Overview
At North-West University academic members, as university teachers, are annually offered the opportunity to showcase their significant and extraordinary teaching contributions, by participating in the NWU Teaching Awards. In our evolving and dynamic institution, seven types of awards promote and sustain a passion amongst academics for continuous learning and professional development across their career trajectories. Embracing diversity in the teaching awards further contributes toward the inclusion of teachers in the university community and celebrates the uniqueness while remaining respectful of different cultures and teaching practices.
The seven teaching awards include Faculty Teaching Award, Teaching with Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), Innovation in Teaching and Learning, Online Teaching Award, Novice Teacher Award, Team-teaching Award, and the University Teaching Excellence Award (UTEA).
Awarding Excellence in a Diverse Context
Type of awards
Faculty Teaching Award
The purpose of the Faculty Teaching Award is to acknowledge exemplary individual or team teaching practices in each faculty. This award can be tailored to suit the different faculties’ teaching and learning identity within the NWU context. The Faculty Teaching Awards takes place annually and participants of these awards are dependent upon the size of a faculty in terms of the number of permanently appointed academic staff and allocated institutional funds.
Click here to view the 2021 Faculty Award Winners.
Click here to view the 2022 Faculty Award Winners.
Click here to view the 2023 Faculty Award Winners or watch the video below.
Team Teaching Award
The purpose of the Team-Teaching Award is to recognise outstanding contributions from university teachers who follow a collaborative team-based teaching approach in diverse teaching-learning contexts in pursuit of teaching excellence and student success. There are degrees in which teachers can work together or collaborate in planning, content development and integration, teaching and assessment.
Team Teaching Award Winners:
2023
Prof Elmien Truter
Faculty of Health Sciences
School of Psycho-social Health
Vanderbijlpark Campus
2023
Dr Elzahne Simeon-De Jager
Faculty of Health Sciences
School of Psycho-social Health
Potchefstroom Campus
2023
Ms Alicia Le Grange
Faculty of Health Sciences
School of Psycho-social Health
Potchefstroom Campus
2023
Ms Mianda Erasmus
Faculty of Health Sciences
School of Psycho-social Health
Mahikeng Campus
Blended Teaching Award
The Online Teaching Award was amended to the Blended Teaching Award.
The annual Blended Teaching Award is envisaged for permanently-appointed staff who have been appointed to teach modules using blended teaching and learning strategies in higher education.
The purpose of the Blended Teaching Award is to recognise the exceptional efforts and achievements of university teachers who have demonstrated exemplary blended learning pedagogies and methodologies. This award is designed to showcase significant and innovative teaching approaches that seamlessly integrate online educational strategies with conventional in-person classroom methodologies, fostering a dynamic and enriched learning experience for students.
Online Teaching Award Winners:
2023
Dr Monray Williams
Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences
School of Physical and Chemical Sciences
Potchefstroom Campus
2021
Dr Kristien Andrianatos
Faculty of Humanities
School of Languages
Potchefstroom Campus
Teaching with ICT Award
The purpose of this annual award is to acknowledge excellence in the innovative way of using existing, or new information and communication technologies (ICTs) to enhance effective teaching and engaging learning, through pedagogy and the integrated use of technology. Innovative teaching and learning with ICTs may include the use of new instructional technologies or the use of traditional technologies in creative ways, fit for the purpose of engaging students effectively in the learning process.
Teaching with ICT Award Winners:
2023
Ms Eunice Pretorius
Faculty of Education
School of Mathematics Science and Technology Education
Vanderbijlpark Campus
2023
Dr Janelize Morelli
Faculty of Humanities
School of Music
Potchefstroom Campus
2022
Ms Hanlie Steyn
Faculty of Health Sciences
School of Pharmacy
Potchefstroom Campus
2021
Mr Andre Gouws
Faculty of Humanities
School of Communication
Potchefstroom Campus
Innovation in Teaching and Learning Award
The purpose of the annual Innovation in Teaching and Learning Award is to recognise a higher education teacher who has introduced innovative approaches and practices in teaching and learning, in the pursuit of teaching excellence and student enhancement. Innovation can encompass anything from introducing new teaching methods or strategies to creating innovative learning opportunities for students.
Innovation in Teaching and Learning Award Winners:
2023
Dr Alwiena Blignaut
Faculty of Health Sciences
School of Nursing
Potchefstroom Campus
2023
Prof Carinda Williams
Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences
School of Management Sciences
Potchefstroom Campus
2023
Dr Henriette Hammill
Faculty of Health Sciences
School of Human Movement Sciences
Potchefstroom Campus
2022
Ms Michelle Groenewald
Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences
School of Economic Sciences
Vanderbijlpark Campus
2021
Dr Merna Meyer
Faculty of Education
School of Commerce and Social Sciences in Education
Potchefstroom Campus
Novice Teacher Award
This award is for a novice academic who is at the entry level of his/her career path in Higher Education.
The main purpose of the Novice Teacher Awards is to acknowledge and recognise the excellent contribution of the top five novice teachers at NWU, to teaching and learning in the Higher Education context. To qualify for this, the participant has had to complete the NWU’s compulsory Induction Programme for Participants, and supplemented their portfolio of evidence within their year of appointment.
