The College of Basic and Applied Sciences Holds a Workshop on the Theoretical Foundation for Multi-scale Modelling of Complex Systems.

A Lecture was organised by the College of Basic and Applied Sciences (CBAS) on Tuesday, 21st June 2022, for all staff of the College. The Lecture, which was held in a hybrid format of physical attendance and virtual participation, was held in the Simulation Laboratory of the College. The Lecture titled: Theoretical Foundation for Multi-scale Modelling of Complex Systems was a 1-day workshop.

  The Lecture was delivered by Prof. Winston Garira, a Visiting Professor in the Department of Computer Science, Mountain Top University and a Professor in the Department of Mathematical and Computational Sciences, University of Venda, South Africa.  

Prof. Garira spoke extensively on the aforementioned topic. He described complex systems, noting that the combined interactions of their subsystems (living systems, social systems and physical systems) gave rise to complex disease systems.  

The University Don stated that multi-scale modelling approaches to study complex systems consist of mathematical-based, computational-based, empirical-based, and data-based multi-scale models. He added that a combination of the four methods was necessary to understand the complex systems in all their entirety.

 “In complex systems, you must always look out for what the primary subsystem does to the tertiary subsystem and vice versa”, he emphasised. In addition, Prof. Garira noted that the subsystems could be decomposed into several levels of an organisation, and each of the levels could be decomposed into scales.  

Furthermore, Prof. Garira emphasised that in multi-scale modelling, it is necessary to first describe a complex system as being organised into levels, scales of infection and entities.  

Finally, he reiterated that complex systems are intricate systematic interactions between many components at radically different levels and Spatio-temporal scales.    

The workshop ended on a good note as feedback from members of staff revealed that they have been properly enlightened and equipped.