How we engage with our stakeholders

Creating value for ourselves and our stakeholders

Our commitment to social justice and an ethic of care requires that we discuss our strategies and plans with our key stakeholders and not only among ourselves.

We liaised with 95 non-profit organisations (NPOs) and non-profit companies (NPCs) in the district of Sedibeng, Dr Kenneth Kaunda, Ngaka Modiri Molema, Bojanala and Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati to explore mutually beneficial community engagement activities.

In addition, we were involved in 754 community engagement activities.

The North West Provincial Government is one of our key stakeholders. In 2022, we partnered with the provincial departments of Arts, Culture and Recreation, Statistics, Health, Economic Development, Education and Conservation and Tourism, as well as the Film and Production Board and the Independent Electoral Commission.

How we react to our stakeholders' interests and expectations

High levels of responsibility and accountability are expected from higher education institutions in our country. Stakeholder engagements and feedback enable us to live up to these expectations.

We further acknowledge that our success and sustainability depend greatly on how we respond to the issues our stakeholders perceive as critical.

Stakeholder group

Prospective students

These are some of the responses received from our prospective students, their parents or schools during our engagements with them:

“Thanks for everything that you did for us; even the people at the residences assured us that they will support our child academically.” – Parent, High School, Duineveld, Northern Cape

“We have never met, but I want to thank you because you were always willing to assist even though you don’t ‘know’ me.

“Yesterday my son got his final results, and he passed his final year.” – Parent, Paarl Boys High School, Western Cape

“Wow, wow!! There was absolutely nothing that we would have wanted to change about what we saw and heard on Saturday. You have fantastic campuses; sporting facilities and the people are great.” – Prospective student, Florida High School, Gauteng

“You assisted me way back in 2018 going into 2019 with my university application and I just want to thank you once again. I am now about to finish my first degree. I was recently also elected as the SCC: Transformation and Diversity Officer with Current Affairs for the term 2022/23. I am doing very well at university and I am planning on starting with my postgrad in the next year.” – Former student, Nelspruit High School, Mpumalanga

“Thank you so much. Your service is exceptional – like always.” – Linden High School, Gauteng

Stakeholder group

Current students

eFundi remained a crucial source of information for our students, both for teaching and learning and for general NWU information.

As some Covid-19 protocols still applied at the beginning of 2022, we held face-to-face classes as far as possible and continued with online teaching where necessary. The NWU encouraged students to be vaccinated and required those who opted not to do so to apply for exemption. This arrangement applied until the state of disaster was lifted.

Regarding financial assistance, we managed NSFAS payment delays by making advance payments to all NSFAS-qualifying students and facilitated or offered bursaries to academically qualifying students in the “missing middle” (students whose household income is above the NSFAS threshold).

Career Centre – Improving graduate employability

Our Career Centre again offered work readiness services to ensure we produce well-rounded and resourceful graduates who are ready to enter the world of work.

These services, which reached 8 408 students, included CV and interview training, group training, work-readiness webinars and eFundi training. eFundi usage has grown significantly: 5 022 students subscribed for training in 2022, compared to 3 800 in 2021.

In 2022, the Career Centre hosted two virtual career fairs across our three campuses. Altogether 4 897 students attended, and 93 companies participated. Another 14 companies supported our career guidance adverts.

There was a 38% increase in attendance of entrepreneurship and work-readiness training. The Career Zone platform shared 336 job opportunities and 185 Facebook page posts featured job and graduate opportunities.

Preparations were made to launch the work-readiness short learning programme in 2023. The aim is to enrol 200 students in the pilot phase. The 2022 Universum survey, which assists companies to attract and retain graduate and professional talent, had 15 448 student respondents from the NWU.

Six team members from the Career Centre qualified as career development practitioners with the South African Career Development Association.

These are some of the responses from students and their parents:

“Thank you for assisting. My son is the first in our family to go to university, therefore I am still new to all of this.” – Parent

“Thank you very much for the information. We paid the registration fees today, so everything will be in order by Monday.” – Student

Stakeholder group

Industry and business community

We engaged extensively with industry partners, mainly enterprises that employ our graduates, to understand their skills needs and obtain feedback on how our graduates are performing in the market. Our faculties use this feedback, as well as the results of collaborative research, to update our academic programmes.

We also engaged with the business community close to our campuses to inform them about NWU procurement and tender processes, as well as business opportunities. This strengthens our relations with communities and helps alleviate high unemployment.

Stakeholder group

Employees

The Covid-19 Response Team continued to guide the university on pandemic regulations and protocols, especially in the first half of the year. The NWU encouraged employees to be vaccinated and required those who opted not to do so to apply for exemption. This applied until the state of disaster was lifted.

