Academics from various faculties were acknowledged for their positive contribution to the media landscape, enhancing the brand of the institution.

 

For the second year in a row, Prof Raymond Parsons of the NWU’s School of Business and Governance took top honours as the individual who was quoted the most.

 

Raymond was mentioned in the media 465 times during 2016 and received a floating trophy, in addition to prize money, for his expert contributions.

 

“I am very thankful for the recognition. As with all forms of recognition, there is always a team inside and outside the university who make these things possible and I am very grateful to them.”

 

Intellectuals should be promoted

 

He highlighted the importance of mobilising the intellectual capital of the university outside its boundaries, and particularly in the media and on other external platforms.

 

“The public intellectual role is tremendously important for a country and institutions that are able to promote it,” Raymond says.

 

“All public intellectuals have to be academics but not all academics are public intellectuals. Only a minority of academics wish to add the role of public intellectual. Our task has to be to incentivise and promote that minority and ensure that they play an effective role and get on the platforms where they can share their intellectual capital and their ideas.”

 

The first runner-up in this category was Prof André Duvenhage of the Faculty of Humanities, followed by Theo Venter of the NWU’s School of Business and Governance. Both André and Theo are past recipients of the award.

 

Our experts are frequently quoted

 

The NWU is proud of the outstanding quality of its experts, whose expertise is also valued by the media. This is evident in the thousands of mentions, interviews and quotes regularly attributed to NWU staff in newspapers, online media and on radio and television. In 2016 a total of 2 419 media items were published in which NWU experts were quoted or interviewed.

 

The Spokespersons of the Year event is not only for top achievers, but also recognises those who are beginning to become household names, as well as staff entering the media space.