Reduced interest rates will help to underpin business and consumer confidence

“The Monetary Policy Committee’s (MPC's) decision to reduce the repo rate by 25 basis points is a welcome recognition of the need to reduce borrowing costs for business and consumers in South Africa.”

This is according to Prof Raymond Parsons, a well-known economist and academic from the North-West University (NWU) Business School…

New-style star accretion bursts dazzle astronomers at NWU and around the world

The meaning of the term “accretion burst” is expanding. In a rare glimpse at how high-mass stars grow even larger, an astronomer from the North-West University (NWU) has been part of a 15-country research team that has observed star bursts – or growth spurts – previously unknown to humankind.

“It is a privilege to be at the cutting…

Economic indicators forecast for 2020

According to economist Prof Danie Meyer, director of the TRADE research focus area at the North West University, 2020 is expected to be a year full of economic and geopolitical instability and volatility. The year has started on the wrong foot already, with Eskom implementing load shedding as early as the first week of the year. "It is a…

Former president tells NWU there is hope

“I am not ‘moedeloos’ (in despair). I haven’t lost hope for the future but I am deeply concerned about where we are at the moment.”

These are the words of former president, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and former chancellor of the North-West University (NWU), Mr FW de Klerk. He said although he is worried about the position the country…

Growth figures stress need for credible turnaround plan

The latest worse-than-expected growth figures for the third quarter of 2019 again emphasise the urgent need to implement a credible turnaround plan to lift the economy out of its current 'low growth trap'.

It also underlines the serious economic challenges faced by South Africa, adds NWU Business School economist Prof Raymond…

Child health enjoys massive interest – national conference

The North-West University’s (NWU’s) campus in Potchefstroom recently hosted a very successful Child Health Priorities Conference, which attracted some 260 delegates, and even the likes of South Africa’s First Lady, Dr Tshepo Motsepe.

Under the theme “Survive, thrive and transform – championing change for children”, the conference…

NWU Engineering hosts the best of the best

Every year, final-year students in electrical, electronic and computer engineering at South African academic universities and universities of technology are required to complete an intensive design project.

The best student project nominated by these educational institutions competes against other presentations in the National Student…

Polish prof: Better relationships boost small business

The building of long-term relationships is key to the success of small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs). This is according to Prof Sebastian Kot, one of four extraordinary professors from the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences.

Prof Kot and his colleagues, Prof Andrzej Sztando, Prof Beata…

NWU does its bit to safeguard the quality of medicine

The North-West University (NWU) not only strives to offer quality education in a South African context, but also has a huge drive to spread this expertise further around the world.

Three years ago, the NWU’s Faculty of Health Sciences, through its World Health Organisation Collaboration Centre for the Quality Assurance of Medicine (…

Sport participation at school – have we lost the plot?

In this opinion piece, Prof JP Rossouw, a research fellow and former director of the Education and Human Rights in Diversity research unit at the North-West University (NWU), examines society’s approach to sport participation in school.

In international sport columns, two Irish commentators recently did their best to discredit the…