Afda introduces BCom in Business Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Port Elizabeth campus for 2021

"As AFDA Port Elizabeth Campus Dean and Registrar I am elated to announce the introduction of the AFDA Undergrad Bachelor of Commerce [BCOM] in Business Innovation and Entrepreneurship Degree to our already amazing and award winning national and international bouquet of programs on offer.

It was the late Nelson Mandela who said that 'a winner is a dreamer who does not give up'. AFDA Port Elizabeth will now be able to support young South Africans (dreamers, innovators and entrepreneurs) who have their hope set on contributing to a better and more effective Eastern Cape creative economy. Business related ideas will collectively be cultivated and guided into concepts that aim towards a financial sustainable and successful trajectory," says Michael Ivy.

The fourth industrial revolution is well underway and it is shaping up some of the most significant opportunities and challenges of our lifetime. The surging high-tech, sharing economy is transforming jobs, industries and entire economies as we witness our digital and physical worlds continue to merge.

At the centre of this digital transformation is the ongoing adoption of new emerging technologies. It is vital that tertiary education institutions equip the future workforce with the essential skills for this disruptive era.

AFDA has identified the possibilities of growing the AFDA School of Business Innovation & Technology School by responding to a call to action in offering a future proof BCom programme designed to stimulate and build capacity in digital transformation. This will ensure that South Africa and the African continent become global competitive players in the digital revolution. Possibilities include focussing on meaningful tech-focused outcomes via the updated Digital Technology discipline as well as expanding the development of three innovation hubs located on the Johannesburg, Cape Town and now Port Elizabeth campuses, in this way adding meaning for our students as well as future credibility of the qualification.

The tech-focused outcomes three-year BCom degree allows students to collaborate in realising their businesses through real tech prototyping while expanding the opportunities for more exploration of new technologies with more immersive experience content. This includes learning coding techniques as well as Augmented Reality, Mixed Reality and Virtual Reality. Research shows that Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) will become the computing platforms of the future. VR and AR are changing how we design, create, and experience everything from retail, to architecture, health industries, engineering, education and entertainment. VR and AR are destined to replace the future of computing, as these technologies begin to disrupt the PC and smartphone as they evolve towards smart glasses. Globally the VR and AR market will be worth $215bn by 2021.

BCom projects go through a rigorous process of grit, critical thinking, collaboration and research as they identify a relevant value or gap in the South African market place, which can be exploited or improved through systems design and technology.

The entrepreneurship and technology hubs on campuses create opportunities for students through collaboration, resources and deeper learning where entrepreneurial strategies are applied to real digital outcomes for testing and greater probability of release to the marketplace.

This differentiates the Afda BCom degree to any other outcomes-based business or IT degree programmes available and adds more value for our current and future students doing this qualification.