Deliverables and outcomes

The collaboration between UP and York Timbers will lead to the following deliverables and outcomes:

• Establishment of the Chair as a multidisciplinary academic research unit at UP.
• Appointment of a suitable incumbent in the Chair in the Department of Civil Engineering.
• Establishment of an operational timber structural engineering laboratory in the Engineering 4.0 building on the Innovation Africa 4.0 campus.
• Formation of an Advisory and Management Committee governing the operation of the Chair.
• Establishment and support of an active postgraduate research programme with projects lead by researchers from participating departments and institutes at UP.
• Close collaboration with scientists, architects and engineers in York Timbers addressing company-specific research problems and needs.
• Establishment of strategic national and international collaborations contributing to the academic excellence of the Chair.
• Development of undergraduate teaching modules in wood structural engineering for advanced engineered wood products.
• Development of collaborations with and consulting to major construction companies to use engineered wood as the preferred building material for building projects, including and not limited to multi-storey buildings and apartments.
• Promoting and acting as a leading voice for the application of engineered wood products as sustainable building materials in Africa through initiatives that encourage businesses to engage with the Chair through participation in short courses, seminars and symposia on this topic.