MSMEs and services trade: A pathway to more inclusive growth?

MSMEs (micro, small and medium-sized enterprises) are known to play a critical role in countries’ economies, both as sources of employment and as suppliers of diverse goods and services. Yet they receive little attention at policy level, with many failing to achieve their economic potential.

This is particularly evident in…

Brexit agreement is a major step towards avoiding widespread disruption

“The fact that the United Kingdom (UK) and the European Union (EU) have reached an agreement on Brexit after complex negotiations will be generally welcomed in view of the wider implications of 'hard' Brexit for key components of the world trading system.”

This is according to Prof Raymond Parsons, a well-known economist and…

NWU Engineering gives her dreams wings – literally!

She is inspired by the people around her – by friends, family and, in her professional career, by her lecturers. Today Dr Angelique Janse van Rensburg is someone who in turn inspires others by her absolutely unquenchable passion for what she does – being an engineer!

As former student and former lecturer at the Faculty of…

PhD in Setswana: a first for NWU’s campus in Mahikeng

The North-West University’s (NWU’s) campus in Mahikeng conferred the first ever Setswana PhD in the history of the Department of Setswana, since its establishment about 39 years ago.

A Doctor of Philosophy in Languages and Literature in Setswana was conferred on Eileen Elizabeth Pooe, an educator, lecturer and head of the Department…

ILMA conference to highlight social media challenges

The North-West University’s (NWU’s) Indigenous Language Media in Africa (ILMA) research niche area is gearing up for its 2020 conference on Social Media, Fake News and Hate Speech.

ILMA’s research director Prof Abiodun Salawu says the research entity’s goal is to research indigenous language media and traditional communication systems…

Internal auditors won’t be left behind by the 4IR

The world is already knee deep into the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), and South African academics and researchers need to come up with innovative technological solutions to ensure students’ skills keep up.

Dr Cameron Modisane, who recently obtained his PhD from the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Faculty of Economic Management…

MSc student embarks on research to prevent car theft in SA

Vehicle security is a major concern in South Africa, especially with the latest national crime statistics revealing that more than 48 000 cars and motorbikes were stolen in the last financial year.

While this is a slight reduction on the previous year, the figure remains alarming.

Mawonde Kudakwashe, an MSc computer science…

A loss of sight, never a loss of vision

Although one often sees various initiatives promoting the importance of physical activity for a healthier lifestyle, children with disabilities are seldom included in these projects. One of the North-West University’s (NWU’s) research focus areas is now exploring the possibility of investing its expertise to place the spotlight on these…

Kit enhancing a pedagogy of play is changing the way maths is taught

As in many other countries, the South African schooling system is formal and performance driven as teachers work toward the completion of a content-driven curriculum. This is especially true for mathematics, and many teachers view mathematics as abstract facts that are disconnected from daily life.

According to Prof Marthie van der…

Smart station at NWU will monitor air quality and weather

Vanderbijlpark, a pollution hotspot, has been chosen as the location for a state-of-the-art observation station that will monitor both the weather and air quality.

This multi-million-rand development will see the North-West University (NWU) becoming the first higher education institution in the country to host a permanent monitoring station…