Bridging the digital divide one school at a time

The benefits from widespread and equitable access to information and communications technologies (ICTs) in South Africa are touted as having the potential to change the course and trajectory of this country for the better.

Researchers at the North-West University (NWU) share this view and are adamant that schools can serve as a base…

Extent of increase in borrowing costs is surprising

Contrary to the consensus view expressed by many economists that the repo rate would be raised by only 25 basis points (bsp) on 30 March, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) decided by a 3:2 vote to raise interest rates again by 50 bsp.

In commenting on the decision to increase the repo rate,…

Antimicrobial resistance threatens Africa’s future (SASUF 2023)

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a huge threat to Africa’s and, by extension, the world’s health care systems and should be addressed with haste. This according to Prof Carlos Bezuidenhout, director of the Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, Microbiology (METSI) at the North-West University’s Faculty of Natural and Agricultural…

South African Medical Research Council Scientific honours NWU researchers

Prof Lebo Gafane-Matemane and Prof Lusilda Schutte of the North-West University (NWU) were recently recognised by the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) when they each received a bronze award during the SAMRC’s 9th Scientific Merit Awards gala dinner held in Cape Town on 9 March.

The bronze medals are awarded to scientists…

Benito Trollip’s PhD is ‘a very long love letter to Afrikaans’

"Doing my PhD was an almost indescribable journey with many ups and downs that all contributed to making it an overall enriching experience. There is no denying all the (many) times giving up was the only thought in my mind, just as there’s no denying the affirming moments I felt like I am exactly the right person for this study. I feel…

Dr Muzi Matfunjwa – an activist for African languages

Dr Muzi Matfunjwa, a digital humanities researcher for Siswati at the South African Centre for Digital Language Resources (SADiLaR) at the North-West University (NWU), describes himself as a language activist. He believes in the promotion of African languages, especially Siswati, as an official language and an academic discipline.

"I…

NWU hosts inter-university networking session for academics

The North-West University’s (NWU’s) School of Industrial Psychology and Human Resource Management (IPS & HRM) recently hosted an academic networking brunch with academics from the University of Johannesburg (UJ), WITS University and the University of Pretoria.

The purpose of the event was to build research collaborations, get more…

Repositories pivotal for language preservation

by Birgit Ottermann

Two researchers from the South African Centre for Digital Language Resources (SADiLaR) at the North-West University (NWU) share their findings on the existence, use and importance of language repositories in the latest issue of the Journal of the Digital Humanities Association of Southern…

NWU water expert presents water policy brief at UN Conference

Prof Frank Winde, a professor in environmental science at the North-West University (NWU), recently presented a Water Policy Brief at the United Nations (UN) Water Conference that took place at the UN Headquarters in New York. 

This was the first global water conference in nearly 50 years and stakeholders across the globe were welcome…

Southern African premiere of Your Hundred Year Life: A Film about Rethinking Ageing in the 21st Century

The North-West University's (NWU's) Optentia research unit and Corporate Relations and Marketing present the Southern African premiere of “Your Hundred Year Life: A Film about Rethinking Ageing in the 21st Century” at Killarney Cinema on 4 April 2023.

This groundbreaking documentary, created by Dutch financial entrepreneur, filmmaker…