The Optentia research unit, in collaboration with the People and Culture department at the North-West University (NWU), recently honoured a group of exceptional academic mentors and mentees who completed the university’s flagship development programmes: Being a Successful Academic Mentor and Being a Successful Academic Mentee.
Between February 2024 and June 2025, several cohorts of the programmes were hosted, collectively training 75 academic mentors and 77 mentees across the NWU’s faculties and campuses.
Among the mentors recognised for their excellence were Dr Susanne Jacobs from the Centre for Child, Youth and Family Studies, Prof Thys Human from the School of Languages, Prof Ronald Lotriet of the NWU Business School, and Prof Chris van Rhyn from the School of Music. These individuals demonstrated outstanding ability in applying the programme’s core objectives, including building trust, navigating academic complexity, managing change, and fostering meaningful mentorship conversations.
On the mentee side, recognition went to Tumelo Ramaoka from the School of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, Germinah Motshegwa from the School of Social Sciences, Emile Hoffman from the School of Geo- and Spatial Sciences, and Gerhardus (Hardus) Ludick from the School of Languages. These participants stood out for their critical thinking, engaged participation, and readiness to embrace the demands of academic life.
The mentorship courses form a key part of the NWU’s broader academic development strategy. The mentor programme equips doctoral-level academics with the tools to guide and empower emerging scholars, while the mentee programme prepares early-career academics to reflect, plan their careers, and participate in constructive developmental conversations.
Prof Ian Rothmann, director of Optentia, reflected on the success and impact of the initiative. “Mentorship is one of the most powerful ways to build capacity and grow a sustainable academic culture. Through structured mentoring relationships, we are enabling academics to lead, learn, and contribute meaningfully to the university and society.”
He congratulated all participants for their dedication to personal growth, institutional excellence, and the future of academia.
The NWU has since developed similar mentorship programmes for professional and support staff, of which the launch date will be communicated soon.
