Welcome

The mission of the Optentia Research Unit is to develop and organise knowledge for the optimal expression of individual, social and institutional potential, with a specific interest in the African context. The research unit utilises the inputs from multiple disciplines: Economics, Educational Sciences, Employment Relations, Human Resource Management, Information Technology, Philosophy, Psychology (Work and Organisational Psychology, Educational Psychology, Counselling Psychology, and Clinical Psychology), Risk Management, Social Anthropology, Social Work, and Sociology. We study the optimisation of the potential of people and institutions by focusing on pathways from precarity to capability and optimal functioning.

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Recent news

Optentia extraordinary professor awarded an NRF P-rating

Optentia extraordinary professor and former NWU academic recently received the happy news that she’s been awarded a P-rating from the National Research Foundation. Jess’ research discipline is anthropology, but as she ...Read article

NWU's Optentia appoints extraordinary professor

Prof Doris Bohman, a registered nurse, nurse tutor and associate professor at the Department of Health, Blekinge Institute of Technology, in Sweden, was recently appointed as an extraordinary professor at the North-West University...Read article

Research Collaboration with Ghent University

The Optentia Research Unit is currently hosting Kim Dierckx, a researcher from Ghent University. Kim is working on an international collaborative research project between the Depart...Read article

Ageing in Africa given a boost by Optentia duo

Optentia is proud to announce that Prof Jaco Hoffman, Ageing and Generational Dynamics programme leader, and Extraordinary Professor Isabella Aboderin (Director, Perivoli Africa Research Centre, University of Bristol), together wi...Read article

Newsletter, April 2022