Innovation for the People COVER-6 OKT.Indd
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for n the p tio eo va pl o e n In NORTH-WEST UNIVERSITY YUNIBESITI YA BOKONE-BOPHIRIMA Innovation through diversity NOORDWES-UNIVERSITEIT Innovation for the people Index Page NWU Vision, Values and Mission 2 Message from the Vice-Chancellor 3 Message from the Executive Director: Research and Innovation 4 Message from the Institutional Director: Research Support 6 Message from the Institutional Director: Technology Transfer 7 Message from the Institutional Director: Community Engagement 8 Message from the Rector, Mafikeng Campus 9 Message from the Rector, Potchefstroom Campus 10 Message from the Rector, Vaal Triangle Campus 11 MAFIKENG CAMPUS 12 • Faculty of Agriculture, Science and Technology 14 • Faculty of Commerce and Administration 20 • Faculty of Education Sciences 26 • Faculty of Human and Social Sciences 30 • Faculty of Law 40 POTCHEFSTROOM CAMPUS 46 • Faculty of Arts 48 • Faculty of Natural Sciences 64 • Faculty of Theology 80 • Faculty of Education Sciences 84 • Faculty of Law 92 • Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences 98 • Faculty of Engineering 110 • Faculty of Health Sciences 120 VAAL TRIANGLE CAMPUS 144 • Faculty of Humanities 146 • Faculty of Economic Sciences and Information Technology 156 Interesting facts regarding the implementation of expertise at the North-West University 162 List of acronyms 164 Enquiries and contact details 168 Innovation for the people 1 NWU VISION, VALUES AND MISSION Vision To be a pre-eminent university in Africa, driven by the pursuit of knowledge and innovation. Values The University subscribes to the values of human dignity, equality, freedom, integrity, tolerance, respect, com- mitment to excellence, scholarly engagement, academic freedom, justice and transparency. Mission The NWU’s mission is to become a balanced teaching-learning and research university and implement our ex- pertise in an innovative way. This the Institution will achieve as it lives its values, strives for sound management and pursues transformation, while being locally engaged, nationally relevant and internationally recognised. Mission elements and objectives The elements and objectives are as follows: • Develop, educate and empower through quality teaching and learning, well-rounded graduates who are able to think laterally and critically in their service to the country and its people. • Develop and sustain high-quality, relevant and focused research, supplying innovative solutions to chal- lenges faced by the scholarly community, the country, the continent and the world. • Expand the implementation of expertise, both commercially and community-directed, for the benefit of the province, the country, the SADC region, the continent and ultimately the world. • Be a value-driven university, striving to make a difference in the pursuit of our mission. • Aspire to be recognised internationally as a well-managed and innovative university, with a client focus em- bedded in quality. This the University seeks to achieve by creating an enabling environment that will enhance and improve its core business and remain financially viable. • Transform continually in terms of positioning, academic profile, unity, equity and redress. In doing this, con- tribute to the transformation of the South African Higher Education system to help meet the country’s social, economic, developmental and environmental needs. 2 Innovation for the people hen the NWU came improved. This results in the into being in 2004, NWU’s implementation of ex- Wthe unique talents, pertise footprints becoming expertise and qualities of di- more and more visible in the verse communities were com- community. bined to form a unique institu- tion, which is far more than the Perhaps the biggest feather in the sum of its parts. NWU’s cap was being named the Most Innovative University in South Af- From the outset, the NWU’s mission was to rica for 2008, sponsored by the Department become a balanced teaching-learning and research of Science and Technology’s Innovation Fund. This is university, implementing its expertise in an innovative a sign that not only in research, but also in the imple- way. mentation of expertise, the NWU is establishing itself in the ranks of the top universities in South Africa. This means that the NWU does not position itself either as a research-led university, or primarily as a teaching- Here are a few other highlights: learning university, but seeks instead to address both • The registered number of patents increased with aspects. 