A group of 30 Walter Sisulu University (WSU) lecturers have gathered at Morgan Bay Hotel for a transformative three-day writing retreat aimed at guiding first-time authors from research to submission. The retreat represents a milestone in WSU’s efforts to promote a strong culture of academic publishing.
Their Story
Led by the university’s Director of Research and Innovation, Professor Thobeka Ncanywa, the retreat is designed to build academic writing confidence and ensure that researchers successfully submit manuscripts to scholarly journals.
In her opening address, Ncanywa encouraged participants to embrace collaboration, creativity, and humility.
“Some of the knowledge I know was taught to me by mentees. You can learn from students while you are the mentor,” she shared.
“Writers are the think tanks of society. You carry the responsibility to educate, inform and provide solutions.”
Among the participants is Professor Philani Ngongo, author of the groundbreaking book Umbhoxo: Making Rugby an Afrikan Game, which challenges long-held assumptions about rugby’s place in African history.
The Event/Occasion
The retreat provides structured sessions on manuscript preparation, submission strategy, and research methodology.
Seasoned education expert Professor Bulelwa Makana has taken participants through the fundamentals of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method approaches.
Makana also gave practical advice on how to:
- Get noticed by journal reviewers
- Avoid common reasons for rejection
- Position one’s research for maximum impact
Professor Mbulelo Douglas, programme director, set the tone early:
“Research without publication is pointless. We must be innovative, creative, and impactful producing published work that solves societal problems.”
One of the key topics expected to stir debate is the use of Artificial Intelligence in academic work, especially around intellectual property and originality in research outputs.
Community Reactions
Faculty across WSU have welcomed the retreat as a bold step in nurturing emerging academics.
Dr. Noluthando Matebese, attending her first writing workshop, said:
“This experience has already demystified the publishing process for me. It’s empowering to know that the university is investing in our growth.”
The retreat is not only aimed at getting the 30 lecturers to submit at least one manuscript by Friday, but also at planting seeds for long-term research excellence at WSU.