All staff were requested to return to their offices, and this was done according to health and safety regulations.

During campus visits, the vice-chancellor took note of employees’ concerns about remuneration, empowerment and their working environment. They were informed that measures would be put in place to address their concerns.

We organised webinars on mental health, well-being and how to adjust to a post-Covid environment.

We continue to prioritise the appointment of staff in line with our commitment to staff equity, diversity and inclusivity. Another priority is to continue addressing some of the ethics issues raised in past ethics surveys.

The values of the NWU were re-launched through several campaigns aimed at employees.

Here is one of the responses we received from employees:

“Dear Prof, I would like to say thanks to Prof and the NWU Management that we are recognised as important staff members. May God Almighty bless you. Kind regards, Officer from protection services.”

Stakeholder group

Alumni

Alumni are important to the sustainability of the NWU and in 2022, we hosted in-person alumni events in different provinces and abroad. We hosted alumni events in Botswana, Germany and Namibia, and held roadshows in Mpumalanga, the Western Cape and the Northern Cape.

The Convocation signed up 399 alumni and held its triennial general meeting, which was well attended. A new executive committee of Convocation was elected and, for the first time, alumni who graduated from the Mahikeng Campus were elected to the committee.

Three campus committees were established and, in collaboration with the NWU Alumni Association, held four meetings.

The number of alumni volunteering their time and skills increased to 117 in 2022, against 75 in 2021.

The Alumni Relations Office started a mentorship programme to prepare our students and young alumni for work and help tackle unemployment. I addition, we hosted various workshops to assist unemployed graduates and postgraduate students with CV-writing and interview skills, and connected them with potential employers.

Five issues of the NWU alumni magazine, NWU & U, were published and distributed online.

Here is one of the responses
we received from alumni:

“I am truly grateful for all that you did for me when I was a part of the NWU. The words ‘it all starts here’ are not just for show. Everything really does start at the NWU. My confidence grew. My light shone on those I met and I’m very thankful I became a world-class student there.” – Former student, Sandtonview Combined School, Gauteng

“We need to motivate them to be bold, speak up, and break barriers.”

Alumnus Nadine Watkins, who was part of the NWU’s mentorship programme, is passionate about giving younger women a leg up.

The following feedback was received from a mentor and a
mentee involved in the mentorship programme:

Nadine Watkins, mentor to Nomagugu Sibeko – BA Communication

“The NWU produces quality and well-rounded graduates. I was again reminded of this during my time as a mentor for the NWU’s mentorship programme.

“I really enjoyed the sessions with Noma and I can see how her time at the NWU has prepared her for the world of work. Whether Noma decides to continue her studies at an honours level, or decides to face the big corporate world outside the university’s gates, I know that she will succeed.”

Nomagugu Sibeko, whom Nadine Watkins mentored, says this:

“My mentor, Nadine Watkins, has been nothing but an inspiration to me. She has helped me understand that whether I choose to go into the corporate world or continue with my studies, it is important to always set goals for myself and celebrate those that I achieve.”

Stakeholder group

Donors

Donors continue to play an important role in allowing the NWU to implement its core mandate.

Meetings were held with the Board of Donors (BoD) and management reported the academic programme and gave an update on NWU achievements. The executive committee of the BoD held a workshop with management to understand the financial challenges of the NWU and how the BoD can help address some of these.

The Development and Fundraising office raised R42 559 079 in 2022, which was 85% higher than in 2021. The vice-chancellor hosted a breakfast appreciation event to thank donors for their support.

Discover the NWU

Money can make dreams come true
Percy Moleke, chairperson of the NWU’s Board of Donors, emphasised the importance of fundraising during a donors’ function on 29 September at the Radisson Blue Hotel in Sandton.

She said the Board of Donors acknowledges the strategic role donors play in achieving the goals of the university, including generating more postgraduate skills. However, most funding is directed at undergraduate qualifications.

“While that is important, innovation, research and development require that we invest in higherlevel qualifications. It is crucial that we concentrate our efforts as donors on raising funds for postgraduate students,” she said.

“As the Board of Donors, we wish to help the university raise funds, serve as ambassadors for the fundraising strategy of the institution and disseminate the word to potential donors and broaden the network.” - Percy Moleke, chairperson of the NWU’s Board of Donors

Stakeholder group

Government and regulatory bodies

We continued to share our performance information through mandatory progress reports to the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), the Council for Higher Education (CHE) and sectoral regulatory bodies.

Compliance with legislation such as the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the Higher Education Act is always a priority.