Industrial engineering is a multidisciplinary field integrating other engineering and scientific disciplines, while creating opportunities for competitive advantage. In 1985, the Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE) defined industrial engineering as follows: “Industrial Engineering is concerned with the design, improvement and installation of integrated systems of people, material, information, equipment and energy. It draws upon specialized knowledge and skill in the mathematical, physical and social sciences together with the principles and methods of engineering analysis and design to specify, predict and evaluate the results to be obtained from such systems.”

The NWU offers future industrial engineers the opportunity to learn and develop in smaller classes with more attention from lecturers. At the School for Industrial Engineering, we focus on changing the world for the better. We do this firstly by educating and developing exceptional engineers who can and want to change the world, and secondly by finding answers to current and future real-life challenges to our industries and communities through our cutting-edge as well as applied research. We value our industry, academic and community partners who enable us to develop relevant, sustainable, multi-disciplinary solutions, as well as engineers with the ability and attitude to do the same. Our programme has a huge focus on data analytics and the role it plays in modern industrial engineering.