Optentia Research Programme 01
Human Flourishing in Institutions
Understanding how individuals, relationships and institutions move from precarity and languishing towards capability and optimal functioning.
Programme focus
Capability. Flourishing. Utility.
Research and interventions across individual, relational and institutional levels.
About the programme
What helps people and institutions function well?
This programme studies the functioning of individuals, relationships and institutions along a continuum from flourishing to languishing. It examines what precedes these states, what follows from them and how they shape individual and collective outcomes.
Drawing on the capability approach and positive organisational scholarship, the programme considers the precariousness of modern society while investigating the conditions that support optimal functioning.
Flourishing includes positive emotions, life satisfaction, engagement, self-determination, autonomy, competence, relatedness, meaning, learning agility, positive relationships and social well-being. The programme develops and evaluates interventions intended to strengthen capability, flourishing and utility.
01
Understand
Map the antecedents, outcomes and value of flourishing and languishing.
02
Connect
Study functioning across individual, relational and institutional contexts.
03
Intervene
Develop and evaluate interventions that support capability and flourishing.
Programme leadership
Leading the programme
NB
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IR
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Research community
Researchers and postdoctoral researcher
JB
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Dr Jacqueline Bosman
EB
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Prof Elrie Botha
TC
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Dr Thapelo Chachaa
LC
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Dr Lynelle Coxen
SM
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Dr Sibusiso Mnxuma
EV
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Dr Elette van den Berg
QU
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Dr Queen Usadolo
AE
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International and specialist network
Extraordinary appointments
Specialist scholars extend the programme's disciplinary range and international connections.
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Prof Marieta du Plessis
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Prof Danie du Toit
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Prof Kirsti Lonka
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Developing researchers
Postgraduate students
PhD student
PhD student
PhD student
PhD student | Capabilities of emerging human resource staff
PhD student
PhD student
PhD student
PhD student
PhD student
Sustainable employability: just transitions
Sustainable employability of teachers
Programme outputs
Research in action
Publications
Recent scholarship
A curated selection of recent programme publications will be added here, with links to the journal or NWU repository.
Projects
Current research and impact
Programme projects will be presented through their purpose, people, activities, outputs and practical contribution.
Connect with the programme
Interested in human flourishing?
Contact the programme leader about research alignment, collaboration or postgraduate study.