NWU Faculty of Humanities set to host inaugural digital humanities conference

You may be wondering what exactly digital humanities is.  In simple terms, it is the application of computing tools and methods to traditional humanities fields such as linguistics, literature, music, history and philosophy.

Over the past decades, digital humanities have evolved both as an academic field and as a community of practice,…

All eyes on Reserve Bank’s rates decision as consumers struggle

Already dealing with soaring food and transport prices, South African consumers await the next blow, the Reserve Bank’s latest repro rate decision.

The bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is expected to announce its decision after its meeting on 21 July, and it appears the committee doesn’t have much room to manoeuvre.

Prof…

NWU researchers test medicinal plants used for contraception

For women who cannot take commercial contraceptives for health or other reasons or cannot access them, North-West University (NWU) researchers and traditional health practitioners from the North West province are exploring alternatives: the use of medicinal plants.

The project is a multistakeholder collaboration led by Dr Arthur Moroole…

How regulating mobile money can boost financial inclusion

North-West University (NWU) LLD candidate Elfas Torrerai has done a statutory analysis of the use and regulation of mobile money to promote financial inclusion in developing countries.

The title of his study is “A comparative statutory analysis of the use and regulation of mobile money to promote financial inclusion for the poor in…

Fulbright scholar joins NWU to investigate secrets of serpentine ecology

A Fulbright scholar from the United States is joining the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management for 10 months to do research in a field where many stones are still unturned.

There are gaps in knowledge that scientists have about plant and insect species living on serpentinite rocks and filling in…

Better coordination and collaboration can boost food security in rural South Africa

“My passion for rural development started when I realised that there are families who go to bed without food. I became more interested through my research on key strategies and interventions that can assist the country on how rural development can be best implemented to ensure that food is secure and rural areas are developed,” says Dr Maria…

How Africa can develop a “society for all ages”

Africa is and will be the continent with the youngest population globally for the foreseeable future. In the meantime, many more people in Africa are living increasingly longer.   This finding is based on demographic trends on the continent and raises a host of complex issues for policymakers, according to Prof Jaco Hoffman, a professor of…

Professor Marietjie Havenga delivers inaugural lecture

An inaugural lecture is considered an important rite of passage in the life and career of an academic.

Professor Marietjie Havenga delivered her inaugural lecture, titled Cooperative problem-based learning in Information Technology: Active learning for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

In this lecture, Prof Havenga argued that…

New language resources for the four South African Nguni languages

Better technology tools are on the way for South Africa’s four Nguni languages. Research being done at the Centre for Text Technology (CTexT®) at the North-West University (NWU) is helping to fill in the missing links about how these languages are being used, which will in turn lead to the development of language tools based on the latest…

Microscopic wonder on yellow-bellied sea snake is a scientific breakthrough

Just as vastness induces awe, so there is wonder to be found in the miniscule. For Dr Roksana Majewska from the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at the North-West University (NWU), this is an absolute truth. Before we zoom in, we need to talk about Hydrophis platurus – or the more friendly sounding yellow-bellied sea snake. This…