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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Recent news

Conference: Long-Term Care Systems for Africa - Setting Agendas

Sub-Saharan Africa is among the world’s regions facing an unprecedented challenge wrought by a rapidly expanding population of older people and high rates of ill-health and functional impairment among them. The region must r...Read article

Promoting meaningful learning, well-being and flourishing

Prof. Kirsti Lonka (University of Helsinki), who was recently appointed as an extraordinary professor in Optentia, presented a prestige lecture on 12 September 2016. She talked about ways to promote meaningful learning, well-being...Read article

Vacancy in Optentia

The North-West University (Vaal Triangle Campus) has advertised a position for a Senior Lecturer / Associate Professor/Professor in the Optentia Research Focus Area. Click here to see the adve...Read article

Optentia Research Day: Watch the video

Opentia successfully hosted a research day on 8 September 2016. More than 120 researchers from different disciplines in the social sciences attended the day. Optentia postgraduate students and staff presented more than 80 posters,...Read article

Newsletter, June 2016