More support is needed for South African teachers who work under dire circumstances

South African teachers are battling acute stress as a result of their work environment. This is according to a recent Teaching and Learning International Survey (Talis) report.

The Talis survey gathers responses from teachers and school leaders to help countries address a variety of challenges. The report was released by the Department…

NWU researcher teaches occupational hygiene in Zambia

Zambia’s economy is built on mining, especially copper. Like all mining activities, copper mining has health risks associated with it. A shortage of formal occupational hygiene expertise and capacity can leave a void in the protection of miners from occupational diseases such as silicosis. A researcher at the North-West University (NWU) is…

NWU second-year social work students move a step closer to realising their dreams

Miracle workers who have to dig deep to find magical solutions to solve problems – this is how Prof Elmien Truter describes the social work students the North-West University (NWU) send into the communities.

Prof Truter, an associate professor in Social Work and a researcher at the research focus area Community Psychosocial Research (…

NWU’s mock trial practicals continue to benefit second-year social work students

Second-year social work students from the North-West University (NWU) are annually gaining much needed practical experience by participating in mock trials.

This year second-year students from the NWU’s Vanderbijlpark Campus participated in a mock trial practical on 26 and 31 October 2022 at the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate Children’s…

NWU students and researchers receive seven SAIOH awards

Postgraduate students and researchers from the North-West University (NWU) won seven awards at the Southern African Institute for Occupational Hygiene’s (SAIOH’s) annual conference that took place from 26 to 28 October 2022 in Boksburg, and during the gala dinner the best students and research articles were awarded.

According to Prof…

Children’s health: Let us return to what works

“We must create a future in which our children and healthy and physically active.” This, says Professor Dané Coetzee, child kinetics specialist at the School of Human Movement Sciences of the North-West University (NWU), must remain a priority. That is why, in this increasingly digital world, we must look a what worked in the past.

“I…

NWU academic addresses mental health in the workplace

Dr Luce Pretorius, an academic in the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Social Work subject group, was recently invited to be a speaker at the Mine Health and Safety Council (MHSC) Tripartite Summit.

The event was attended by approximately 1 200 delegates and was also broadcasted online.

Dr Pretorius presented a session on “Mental…

Hospital knocks on NWU’s door for better care for breast cancer patients

Researchers of the North-West University (NWU) regularly work in communities to improve lives and find solutions to pressing issues. In the fight against breast cancer, a hospital in Potchefstroom has called on the expertise of the Medicine Usage in South Africa (MUSA) research entity in the Faculty of Health Sciences.

Prof Johanita…

NWU PhD and master’s students shine in Three Minute Thesis competition

Can you present your thesis within three minutes? These master’s and PhD students from the North-West University (NWU) proved that it is possible at the university’s second Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition.

This competition is held annually at more than 200 universities worldwide, and challenges participants to present their…

NWU PhD candidate research focuses on treating obesity and type 2 diabetes

By Ontiretse Motingwa

“As a complicated and ever-evolving field, science requires scientists and researchers who are resilient, determined, and knowledgeable. They must also have a great willingness to learn and use new skills and scientific concepts without bias or conformity to what society deems acceptable.”…