The North-West University (NWU) recently hosted its International Teaching Week at the Vanderbijlpark Campus, bringing delegates from Ghana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Sweden and Lithuania together for a week of academic exchange and cultural engagement.

Organised through the Faculty of Education under the University Capacity Development Programme, the initiative aimed to connect students with international academics to experience diverse teaching styles and broaden their global understanding.
Dr Elize Kung, deputy dean for Strategic Relations and chairperson of the organising committee, hailed the event as a success.

“International Teaching Week is about much more than bringing academics from different countries together. It creates opportunities for our students to interact with international lecturers, experience different teaching approaches, and gain exposure to perspectives beyond their immediate academic environment,” she said.

“Having international academics engage directly with our students enriches the teaching and learning experience, broadens their horizons and helps them appreciate the diversity of knowledge, cultures and educational practices. These interactions also encourage critical thinking and prepare students to participate confidently in an increasingly interconnected world.”

The programme offered a mix of academic sessions, research presentations and interactive technology demonstrations, including a PowerHub virtual reality session led by Prof Chantel Muller and Jan Kruger. Participants also explored the university’s research strengths through presentations by Prof Johan Botha, Prof Dorothy Laubscher, Dr Melese Shula and Prof Kat Yassim.

Beyond the lecture halls, visiting delegates experienced South African culture through a bead-ing workshop, a traditional braai and drumming at Stonehaven-on-Vaal, and excursions to the Maropeng exhibition, Sterkfontein Caves and the Lion and Rhino Park.
The university said that the event forms part of its ongoing commitment to internationalisation, global partnerships and preparing graduates for a diverse world.