The NWU Excellence Awards in the domain of Research and Innovation recognise outstanding achievements of various categories of academics, from young and upcoming to emerging and seasoned, including academics with new and upgraded NRF ratings.
The excellent performance of postgraduate students, our next generation of scientists, is celebrated by awarding the Vice Chancellor’s medal for the best master’s degree student in all Faculties to acknowledge the efforts of study leaders and other academics in creating and sustaining a nurturing environment for these students. The S2A3 award for the best master’s degree is granted to a student in one of the three (3) Faculties: Engineering, Health Sciences, or Natural and Agricultural Sciences.
National and International Recognition and Membership Award
This is for recognizing researchers/innovators who have received national and international recognition, thus contributing to the profile of NWU.
Acknowledgement of New and Upgraded NRF Ratings
This involves recognition of new and upgraded NRF ratings which demonstrates the quality and impact of research conducted by researchers at NWU.
Acknowledgement of Research Chairs
Most Productive Emerging Researcher Award
The criteria used are divided into the following broad categories: Researcher must be 35 years of age or younger; DHET accredited research books, book chapters and conference proceedings Research articles published in peer-reviewed national and international journals; Presentations made to local, national and international conferences; Number of Citations; Postgraduate qualifications awarded to students; Creative outputs; Innovation output; Engaged research; Any significant research; External research funding received.
Most Productive Senior Researcher Award
The criteria used are divided into the following broad categories: Researcher must be older than 35 years of age; DHET accredited research books, book chapters and conference proceedings Research articles published in peer-reviewed national and international journals; Presentations made to local, national and international conferences; Number of Citations; Postgraduate qualifications awarded to students; Creative outputs; Innovation output; Engaged research; Any significant research; External research funding received.
Creative Outputs Award
This award recognises and rewards quality creative outputs and innovations produced according to the following subfields: Fine Arts & Visual Arts; Music; Theatre, Performance & Dance; Design; Film & Television; Literary Arts in line with DHET policy. Exceptionally high standard in terms of the output quality with a focus on originality and relevance. Awards are based on ratings by external peer review done by specialists in the fields, according to discipline-specific criteria.
Top Inventor Award
Criteria: Minimum requirements for this award: The staff member/s or student must have submitted to the TTIS at least one invention for the period under review. Notes: (1) This Award measures and recognizes a 3-year achievement cycle. Recipients will not qualify for re-nomination in a subsequent year without producing new inventions since the previous Award, in which case only new inventions will be recognised. (2) Work which has been accepted for previous awards will not be allowed in the next cycle.
Innovation Impact Award
Criteria: Minimum requirements for this award: • The nominee must have been involved in the conception, development and/or implementation of at least one innovation. • The innovation must have a demonstrable impact and significance. • The nominee must have been actively involved in the commercialization or technology transfer of the innovation. 025 • The nominees may be an individual or a group consisting of employees or students of NWU. Notes: (1) This Award measures and recognizes a 3-year cycle of achievement. Recipients will not qualify for re-nomination in a subsequent year without having produced innovations since the previous Award, in which case only innovations will be recognized. (2) Work which has been accepted for previous awards will not be allowed in the next cycle.
SA3 Award
The S2A3 Bronze Medal is awarded annually to the best Master's student in a scientific subject at the North-West University, in the following faculties: Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Health Sciences & Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences.
Vice-Chancellor’s Award
The Vice-Chancellor's medals are awarded annually to the best Masters's student per faculty at the North-West University in several disciplines.
Life Time Award
The Research and Innovation Lifetime Achievement Award- represents the highest and the most prestigious award in Research and Innovation. It may be granted to recognise and celebrate an extraordinary scholar who has made a seminal scholarly or scientific contribution to the advancement of a discipline through research, innovation, or creative outputs or has attained an outstanding lifetime scholarly achievement and has been in the relevant scientific domain at least over the last fifteen (15) years.
