Three North-West University (NWU) academics have been chosen for the South African Teaching Advancement at University (TAU) Fellowship Programme.

It is a great honour to be selected by the TAU panel and confirms that the NWU’s academics have a well-deserved reputation for their expertise, hard work and dedication.
The three lecturers who have done the NWU proud are two senior lecturers of the Faculty of Law, Dr Allison Geduld and Dr Kesolofetse Lefenya, and Dr Teresa Hattingh, a senior lecturer at the Faculty of Engineering.

They say they feel honoured to be participating in the prestigious 2021 TAU programme.

The TAU programme seeks to contribute towards the enhancement of teaching and learning in higher education in South Africa by supporting the development of academics across institutions and disciplines as scholars, leaders and mentors in their fields.

It also enhances the status and stature of teaching and popularises the understanding of teaching excellence in varied institutional and discipline-specific settings.

The TAU programme enables its fellows to develop their capabilities to engage in and insert themselves as change agents, individually and collectively, in building socially just education.

Sharing their teaching expertise

To Dr Geduld it is a tremendous privilege to receive a position in the programme. “I hope to gain the relevant knowledge and skills to contribute towards the innovation of teaching and learning at our university.”

Dr Lefenya says she considers the fellowship as an indication that she has a lot of potential to become not only a better teacher, but also a better learner.
“I will be able to impart the skills that I acquire to my colleagues and students at large.” She says this will enable her to make teaching and learning more meaningful, exciting, efficient and effective.
“At the end of the programme, I will be a good ambassador for the NWU in the teaching and learning arena. I consider this to be a great achievement.”
Dr Hattingh says she is very excited about the fellowship. “It provides the space for starting new conversations, building new relationships and collaborating across institutions and disciplines.

“It can be difficult for academics to navigate the space between discipline-specific research and scholarly teaching and learning. There are many challenges relating to identifying a community and a sense of belonging for academics who have a passion for engaging in scholarship and teaching and learning.

“I also understand the many barriers that these academics experience as they navigate the literature and methodological considerations of an entirely new discipline.”

Dr Hattingh believes that the TAU fellowship programme provides a platform for tackling these issues and for building capacity and encouraging engagement.

Prof Robert Balfour, deputy vice-chancellor for teaching and learning, extended his congratulations to the three academics.
He says the NWU Council recently approved the new teaching-learning strategy for application in the next five years. “Prominent within the strategy is a commitment by the university to support the further professionalisation of academic staff.

“The TAU fellowship programme provides for a prestigious and well-recognised opportunity for selected academics of the NWU to gain insight, experience and valuable networks in the area of teaching-learning excellence as promoted through the Higher Education Learning and Teaching Association of Southern Africa.”

Dr Allison Geduld		Dr Kesolofetse Lefenya		Dr Teresa Hattingh