Uncharted waters await two NWU researchers
Two North-West University (NWU) researchers will navigate uncharted waters with their research, using fourth-generation cultural-historical activity theories (CHAT) to find solutions to the complex educational problems confronting South Africa. Prof Elsa Mentz and Prof Josef de Beer from the research focus area Self-directed Learning are…
Intreerede spoor bedryfsnavorsing na die Tweede Wêreldoorlog toe terug
Bedryfsnavorsing (BN) is modern en uiters gesofistikeerd, maar die oorsprong daarvan kan teruggespoor word na 1939, toe die Koninklike Lugmag die reikwydte van radar begin uitbrei het. Prof Philip Pretorius het onlangs die gehoor aan die begin van sy intreelesing op die Noordwes-Universiteit (NWU) se kampus in Vanderbijlpark ’n kort…
Inaugural lecture traces operational research back to World War II
Operational research (OR) is modern and highly sophisticated but its origins can be traced back to 1939 when the Royal Air Force began expanding the range of radar. Prof Philip Pretorius recently took the audience on a bit of a history lesson on OR with his inaugural lecture on the North-West University’s (NWU’s) campus in Vanderbijlpark.…
Global warming is fuelling global inequality
Poor countries are becoming poorer as a result of global warming and more intense heat waves in the future will widen the inequality gap. These are some of the research findings of Namhla Mkiva, a technical support staff member in the subject group Geography and Environmental Studies at the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Faculty of Natural and…
Xena and this fish parasite have much in common
During the late 1990s and early 2000s, Xena the warrior princess dominated television screens all over the world. She was known for her strong personality and loved for her feistiness and fighting ability. So when Serita van der Wal, a master’s student at the North-West University (NWU), named a fish parasitic cymothoid isopod after the…
Lowered interest rates: a double-edged sword of economic impact
As was expected, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the SARB reduced the repo rate by 0.25% from 6.75% to 6.50% on 17 July 2019. “Most economic commentators predicted this decision, although the general feeling is that the reduction should have been at the end of 2018, and a 0.5% reduction at least,” says Prof Danie Meyer, director of the…
NWU to face UKZN in their first 2019 Varsity Football game
The North-West University’s (NWU’s) Noble Boys will face the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) on their home ground in their first Varsity Football game on 25 July 2019. The NWU trumped UKZN in their last game during the 2018 Varsity Football season, winning the game by two goals to nil. NWU Soccer Institute coach Karabo Masehela says his…
The fight against HIV/Aids is not over
With about eight million South Africans living with HIV/Aids and 230 000 new infections annually, it is no surprise that scientists, organisations, and government have made it a top priority. Prof Refilwe Phaswana-Mafuya, deputy vice-chancellor for research and innovation at the North-West University (NWU), recently chaired the ninth SA AIDS…
NWU sponsorship to energize MSSA’s Online School League
The North-West University’s (NWU’s) commitment to innovation is not only transforming the South African higher education landscape, but also the reach and impact of eSports. The latter referring to the ever-growing competitive gaming scene. Just recently the university announced that it will be a headline sponsor for Mind Sport South Africa’s…
SEW 2019: meer as idees – optrede!
Met die nasionale bekendstelling van Studente-entrepreneurskapsweek (SEW) wat op 1 Augustus 2019 plaasvind, is hoëronderriginstellings regoor die land gereed om bewustheid van die belangrikheid van entrepreneurskap as ’n lewensvatbare loopbaanopsie te skep. Dit is ook die geval by die Noordwes-Universiteit (NWU). Hierdie nasionale inisiatief…
SEW 2019: beyond ideas, into action!
With the national launch of the Student Entrepreneurship Week (SEW) set to take place on 1 August 2019, institutions of higher learning across the country are ready to raise awareness of the importance of entrepreneurship as a viable career option. This is also the case at the North-West University (NWU). This national initiative was piloted…
NWU assists with invention of reflective livestock spray paint
The spirit of the North-West University (NWU) is reflected in the way the university unlock the future for people and enable them to make their dreams come true. It is the NWU’s purpose to excel in innovative learning and teaching and cutting-edge research to benefit society. The NWU’s Technology Transfer and Innovation Support (TTIS)…
Workshop teaches reliable data collection on land use
Accurate data collection is one of the most crucial elements of research and the North-West University (NWU) has always prided itself on the excellent quality of its research. Fittingly, the NWU was chosen to host this year’s Collect Earth workshop, presented by the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the European Union (EU…
NWU students come out in numbers to career fairs
The North-West University’s (NWU’s) Career Centre is pulling out all the stops when it comes to equipping its students with the necessary knowledge that is needed for the world of work. The centre hosted its annual engineering and natural and agricultural sciences career fairs on the campus in Potchefstroom on 17 and 18 July respectively…
Former NWU students return after studying medicine in Cuba
The North-West University (NWU) may not have a *medical school yet, but is certainly doing its part to help bridge the shortage of medical practitioners in the country. According to the Health Professions Council of South Africa, the country has more than 37 300 registered doctors, and approximately 12 300 of them are qualified as specialists…
NWU’s Kebalepile reigns supreme
Kebalepile Ramafoko, a third-year BA psychology and languages student at the North-West University (NWU), has proven that with hard work, passion and a bit of luck dreams do come true. The 20-year-old beauty from Witbank was recently crowned as Miss Mpumalanga. Apart from the title she walked away with a car, a bursary from the Premier’s…
MBA Winter Study School learns from renowned experts
The Prestige Day of the North-West University’s (NWU’s) annual week-long MBA Winter Study School took place on 24 July 2019 in Potchefstroom. During a stimulating programme 180 MBA students bonded with fellow students, listened to interesting lectures and took part in management skills workshops. Top-notch speakers addressed the students on…
NWU-Juta mock trials: It is time for the scales of justice to tip
The exciting final of the annual North-West University (NWU) mock trials, hosted by the Faculty of Law with the support of Juta, will take place on 20 August at the Sanlam Auditorium on the campus in Potchefstroom. It will be preceded by the equally thrilling semi-finals on 19 August. The presiding officers for the finals and semi-finals are…
Vergeet my nie promises to be an unforgettable affair
“Life is not merely a series of meaningless accidents or coincidence, but rather a tapestry of acts that culminate in an exquisite, sublime plan.” This quote sums up the whole concept of the new romantic Afrikaans film Vergeet my nie, directed by André Felts and scripted by Tarryn-Tanille Prinsloo. The film is based on a 90’s love story of…