2023 Novice Teacher Award Winners:
Dr Marelize Vergottini (Best portfolio)
Faculty of Health Sciences
School of Psycho-social Sciences
Vanderbijlpark Campus
Dr Gaotswake Patience Kovane
Faculty of Health Sciences
School of Nursing
Mahikeng Campus
Ms Fotiene Avrakotos-King
Faculty of Education
School of Mathematics Science and Technology Education
Vanderbijlpark Campus
Mr Kurt Naicker
Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences
School of Accounting Sciences
Vanderbijlpark Campus
Ms Amore Jansen van Vuuren
Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences
School of Accounting Sciences
Vanderbijlpark Campus
Ms Jeanette Visagie
Faculty of Law
School of Undergraduate Studies
Potchefstroom Campus
Dr Lucé Pretorius
Faculty of Health Sciences
School of Psycho-social Sciences
Potchefstroom Campus
2022 Novice Teacher Award Winners:
Dr Monray Williams (Best portfolio)
Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences
School of Physical and Chemical Sciences
Potchefstroom Campus
Mr Gordon Sekano
Faculty of Education
School of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education
Mahikeng Campus
2021 Novice Teacher Award Winners:
Ms Skyler Pedro (Best portfolio)
Faculty of Education
School of Professional Studies in Education
Vanderbijlpark Campus
Ms Erika Potgieter
Faculty of Education
School of Mathematics science and Technology Education
Vanderbijlpark Campus
Mr Duncan Sutcliffe
Faculty of Health Sciences
School of Human Movement Sciences
Mahikeng Campus
Mr Wayde Douglas
Faculty of Health Sciences
School of Human Movement Sciences
Mahikeng Campus
University Teaching Excellence Award
The University Teaching Excellence Award (UTEA) is the most prestigious teaching recognition award bestowed upon teaching participants at the North West University (NWU). Participants of this award are expected to compete in a national space at the Council of Higher Education (CHE), Higher Education Learning and Teaching Association of Southern Africa (HELTASA), teaching excellence awards. Therefore, this award’s criterion is pitched at the same level as that of CHE/HELTASA.
The purpose of the award is to yield recognition, and award distinguished scholars in Teaching and Learning at NWU. It is also to recognise scholars as role models of exceptional teaching. In this way, a unique set of participants, who provide leadership in teaching in their disciplines, universities and regions, are identified. Participation in the TEA is determined by the Faculty (and must have been honoured for a teaching award in the past). Recipients of this award will receive a monetary value of R50, 000 each. There are financial rules associated with this award.
University Teaching Excellence Award Winners:
2023
Prof Mignon van Vreden
Faculty of Humanities
School of Music
Potchefstroom Campus
2023
Dr Viné Petzer
Faculty of Education
School of Commerce and Social Studies in Education
Vanderbijlpark Campus
2022
Dr Claudine Roos
Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences
School of Geo- and Spatial Sciences
Potchefstroom Campus
2021
Dr Veruschka Pelser-Carstens
Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences
School of Management Sciences
Vanderbijlpark Campus
2021
Dr Suné van der Linde
Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences
School of Computer Science and Information Systems
Vanderbijlpark Campus
Missed an information session? Click here to view the recordings.
Please complete the application form to apply for the NWU Teaching Awards.
Please sign in with your NWU details to access the links.
Meet the team
Ms Monique Koetaan
Senior Academic Developer
018 285 2642
Monique.Koetaan@nwu.ac.za
Building E8, Office 101A
Potchefstroom Campus
NWU Awards Coordinator, UTEA & Innovation in Teaching and Learning Award Coordinator
Dr Raymond Emekako
Senior Academic Developer
018 389 2180
25540106@nwu.ac.za
Building A3, Office G83
Mahikeng Campus
Faculty Teaching Award Coordinator
Dr Manuela Fernandes-Martins
Senior Academic Developer
016 910 3315
11781610@nwu.ac.za
Building A14, Office SL307
Vanderbijlpark Campus
Novice Teacher Award Coordinator
Ms Robyn Bunt
Academic Developer
016 910 3318
23541504@nwu.ac.za
Building A14, Office SL308
Vanderbijlpark Campus
Blended Teaching & Teaching with ICT Awards Coordinator
Dr Sonja van der Westhuizen
Academic Adviser
018 299 2169
sonja.vanderwesthuizen@nwu.ac.za
Building C1, Office 234
Potchefstroom Campus
Team Teaching Award Coordinator
Ms Santie Peens
Administrative Assistant
018 299 4896
11230770@nwu.ac.za
Building C1, Office 240
Potchefstroom Campus
NWU Teaching Awards Administrator
The new NWU Teaching Awards rolled out in 2021. View the video below for more information. Also see the infographic here.
Disclaimer: The NWU Teaching Awards video refers to the Online Teaching Award. This will be amended to Blended Teaching in due time. Please access the Infographic for up to date information on the Blended Teaching Award (previously known as the Online Teaching Award).
