Purpose and objectives
The purpose and objectives of the NWU Media and Organisational Citizenship Behaviour Recognition Awards (hereafter referred to as the NWU Media and OCB Recognition Awards) is to:
- Enhance, support, and promote the NWU’s culture and reputation.
- Recognise and reward staff and students’ efforts that aim to promote the NWU, its strategy, and organisational identity both internally and externally at a both internal and external level, including campus and institutional level, and within the larger University community.
- Reinforce brand ambassadorship among staff, students, and other stakeholders.
- Motivate staff and students to live and demonstrate the values of the NWU as part of their everyday life.
- Leverage the awards as a vehicle through which NWU values are entrenched into the organisational culture.
Scope and limitations
Scope
The awards aim to focus on staff and students who have been quoted in the traditional, digital and social media, as well as those who have consistently promoted and demonstrated the values of the NWU. Activities that support the achievement of the university’s strategy and clearly demonstrate the values of the NWU form the basis on which awards are issued. Staff and students from the Mahikeng, Potchefstroom and Vanderbijlpark campuses, as well as students in the distance learning environment are eligible to receive an award, subject to meeting the relevant criteria.
Limitations
The following limitations are relevant to the NWU Media and OCB Recognition Awards:
- No staff or student may enter for a category of which he or she was a recipient during 2024, meaning that a recipient of an award(s) may not again be a recipient of the same award(s) in the year thereafter, unless the entry is for a completely different project or field of expertise.
- Only registered full-time students, enrolled in the contact or distance mode of delivery are eligible to receive an award(s).
- Only permanent- and fixed-term temporary staff with a contract duration of at least 24 months, are eligible to receive an award(s).
- The adjudication panel may resolve to not issue an award(s) for a specific category(ies) in the event that the nominated candidate(s) do not/does not satisfy the criteria. More than one award may however be issued in the same category for multiple recipients.
- The adjudication panel maintains the right to apply its discretion in resolving on the recipient of an award, based on the nominations received.
- The adjudication panel maintains the discretion to resolve to reallocate a nomination from one category to another and issue an award.
Award categories
Full descriptions and Minimum requirements
Social Media Personality
The Social Media Personality Award may be awarded to a staff member and/or student who has through social media made an exceptional contribution towards the university’s public reputation within the university, local, regional, national and/or international community. This includes social media coverage and engagement on aspects related to the functions of the University, including Teaching-learning, Research-Innovation, Community Engagement, Student Life, and other university functions.
Traditional Media Personality
The Traditional Media Personality Award may be awarded to a staff and/or student who has through the traditional media made an exceptional contribution towards the university’s public reputation within the university, local, regional, national and/or international community. This includes traditional media coverage and engagement on aspects related to the functions of the University, including Teaching-learning, Research-Innovation, Community Engagement, Student Life, and other university functions.
Exceptional Media Coverage
The Exceptional Media Coverage Award may be awarded to a staff and/or student whose work and/or contribution to the University has received extensive coverage in traditional media platforms. Such a nominee’s media coverage must clearly demonstrate an upsurge in media exposure during a limited time, related to their work and/or contribution to the University community.
Social Responsibility and Awareness Advocate
The Social Responsibility and Awareness Advocate Award may be awarded to a staff and/or student who has made an exceptional contribution to the University related to social rights responsibility and awareness. The recipient(s) of this award must have demonstrated the ethic of care through advocating for social rights and responsibilities through their work and contribution to the University. This includes social rights responsibility and awareness related to gender-based violence, social engagement, disability rights, substance abuse, mental health and awareness, social welfare projects, etc.
Diversity and Transformation Advocate
The Diversity and Transformation Advocate Award may be awarded to a staff and/or student member who has made an exceptional contribution to the University related to transformation, diversity and inclusivity programmes and initiatives. This can include work related to race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, cultural perspectives, multilingualism, etc.
NWU Silver Wings Award
The NWU Silver Wings Awards are discretionary recognition awards awarded to staff and students of the university who have during the indicated period embodied the spirit and character of the University, its culture and identity.
NWU Ambassador of the year
The NWU Ambassador of the Year is awarded to a recipient of one of the awards contemplated under paragraphs 3.1-3.5 of the NWU Media and OCB Recognition Awards. This award is regarded as an overall award, awarded to a staff and/or student recipient in addition to an NWU Media and OCB Recognition Award already received
Vice-Chancellor’s Award
The NWU Vice-Chancellor’s Award is a discretionary award awarded by the Vice-Chancellor to a member of the senior management of the University who, through their work and involvement in the University, has made an exceptional contribution towards the achievement of the NWU Strategy and values.
Nomination process
- Nominations are made by staff and students of the university, provided that:
- A nominating staff member is a permanent staff member, or a temporary staff member with a contract appointment duration of at least 24-months; or
- A nominating student is a full-time student, registered for a programme leading to a qualification.
- Nominations for the NWU Silver Wings Awards must be made by the relevant staff and students of a particular campus for which the award is issued.
- Nominations are made and received electronically, via the processes and mechanisms provided for by the coordinating team appointed by the Executive Directors of Corporate Relations & Marketing, People & Culture, and Student Life (EDs: CRM, P&C, SL).
- Nominations, including the requisite portfolios of evidence and other supporting documentation must be made within the prescribed period as determined by the coordinating team.
- Every nomination must be made by a nominator, and supported by a one (01) seconder, with both parties indicating such in writing via the mechanisms provided for in paragraph 4.2 above.
- A staff or student nominee may not nominate themselves.
- Nominations are subjected to a preliminary round of screening by the coordinating task team, which must:
- Ensure the completeness of the nominations received.
- Allow for period of corrections spanning a total of three (3) working days during which any administrative and/or formal corrections may be made to nominations and the supporting documentation submitted by the nominator.
- Following conclusion of the period of corrections, all nominations are consolidated and submitted to the adjudication panel for consideration.