By Kgothatso Monono
In a move to bridge the gap between emerging technologies and community impact, the First-Year and Foundation Unit (FYFU) in the Tshwane University of Technology鈥檚 Faculty of Information and Communication Technology (FoICT) recently hosted a dynamic five-day FYFU Ideathon as part of the Faculty鈥檚 broader AI Week programme.
Specifically designed for Extended Curriculum students, the initiative provided early exposure to Artificial Intelligence (AI) long before it formally appears in their academic modules, offering a powerful head-start into one of the most transformative fields of our time.
Structured as an immersive, week-long experience, the FYFU Ideathon combined interactive workshops, hands-on lab sessions, industry-inspired challenges, and expert mentorship. The overarching aim was to promote experiential learning while encouraging students to explore how AI can be applied to tackle pressing societal issues.
At the heart of the Ideathon was a collaborative innovation challenge linked to the students鈥� Joint Group Assignment (JGA). Themed 鈥淐ommunity Engagement on Food Security through Garden Projects,鈥� the task pushed students to conceptualise how AI and technology could be used to support food gardens in under-resourced communities. The challenge required not only technical ingenuity but also a strong sense of social consciousness, with themes like hunger, poverty and digital inequality woven into the solutions.
Students employed a range of cutting-edge tools to bring their ideas to life, including:
- Azure OpenAI for building intelligent chatbots and natural language processing models;
- Wix and WordPress to design user-friendly community websites; and
- Microsoft Office 365 for cloud-based collaboration, prototyping and documentation.
This integration of real-world tools allowed students to go beyond theoretical learning and build tangible solutions -instilling both practical skills and a sense of civic duty.
Week at a Glance:
- Day 1: Official launch of AI Week.
- Day 2: Interactive workshop on Azure AI Agents and real-time AI functionality.
- Days 3鈥�4: 鈥淗补肠办-补飞补测鈥� labs with focused mentorship and teamwork.
- Day 5: Final presentations, awards ceremony and keynote address.
A total of 14 student teams presented innovative, AI-powered food security solutions. The Top 5 teams were recognised for outstanding creativity and technical execution. Notably, 95% of participants indicated they would recommend the programme to their peers - proof of its value in both skill-building and student engagement.
The FYFU Ideathon is a shining example of the Faculty鈥檚 commitment to academic excellence, social impact and forward-thinking education. By equipping students early with the tools and mindset to lead in a digital world, the Faculty is nurturing a new generation of tech-savvy, socially aware professionals ready to innovate with purpose.
The FYFU Ideathon is a shining example of the Faculty鈥檚 commitment to academic excellence, social impact and forward-thinking education.