61% from 18 in 2004 to 29 in 2008. • Third-stream income increased with 108,7% from The NWU is also the only university emphasising that R311 million in 2004 to R649 million in 2008. the third element of its core business is not merely • A Manager of Community Engagement was ap- community engagement, but indeed the implemen- pointed to ensure that the more than 200 commu- tation of expertise, both in communities and com- nity engagement projects are aligned to the benefit mercially. In addition, the NWU’s motto is Innovation of our communities. through diversity. The challenge remains to expand the implementation The University realises that the pursuit of knowledge of expertise even further, both commercially and com- and innovation has no real meaning if it does not ulti- munity-directed, for the benefit of the province, the mately benefit people. country, the SADC region, the continent and ultimately the world. This publication is an active contribution to Therefore, the NWU purposely uses its diverse commu- this endeavour. nity as a fertile incubator for innovative ideas, often giving birth to unique research results and innovative Dr Theuns Eloff ways in which problems are solved and quality of life is Vice-Chancellor Innovation for the people 3 o speed up the North- Director: Research Support, West University’s move following on page 6. Ttowards becoming a balanced teaching-learning However, implementing the and research university where Research Entities model is only research and innovation take one of the many steps taken their rightful place, the Institu- by the NWU to enhance research tion’s strategy is carefully focused to capa city and the implementation of optimise resources and ensure maximum expertise. The Institution’s target for impact of interventions. its academic time allocation is the so-called 40:40:20 criterion, which is the ratio for time invest- Throughout this process, the NWU remains committed ment of academic staff in teaching-learning:research: to excellence in research, innovation and community implementation of expertise. This means that the Uni- engagement. versity’s academics spend, on average, 40% of their time to do research and 20% of their time to imple- Research underpins innovation ment their expertise. The NWU’s success in establishing itself as an incuba- The University’s growing postdoctoral programme and tor of innovation and inventiveness is underpinned by its strategy to increase the number of NWU research- a deep-rooted culture of pure and applied research ers with National Research Foundation (NRF) ratings, among academic staff and postgraduate students. further supports its drive to improve research quality and output. Aimed at strengthening research even further, the implementation of a Research Entities model is well Putting innovation into practice underway at the NWU. More information about this The following figure depicts the implementation of ex- model is included in the message of the Institutional pertise at the NWU and shows the link to research and teaching-learning: COMMUNITY: Local, provincial, NotN for profit national communities, private sector and public sector SubsidyS generating SUBSIDISED Income: money DEVELOPMENTAL ENGAGEMENT streams 2, 3, 4, 5 Service/work-based learning, school/teacher support programmesg COMMUNITY SERVICECCEE (NOT FOR PROFIT) Science Centre, HIV/AIDSIDSS projects, student RAG, law DEVELOPMENTAL ACTIVITIES clinics, projects WITH RECRUITMENT FOCUS (NOT FOR PROFIT) Science weeks, engineering PROFESSIONALSIONALL weeks, sports weeks, ADVICE cultural activities (NOT FOR PROFIT) Research councils, TEACHING- professional councils, LEARNING For profit government (local, FACILITIES provincial, national) businesses RESEARCH Commercial Short courses use of University facilities Internal Associate/ Technology Contract Consultation corporate subsidiary licensing research ventures companies Commercialisation of expertise 4 Innovation for the people A number of achievements and activities exemplify the units are required to include activities associated with NWU’s understanding of, and participation in sustain- implementation of expertise in task agreements and able innovation, including triple-helix mechanisms. plans, and to report regularly on progress. These include the following: Conclusion The Most Innovative Higher Education Institution- (HEI) competition of the Department of Science and The recognition by the Innovation Fund of the innova- Technology: After achieving second place in this tive spirit at the NWU is encouragement to strive for prestigious competition in 2005, the NWU won the even higher levels of excellence, while realising that competition in 2008. critical review and quality remain the corner stones Highest Technology and Human Resources for Indus- of continued improvement. The deepening of the re- try Programme (THRIP) income in the sector in 2008: search culture on all three campuses, continued and Regularly finding itself among the top THRIP earners accelerated investment in research infrastructure