Higher Degrees Academic Support (HDAS)

The HDAS offers support to postgraduate students to become academically fluent in developing advanced research and writing skills throughout their student life cycle at NWU. This is achieved by providing training opportunities, workshops, and a writing camp to equip our postgraduates with skills and tools they need to navigate their research journeys. Our programme collaborates with internal academic staff, internal support units, and external facilitators to ensure that our offerings lead to relevant and high-quality outputs. The HDAS additional offers support to supervising staff members with the aim to enhance skills development.

Postgrad student with study leader​

Student Referrals & Interventions

The HDAS offers one-on-one consultations with students struggling with their research journey referred by faculties/department. The one-on-one consultations done by the postgraduate support coordinator include:

  • Sharing of the relevant trainings and workshops available to enhance the student’s research journey.
  • Engage with the supervisor to address resolutions for the student.
  • Apply feedback based on supervisor and student engagement.

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Postgrad supervisors receiving training

Supervisor’s Professional Development

The HDAS offer trainings and workshops for staff members looking to advance their career and strengthen supervision expertise. Best of all, participation is completely free! Once enrolled, attendance is compulsory to ensure maximum benefit and to receive certificate of attendance.

The supervision trainings include:

  • Rhodes Strengthening Postgraduate Supervision training (virtual)
  • Hofstee Supervision workshop  (in-person)
  • ThornTree Postgraduate Supervision (virtual)

For any enquiries and enrolment, contact Dr Maphala Mokubedi (maphala.mokubedi@nwu.ac.za).

Workshop attendance by staff and students​

Masters & Doctoral Programme Reviews/Evaluations

The HDAS is supporting Quality Enhancement through internal evaluations and reviews requested by DHET. We assist faculties by providing data from training attended by staff and students, when needed for their internal evaluations.

For any enquiries, please contact Mrs Doret Kruger (doret.kruger@nwu.ac.za).