If the act of giving is a beautiful art, the act of empowering others is a masterpiece. The NWU recently honoured thirteen academics for creating such “masterpieces” by sharing their knowledge with communities.
They were acknowledged during a virtual event – the NWU’s Excellence in Community Engagement (CE) Awards Ceremony – on 31 March.
The vice-chancellor, Prof Dan Kgwadi, conveyed his congratulations to all the recipients. He said he wished they would encourage others to also become community-engaged researchers and innovators, engaged teaching and learning implementers.
He encouraged them to be corporate citizens who not only share their expertise with grassroots communities, but also with industry partners and other universities.
Let’s be an engaged university
When asked about the awards, Prof Marilyn Setlalentoa, the deputy vice-chancellor for community engagement and Mahikeng Campus operations, says she is very proud of all the award recipients.
“These awards say something about the high quality and excellence of their expertise, but also about their passion for people and commitment to use their knowledge to make a difference in other's lives.”
She points out that, as an engaged university, our community engagement activities are intertwined with our teaching and learning and our research.
“Our activities should not be a one-sided affair. They should be interactive, involving two-way learning experiences and research about, with and in communities; and for accomplishing this, I applaud and thank our award recipients.”
She wished them all the best for their future and the great impact they all hoped to make together in the spirit of ubuntu.
Prof Marilyn Setlalentoa, the deputy vice-chancellor for community engagement and Mahikeng Campus operations, says that community engagement at the NWU is growing, and as a leading university we have to ensure that the world of knowledge it generates is harnessed to the benefit of the communities it serves.
And the winners are…
The contributions that were recognised in the different categories were:
SCHOLARSHIP OF ENGAGEMENT
Prof Juaneé Cilliers
previously from the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, for the Small Towns Makeover Project, science communication
Prof Leenta Grobler and Dr Henri Marais
from the Faculty of Engineering for the TjopTjop Covid-19 screening app
ENGAGED TEACHING AND LEARNING
Prof Carisma Nel and
Dr Elma Marais
from the Faculty of Education for the Teaching and Learning Development Capacity Improvement Programme: Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) Works
Dr Corné van der Vyver
from the Faculty of Education for strengthening community identity through storytelling as a teaching strategy
ENGAGED TEACHING AND LEARNING AND OUTREACH
Lorraine Erica Derbyshire
from the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences for various School of Accounting Sciences community engagement activities
ENGAGED RESEARCH AND SHARING OF EXPERTISE
Prof Josef de Beer
from the Faculty of Education for Teachers Without Borders: Establishing indigenous knowledge science labs in rural schools
Dr Marinda Neethling
from the Faculty of Education for a community engagement project to support in-service teachers in the Umzinyathi District
SHARING OF EXPERTISE
Prof Riaan de Jongh
from the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences for his lifelong community engagement contribution to the South African financial services industry
Kgomotso Mopalami
from the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences for the development of the SABPP HR Practitioner Checklist
SHARING OF EXPERTISE AND OUTREACH
Dr Kezell Klinck
from the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences for Community Engagement at Heart
Prof Mulunda Mwanza
from the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences for the Animal Health Outreach Programme to the community
“Sharing my knowledge and expertise allows me to contribute positively to enhancing the livelihood of the community at large.
“One of the pillars of HR professionalism is 'duty to society'. Therefore, I uphold the obligation for my social responsibility, and by doing that, I feel contented knowing that I make a difference in our society at large by ensuring the people I reach are knowledgeable.”
- Kgomotso Mopalami,
Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences