SAUPEC History
The first South African Universities Power Engineering Conference (SAUPEC), or SAUKIK (Suid-Afrikaanse Universiteite Kragingenieurswese Konferensie) as it was known in Afrikaans, was hosted by the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Stellenbosch University in January 1990. The event came about at the initiative of Prof. Ron Herman and Dr Koos Holtzhausen, both faculty members of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Stellenbosch University at the time, with the view to establishing a forum where academics and research students in power engineering can present their work to their peers, network and exchange ideas. The idea of a SAUPEC attracted strong support from leading academics in the field of power engineering, including Prof. Frikkie van der Merwe at Stellenbosch University, Prof. Jan Reynders at the University of the Witwatersrand, Prof. Ron Harley at the University of Natal, and Prof. Daan van Wyk at Randse Afrikaanse Universiteit. SAUPEC 1990 started strongly, attracting support from colleagues at Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) across the country. A total of 46 research papers were submitted, reviewed and presented. As in many of the following years, academics and students were accommodated in student residences, and the presentations were delivered in university auditoriums and classrooms to contain costs in the face of the financial constraints of the time.
The Eskom Tertiary Education Support Programme (TESP), which supports postgraduate research in power engineering at academic institutions, was initiated in 1992. This program, through a pragmatic yet professional approach to funding academic research in power engineering, quickly established a formidable fraternity of academics submitting research proposals and participating in annual report-back sessions. The annual TESP report-back sessions for grant holders were aligned with the SAUPEC conference around 1998, with the TESP report-back event typically preceding the SAUPEC plenary session. The association between SAUPEC and the Eskom TESP grantees report back sessions has contributed significantly to the sustainability of SAUPEC over its lifetime, especially through economy of scale benefits that accrued to SAUPEC in hosting these events jointly.
In 2015, SAUPEC became part of the South African Institute of Electrical Engineers (SAIEE). The 23rd SAUPEC became the first SAUPEC conference organised under the auspices of SAIEE. This alignment not only fostered increased interaction between SAUPEC and the professional engineering community but also empowered local organising committees through the logistical support services offered by the SAIEE secretariat. The continuity and support offered by SAIEE will contribute in a meaningful way to a sustainable future for SAUPEC.
SAUPEC enjoyed strong sponsorship support from the industry throughout its history. Together with Eskom, companies such as ABB, Siemens, Aberdare Cables, and Schneider Electric have sponsored the conference on a recurring basis. As in the past, these sponsorships continue to play a crucial role in enabling SAUPEC to contain registration costs whilst maintaining financial viability and sustainability. SAUPEC gratefully acknowledges the industry support that has carried the conference to the present day.
SAUPEC Legacy
SAUPEC represents a unique conference event in that it is not only a forum for high-quality research papers that aim to qualify for publication subsidies through a rigorous peer-review process, but also a platform for students to present work in progress at an early stage in their research careers. During the 28 years leading up to the 26th conference in January 2018, SAUPEC established a legacy of 25 conference proceedings, hosted by Universities and Universities of Technology representing the entire spectrum of HEIs active in power engineering education across the country, with a total of 1693 peer-reviewed papers and a further 128 discussion or poster papers.
SAUPEC Fraternity
With few exceptions, where successive conferences were held with an interval of 18 months or 2 years, SAUPEC took place on an annual basis, hosted by an inclusive range of HEIs involved in power engineering education. As such, it has always served as a unique forum for networking among academics and students. The interaction with TESP contributed to active, sustained engagement with leading industry professionals and sponsors in the power engineering field.
During the 28 years of its existence, SAUPEC became more than just a conference. It also evolved into a vibrant fraternity of academics, students and industry professionals involved in power engineering education and research. The regular, recurring interactions through SAUPEC events have been instrumental in fostering strong collegial relationships among academics in power engineering, both within the country and across the region. Through this legacy, SAUPEC has made a unique contribution to foster the coherence that characterises the academic fraternity representing power engineering education in the region.
SAUPEC Future
In considering the future of SAUPEC, it is worthwhile to examine the history of similar events elsewhere. UPEC, the conference on which SAUPEC is modelled, celebrated its 50th conference in 2017. UPEC has progressed from an event predominantly localised in the United Kingdom to an international conference hosted at various European universities in recent years. The Australasian Universities Power Engineering Conference (AUPEC) celebrated its 26th event in 2017. It is clear that the concept of a university's power engineering conference is sustainable. In this context, SAUPEC has already established a noteworthy history and legacy. In recent years, SAUPEC has attracted a rapidly increasing number of international participants, especially from Africa. The number of postgraduate student delegates from the Southern African region, in particular, is increasing year on year. SAUPEC is uniquely positioned to become a distinguished international forum for academics and students engaged in power engineering research, particularly on the African continent.