ABOUT

Academic Citizenship & Community Engagement

Prof. van der Westhuizen exemplifies academic citizenship through active service to both the university community and the broader public. She engages in volunteer work, professional associations, and community outreach, leveraging her expertise to benefit society.

Her philosophy is that an academic’s responsibility goes beyond the classroom and lab – it extends into nurturing communities and addressing social and environmental challenges.

University Service

Within UKZN, Prof. van der Westhuizen contributes to various committees and mentorship initiatives. She helped author her School’s mentorship strategy in 2019, creating guidelines to support young faculty and promote a culture of peer mentoring. She also served on the University Teaching and Learning Office’s programme to train staff in community engagement methods.

In addition, she sits on the Self-Funded Teaching Programmes Management Committee (2018–2019, 2021–current) to ensure the quality and sustainability of those programs. Through these roles, she shares her experience and fosters an environment of continuous development and social responsibility among colleagues.

SALAR Model & Chartered PR Practitioner

As a recognized expert, she frequently speaks at workshops and forums about community engagement. She was invited to deliver a workshop at the MUT Focus Conference on using the SALAR model for collaborative curriculum development – exemplifying how she mentors other educators in integrating engagement into academia. Prof. van der Westhuizen is also a Chartered Public Relations Practitioner (CPRP) with the Public Relations Institute of Southern Africa, which underscores her commitment to professional ethics and effective communication.

This qualification helps her serve as a bridge between the university and the public, communicating research findings and institutional initiatives clearly to stakeholders.

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Books by Prof. Thea

Prof. van der Westhuizen has authored several books that encapsulate her research findings and practical insights on entrepreneurship. These works are aimed at academics, practitioners, and anyone interested in youth and entrepreneurship development.

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