In 2019 the North-West University (NWU) will experience an essence of consolidation and development in terms of its research, innovation, teaching-learning and community engagement.

This is the message from Prof Robert Balfour, deputy vice-chancellor for teaching and learning, as delivered during the official Academic Opening ceremonies of the 2019 academic year across the NWU’s three campuses.

According to Prof Balfour the NWU’s strategic statement – t o transform and position the university as a unitary institution of superior academic excellence with a commitment to social justice – will serve as a “map to the starts” in 2019.

In his address, he explained that excellence and social justice are integrated concepts and as such, the new year will see all efforts geared to support student success and the extent to which the NWU develops its academic and administrative staff to ensure the future success of the university. This will be done in a way that speaks to the acute awareness that students represent the future of South Africa and the continent.  

In terms of the number of students registered for the 2019 academic year, Prof Balfour said that a total of 71 758 (including contact and distance students) were recorded, opposed to the 2018 number of 62 558 students. He continued to say that the overall target in undergraduate first-time entrants for the NWU increased with 9,92% and represented an intake of 15 717 new first-year students across the three campuses. 

“The NWU remains one of the top seven institutions in South Africa in terms of research outputs,” said Prof Balfour and added that this is an excellent barometer of the NWU’s research capability since it is the only institution without a medical school in this category.

To further highlight this success, Prof Balfour mentioned that during the previous year, 14 national and international research awards were accorded to members of the NWU staff and that the university was named the Top SA University in innovation by the Southern African Research and Innovation Management Association (SARIMA).

The NWU also achieved a five stare rating in the annual QS Rating, and was declared as the most BRICS active university in South Africa by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation. He continued to say that during 2019 the NWU will focus on support strategies for improved academic integrity in conjunction with research productivity, quality, excellence, visibility and impact.

In closing, Prof Dan Kgwadi, the NWU’s vice-chancellor and principal, thanked all members of the university community for their commitment to the core business of the university. “The university is in a good space at the moment, and it is important for us, as a collective, to continue this momentum and not become complacent. In 2019 we will continue to endeavour to be the best” said Prof Kgwadi.

According to him the focus will this year be on the implementation of guiding policies, fine tuning the unitary model and establish an institutional culture that is anchored in social justice. The NWU’s functional multilingual language policy will also take centre stage during the year to ensure that every member of the university community feels fully included. In this regard, Prof Kgwadi said that every staff member should step up to act as ambassadors who will facilitate a mentorship role and offer innovative approaches to the very complex language challenges at hand.

Prof Robert Balfour addressing staff members at the NWU’s campus in Vanderbijlpark.

Prof Dan Kgwadi officiated the official Academic Opening at all three campuses of the NWU.