The following implementation strategy proposes practical actions that could be taken to increase the visibility and profile of the CoE. These include:

1. Monitoring & Evaluation: Drive the Centre and Research supervision and monitoring process, so that MSc students complete in 18-24 months, and Ph.D. students complete in 2-3 years. Conduct weekly research meeting between supervisors and research students.
   
   
2. Working Group: Formation of working groups for each research project, including academic supervisor(s), industry mentors and Expert Consultants. 
   
   
3. Seminars and Socials: Holding of research seminars and suitable social events for the supervisors and researchers.
   
   
4. Strategic Research Partnerships: Establish strategic research partnerships with international experts and research groups, to build capacity in strategic areas, especially where the Centre has deficiencies.
   
   
5. Eskom and Apollo: Develop very close links with Eskom ad Apollo will ensure that the CoE supports the future needs of Eskom. The creation of strong links with Apollo should help to develop the ability of the CoE to supply critical and timeous technical advice. 
   
   
6. Industry Partnerships: Close ties with manufacturers of HVDC schemes will be most beneficial. HVDC is becoming important especially for renewable energy systems. For example, the Inga (generating power from the huge Congo rivers) and sending it by HVDC or solar power from the Sahara desert and distributing it. The key to this technology are the converters, control and to study of their effects on the power grid. Establish collaboration with ABB, Siemens and use Eskom to make them build a small experimental HVDC system - may be about 100KW complete with converters which can be assessed for control implementation and a DC line which is extendable lines by connecting many transmission line modules. 
   
   
7. New Research Areas: While the CoE may not work on switching devices, the CoE can explore other areas in HVDC Converter design in collaboration with ABB, which is doing some work on HVDC. It will valuable to get them to collaborate in research, testing and verification services.
   
   
8. Research Collaboration: Establish research collaboration with local institutions, such as WITS University, DUT, MUT, etc.
   
   
9. Review Meetings: Conduct strategic meeting fortnightly (or every 21 days) to evaluate project progress, review meetings with all researchers present, both EPPEI and non-EPPEI. (Half a day). 
   
   
10. HVDC/Smart Grid Conference: Holding an annual HVDC Conference, to show what progress has been made, and to market the achievements of the Eskom CoE.
    
    
11. Financial Management: Ensure fiscal discipline in the financial management of the Eskom CoE by the Director and Office Administrator. Explore commercialization of the use of research laboratories for independent testing, verification and system solutions, to generate alternative revenue. Attract new funding from more local/international companies; and international donor agencies.