With a view to academia's ‘publish
or perish’ culture, the Department of Humanities Education set aside time at the beginning of the academic year to encourage scholars to focus on their research, writing and planning for the year. The three-day retreat led by the HOD Prof Johan Wassermann was held in the lush and peaceful surroundings of Ndundla Game Reserve's bushveld. It was attended by 24 staff members and facilitated by mentors. Profs Pieter du Toit and Johan Wassermann served as critical friends.

The main objective of the retreat was to offer staff an opportunity to get to know one another and to encourage research and writing collaboration. In his address to the attendees, Prof Wasserman emphasised the Department’s shift towards becoming more research intensive and the importance of sharing academic work with broader networks. He pointed out that our core activities are research and writing, which can help people advance in their careers. He also provided an excellent opportunity for staff to learn about each other's current projects through informal conversations. The reserve’s beautiful and peaceful setting served as an excellent backdrop to our discussions about research projects and academic writing.

Feedback from retreat attendees:

“The two days spent there with
close colleagues were inspiring
as we shared information on
research goals and tried to
solve common problems."

‘‘The retreat gave us plenty
of dedicated time to make
progress with our research
work in a relaxed and
supportive environment.’’

“What stood out for me during
the writing retreat was the
collegial support, mentorship
and social interaction.”

“The difficult part about
writing is that it requires
an uninterrupted thought
process, which is difficult to
achieve at home or at the
office. I really liked how I could
focus on the main points
of a paper without getting
distracted by other things."

“The writing retreat in the
beautiful Dinokeng was so
refreshing.”

“My academic mind was
reactivated by the peace, quiet
and fresh air.”

“The writing retreat helped me
to focus on my research plans
for the year and being around
my beloved colleagues and
friends inspired me.”

The retreat was a wonderful start to a promising year in research, as evidenced by the feedback. It enabled academics to use designated writing time to focus on their projects in a supportive environment.