The North-West University is renowned for Teaching Excellence, a display of the most esteemed and celebrated university educators in South Africa. At North-West University, academic members, serving as university teachers, are annually invited to showcase their excellent teaching contributions by participating in the NWU Teaching Awards.
The rationale for diversifying the teaching awards is to promote diversity and create a platform for a broader group of academics to showcase their excellence in various fields and disciplines of teaching and learning practices. More so, excellence in teaching is measured in various forms through these diverse teaching awards. Embracing diversity in the teaching awards further contributes towards the inclusion of academics at various stages in their careers and professional support staff in the university community. We celebrate the uniqueness of each university award participant while respecting different cultures and teaching practices. The nine types of teaching awards include the Faculty Teaching Award, Teaching with Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Award, Innovation in Teaching and Learning Award, Blended Teaching Award, Novice Teacher Award, Team-Teaching Award, Leadership in Teaching Award, Professional Staff Award and the University Teaching Excellence Award (UTEA).
As the NWU Teaching Awards are part of the rewards and recognition programme, the value of excellence in all endeavours is shared, striving towards achieving high-quality standards in all that is done, which meet personal, university, community, and social expectations. In doing so, the NWU Teaching Awards promote and sustain a passion among academics and other stakeholders for continuous learning, professional development across their career trajectories, as well as innovation in teaching and learning while maintaining a positive and productive work ethic, striving toward outputs and contributions that improve the quality of teaching and learning. In addition, we utilise the teaching awards as an evaluative pedagogy to deepen our understanding of challenges and successes in learning, teaching, and assessment within the university space.
Teaching with ICT Award
The purpose of this annual award is to acknowledge excellence in the innovative way of using existing, or new information and communication technologies (ICTs) to enhance effective teaching and engaging learning, through pedagogy and the integrated use of technology. Innovative teaching and learning with ICTs may include the use of new instructional technologies or the use of traditional technologies in creative ways, fit for the purpose of engaging students effectively in the learning process.
Innovation in Teaching and Learning Award
The purpose of the annual Innovation in Teaching and Learning Award is to recognise a higher education teacher who has introduced innovative approaches and practices in teaching and learning, in the pursuit of teaching excellence and student enhancement. Innovation can encompass anything from introducing new teaching methods or strategies to creating innovative learning opportunities for students.
Novice Teacher Award
This award is for a novice academic who is at the entry level of his/her career path in Higher Education. The main purpose of the Novice Teacher Awards is to acknowledge and recognise the excellent contribution of the top five novice teachers at NWU, to teaching and learning in the Higher Education context. To qualify for this, the participant has had to complete the NWU’s compulsory Induction Programme for Participants, and supplemented their portfolio of evidence within their year of appointment.
Team-Teaching Award
The purpose of the Team-Teaching Award is to recognise outstanding contributions from university teachers who follow a collaborative team-based teaching approach in diverse teaching-learning contexts in pursuit of teaching excellence and student success. There are degrees in which teachers can work together or collaborate in planning, content development and integration, teaching and assessment.
Leadership in Teaching Award
The NWU Leadership Award for Teaching Excellence acknowledges and supports individuals who have made a significant impact on teaching and learning through leadership, innovation, and advocacy. This Award aligns with NWU’s strategic goals by recognising those who drive advancements that address social justice and contribute to NWU’s mission and the broader South African higher education landscape.
Professional Staff Award
The Professional Staff Award aims to recognise and reward professional staff members for their significant contributions to excellence in teaching and learning at the North-West University (NWU). It acknowledges outstanding support that enhances the quality of teaching and learning across academic fields of study within faculties. This Award underscores the crucial role of professional staff in shaping a high-quality educational environment. Appreciating the dedication and efforts of staff who provide exceptional support aligned with NWU’s strategic goals, this award encourages continuous improvement and innovation in teaching and learning support services.
University Teaching Excellence Awards (UTEA)
The University Teaching Excellence Award (UTEA) is the most prestigious institutional recognition of teaching at North-West University (NWU). The award seeks to honour and reward distinguished scholars in Teaching and Learning who demonstrate sustained excellence, innovation, and impact in their practice. It recognises individuals as role models of exceptional teaching within the institution and beyond.
Through the UTEA, NWU identifies and celebrates outstanding academics who provide leadership in teaching within their disciplines, across the university, and in broader higher education contexts. Recipients are expected to embody a culture of teaching excellence, inspire peers, and contribute meaningfully to the advancement of learning and scholarship.
Awardees of the UTEA are positioned to represent NWU in national and regional platforms, including the National University Teaching Awards (NUTA) coordinated by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and supported by the Higher Education Learning and Teaching Association of Southern Africa (HELTASA). The UTEA criteria are therefore benchmarked against these national standards to ensure that NWU participants compete on an equal footing in these prestigious spaces.
