First Community Engagement Symposium highlights socially conscious citizenship

by Belinda Bantham

The Faculty of Humanities at the NWU recently hosted its first-ever Community Engagement Symposium, a milestone for its staff and students. Held over two days in Potchefstroom, the event was filled with dynamic presentations and lively discussions.

“This is an important event for our faculty and signals an exciting step forward in how we think about, approach and implement community engagement in our academic work," said Prof Herculene Kotzé, deputy dean for community engagement, stakeholder relations and business development, in her welcoming address.

Community engagement enables the faculty to bridge the gap between academic knowledge and the needs of society. Prof Kotzé highlighted the importance of creating community partnerships to tackle social challenges, advance equity, inclusivity and sustainability, and to prepare students to be active, socially conscious citizens.

The symposium focused on how community engagement can transform higher education and society. Some of the topics discussed included Higher education and civil society: Towards an infrastructure for sustainable and transformative engagement, Well-being through the arts, Service and work integrated learning: Cultivating industry skills and civic responsibility, and the School of Music Food Bank, which supports students in need by donating food items.

Putting theory into practice

The first day of the event was dedicated to the theoretical aspects of community engagement. Expert speakers shared presentations on various theoretical frameworks and practical approaches for effective community engagement. These discussions provided a rich foundation for understanding how sustainable practices can be integrated into community projects.

The focus of the second day shifted to practical applications, with students taking centre stage to showcase their community engagement efforts, highlight their partnerships with local communities and demonstrate the tangible impact of their work.

This segment underscored the importance of translating theoretical knowledge of teaching and learning into real-world outcomes, ensuring that community engagement activities lead to meaningful and sustainable benefits for society.

"This was one of the best faculty events ever, covering a broad spectrum of disciplines and integrating inter-, trans- and multi-disciplinary projects,” said Bibi Bouwman, director for sustainability and community engagement at the NWU. “It showed a strong sense of bottom-up community partnerships, making the engagement mutually beneficial."

In her closing remarks, Prof Lida Holtzhausen, director of the School of Communication, said that community engagement is not just an afterthought. "Community engagement is not merely an adjunct to our scholarly activities – it is an integral part of our mission. It enables us to bring our knowledge into direct conversation with the needs, aspirations and challenges of the communities around us."

Commitment to making a positive impact

After the symposium, attendees reflected on how community engagement promotes a dynamic, relationship between the university and society. They agreed that it encourages students and academics alike to approach societal challenges with empathy, creativity and a commitment to making a positive impact.

As the NWU and the faculty continue to foster partnerships, it will be critical to measure the impact of this work by asking meaningful questions: Are we making a real difference, and are we equipping students with the skills to become agents of change?

At the end of the day, the people best qualified to be the judges of that are communities themselves. The better our relationships and the quality of engagement, the more likely they are to partner with us.