening also provided an opportunity to look towards the future and the opportunities that lie ahead. These opportunities include a new collaboration with the University of Antwerpen, to build a bridging programme that will enable students from both institutions to acquire master’s degrees in Applied Engineering, and enable Belgium Campus staff and students to complete PHDs in Antwerp. Prof. Dr. Walter Sevenhans praised the standard of education offered at Belgium Campus, explaining that a joint educational assessment conducted by the universities of Antwerp and KU Leuven, found the iTversity’s Bachelor of Computing qualification to be more advanced than a bachelor programme of European standards. CEO, Enrico Jacobs, stressed the important role educational institutions, and more specifically institutions of higher education, must play in providing a holistic education that reflects the needs of the increasingly globalised world we live in. He encouraged the Belgium Campus community to continue to actively and purposefully collaborate to prepare Belgium Campus graduates for the future they deserve. Tap to select the previous period Next

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2020 SRC Board Members

03/02/2020 Home News News 2020 SRC Board Members The Belgium Campus iTversity Student Representative Council is made up of 10 unique committees all responsible for a different aspect of student life. The board members serving on each committee were carefully selected by the SRC president, to represent the needs and interests of the student body as a whole. The committees and board members are as follows: Outreach: Neo Majosi & Adin Pieters Finance: Karabo Madiba & David Maila Marketing: Dylan Zeiss & Blessed Rapudi Clubs: Coert Grobbelaar & Tumisang Lemao Discipline: Gideon van Zyl & Ruben de Beer Event Planning: Amanda Ndukula & Thato Raphahlelo Sport: Lebohang Sopazi & Gomolemo Lekomanyane Student Relations: Amantle Mashele & Nombulelo Moepi Technical: Matthys van Rooyen, Jan Blignaut & Matthew James Hostel:Belinda Venter, Tseko Molefe, Neo Matsapola, Tumisang Mashile & Dineo Kabini We spoke to a representative from each committee to find out why they feel they are best suited for their position as well as their thoughts on the year ahead: “I wanted to be part of the SRC to excite change and be part of something bigger than myself. I applied to be part of the Finance Committee because I believe every well-functioning organisation needs a solid financial backbone and I felt that my professional experience in the financial industry would be beneficial, having worked as a financial advisor and financial assistant.” – Karabo Madiba, 2nd year Bachelor of Computing student “As the Student Relations Committee we are looking to build student brands. We want to ensure that each student has a solid brand by the time they leave. We are also planning to grow the Belgium Campus brand across the board. We want to make sure that when a student steps into an office and says they are from Belgium Campus iTversity, the name carries weight in the space of innovation.” – Amantle Mashele, 2nd year Bachelor of Computing student “I wanted to be part of the SRC because I felt it would be a good opportunity for me to not only improve campus life but also build confidence and grow as a person. I think I am a good fit for the Discipline Committee because of my strong moral compass and my ability to defuse conflict.” – Gideon van Zyl, 2nd year Bachelor of Computing student “Clubs bring students together and are a great way to make friends. I wanted to be part of the Clubs Committee to positively contribute to student life. You would be surprised how something as simple as a giant chess board can bring people together.” – Tumisang Lemao, 2nd year Bachelor of Computing student “I knew I wanted to be part of the SRC as soon as I saw the Outreach Committee. Giving back to the community is something I am extremely passionate about and something I have been doing since I was in grade four. I am hoping if I lead by example I will be able to instil the same passion in others.” – Neo Majosi, 2nd year Bachelor of Computing student “Living in residence I spend the majority of my time on campus. I wanted to join the SRC to use this time to improve campus life. I have always clicked with the technological side of things, I worked as a sound technician in high school, so I felt the Technical Committee would be the best place for me.” – Matthys van Rooyen, 3rd year Bachelor of Computing student “I think people underestimate the importance of social events when it comes to reducing student stress. Hosting social events on campus provides students with a safe and controlled environment where they can make friends and build a sense of unity. Having done events before I felt I would be a good addition to the Event Planning Committee.” – Thato Raphahlelo, 2nd year Bachelor of Computing student “I am part of the Belgium Campus soccer team and I am fan of most sports. I don’t think you can ever have enough sports. As the Sports Committee, we plan to use the existing equipment on campus to introduce more sports – Lebohang Sopazi, 2nd year Bachelor of Computing student “I wanted to be part of the Hostel Committee because I enjoy helping people and living in residence myself, I am familiar with the challenges residence students face. I also consider myself to be a friendly and approachable person which should help with the position.” – Neo Matsapola, 2nd year Bachelor of Computing student “I applied to be part of the Marketing Committee because I enjoy interacting with people. I am able to speak confidently in front of large groups of people and I know how to get people excited about upcoming events. My Photoshop skills should also come in handy! – Dylan Zeiss, 2nd year Bachelor of Computing student   Tap to select the previous period Next

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Mathematics Bridging Course

Mathematics Bridging Course Our first-year students have brushed up on their mathematics skills and are ready for the year ahead. “I am feeling more prepared for the qualification I applied for. I learnt more during this course than I did in 3 years of high school” – Armand Lubbe At Belgium Campus iTversity we believe in helping our students reach their full potential which is why we host a Mathematics Bridging Course at the beginning of each year. “I finished matric in 2011 and started work so I hadn’t done maths in 8 years and my mathematics skills were very rusty. The course helped me improve quickly and understand the logic behind some of the programming we will be doing.”- Reon Gottsche “I did maths lit so I was unfamiliar with some of the work we did during the course but the lecturer explained everything in great detail and in a way that was easy to grasp.”– Kheoma Ridgard Our Mathematics Bridging Course assists our students to confidently tackle each task they will encounter during their studies with us. “This course was more intense and in-depth than anything I have encountered before. It was much more beneficial than any extra classes I have attended in the past and I am definitely feeling more prepared for this year” – Janco Bester

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