Welcome

The mission of the Optentia Research Focus Area is to develop and organise knowledge for the optimal expression of individual, social and institutional potential, with specific interest in the African context. The research programme utilises the inputs from various disciplines in the social sciences, including Psychology, Industrial/Organisational Psychology, Human Resource Management, Educational Psychology, Sociology, Educational Sciences, Employment Relations, and Social Work.

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Symposia

Dealing with Unemployment in South Africa: Research and Intervention - 13 to 14 September 2018

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Research Day: Cultivating Humanity - 26 September 2018

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Recent news

Unemployment in South Africa: Research findings to feature at Unemployment Symposium

The Optentia research focus area on the North-West University’s (NWU’s) campus in Vanderbijlpark and KU Leuven in Belgium, with the financial backing of the Flemish Interuniversity Board, have been investigating the ex...Read article

Workshop to explore open science and research improvements in positive psychology

This September the Optentia research focus area on the North-West University’s (NWU’s) campus in Vanderbijlpark will be hosting a workshop by Dutch expert, Dr Emir Efendi?, exploring open science practices and research...Read article

Job crafting for academics

Award-winning teacher, researcher and tenured associate professor at the University of Twente in the Netherlands, Prof Mark van Vuuren, will be presenting a workshop at the Optentia research focus area on the North-West University...Read article

Industrial Psychologists attended the SIOPSA Conference

The Industrial Psychology Programme of the School of Industrial Psychology and Human Resource Management attended the 2018 SIOPSA Conference hosted at the CSIR during July 2018. The conference was a three-day event with many insig...Read article

Newsletter, July 2018