We are thrilled to share some exciting news! Following our recent announcement about the selection of Brightspace as our new Learning Management System (LMS), we are pleased to confirm that we have officially signed the contract with D2L. This marks a significant milestone in our journey toward a more dynamic and engaging digital learning environment.

With the contract now in place, our project team is moving full steam ahead into the next phase. This includes:

• Establishing governance: We are in the process of setting up the appropriate governance structures to guide the project and ensure it aligns with the expectations of our university community.
• Meeting with the Brightspace implementation team: Regular meetings and ongoing workshops have been scheduled with the Brightspace implementation team to leverage their expertise and determine the most suitable approach for the university. These engagements aim to align a realistic and context-sensitive project plan, taking into account current challenges within the NWU environment. This collaborative planning will form the foundation for training, system integration and data migration activities.

Our new LMS needs a name

We believe this is a collaborative journey, and what better way to start than by giving our new LMS a name that truly represents our NWU community. We will be launching a competition soon to find a creative and inspiring name for our new platform. Be on the lookout for more details on how you can get involved and submit your ideas!

You are part of the journey

Your involvement is key to the success of this project. We are committed to keeping you informed every step of the way; you can therefore expect to hear from us with regular updates. We will notify you when it is time for your involvement, whether through participation in training or testing.

Remember, this is more than just a system change; it is an evolution of how we teach, learn and collaborate. Thank you once again for your support and enthusiasm. We look forward to taking this journey with all of you!

Regards

Prof Linda du Plessis
Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Teaching and Learning