Academic

Empowering academic excellence: Student chapters inspire exam success

The North-West University’s (NWU’s) South African Board for People Practices (SABPP) student chapter and Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences student academic chapter, in partnership with the School of Industrial Psychology and Human Resource Management, recently hosted a successful and impactful Exam Preparation event.

This initiative was aimed at empowering students with practical academic tools, strategies and motivation ahead of examinations.

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Indigenous foods remain a lifeline in Moshana as food insecurity grows

In the Moshana community of North West, food security is still tied to the land, wild plants and livestock practices passed down across generations. While food prices rise and rural households face pressure from drought and unemployment, indigenous foods continue to feed families and help communities cope when income falls short.

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Academics launch books during National Archives Awareness Week

With the launch of their books set in the sometimes harsh realities of South Africa, two academics from the Mahikeng Campus of the North-West University (NWU) are contributing to national memory while preserving knowledge for a more just future.  

Held on 9 May at the Protea Hotel in Mahikeng, the launch took place during National Archives Awareness Week, the theme of which was “Archives for justice: rights, memory and futures”.

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Smart Village dialogue advances South Africa’s first indigenous knowledge-led initiative

By Mzwandile Ndlovu

A renewed push to translate indigenous knowledge (IK) into practical rural development took centre stage as stakeholders gathered for the Second Smart Village conference in Nyandeni in the Eastern Cape.

Held under the theme “Towards an indigenous knowledge-based smart village model: A multi-stakeholder planning dialogue for sustainable rural development,” the three-day engagement from 24 to 26 March 2026 moved beyond conceptual discussions towards implementation and community participation.

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Pope’s visit to Africa positions religion at centre of peace and diplomacy

 

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Thabang Motswaledi

 

The ongoing African tour by Pope Leo XIV has drawn global attention, positioning the continent as a key player in international relationships and peacebuilding efforts at a time when several regions continue to face conflict, governance pressures and social divisions.

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NWU master’s student champions responsible AI governance in Africa

While many developing countries are still in the early stages of establishing governance frameworks for Artificial Intelligence (AI), NWU master’s student Lebogang Marago is advocating for its responsible and secure use.

Born in a rural community in the Ventersdorp region, where young people face high unemployment and limited prospects, Lebogang was motivated to ask deeper questions about governance, development, inequality and policy making.

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Special moment for dean as daughter graduates in programme she championed

Twelve years ago, Prof. Liezl van Dyk, executive dean of the Faculty of Engineering, came to the North-West University (NWU) on a mission: to play a central role in developing industrial engineering as an impactful discipline at the university. Her daughter, Karla, was 10 years old at the time. Now, on 31 March this year, Prof. van Dyk experienced the fruits of her labour first-hand when Karla graduated as an industrial engineer.

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Is a university degree still worth it in South Africa’s changing job market?

Few questions worry prospective students and their parents more today than whether a university degree is still worth it.

In a country facing crippling unemployment, the rise of artificial intelligence and mounting financial pressures, prospective students and their parents are re-evaluating whether the once-coveted university degree is still worth pursuing.

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