New director takes the helm at SADiLAR

The South African Centre for Digital Language Resources, SADiLaR, on the campus of the North-West University (NWU) in Potchefstroom, has a new centre director. Prof Langa Khumalo will take the reins from 1 August. SADiLar is a research infrastructure funded by the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) as part of the South African…

NWU donates much-needed hand sanitisers to schools

With no vaccine in sight for Covid-19, a number of countries are under a lot of economic pressure, trying to lessen the impact of the pandemic. Over the last few months South African businesses and citizens have come together to assist the less fortunate, with food, medical supplies, clothes and toiletries.

The Faculty of Natural and…

Early childhood development rises from the (tr)ash

It is a fact that many children find themselves in barren school classes and playgrounds because their parents, educators and caregivers are often unaware of the importance of providing opportunities for purposeful play in the early years.

Fortunately, researchers from the North-West University (NWU) are joining forces with…

Quality steers NWU to ranking excellence

The quality subject offerings in the fields of atmospheric science, clinical medicine, education, hospitality and tourism management, and public health at the North-West University (NWU) have elevated the university in global rankings. It is also a great achievement for the NWU to be ranked first in the region for mathematics.

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Putting edible insects on the menu

While many people cringe at the thought of consuming bugs, entomophagy – the term for eating insects – has been practised for hundreds of years in South Africa.

In the North West, Limpopo and Mpumalanga, flying ants, grasshoppers, mopane worms, African metallic wood-boring beetles and edible stinkbugs are delicacies.

However…

NWU’s Itumeleng Dinku wrestles with the call for meaningful research

Societies depend heavily on women for health care, yet women's own health needs are frequently neglected, their contributions to health development undervalued, and their working conditions ignored.

This is the opinion of Itumeleng Dinku, a master’s student in population studies and sustainable development in the Faculty of…

NWU student housing shortages addressed

The North-West University (NWU) is not allowing the Covid-19 pandemic to interfere with its commitment to dealing with student accommodation. Work on residences with hundreds of beds is under way.

The university recently conducted a site handover and briefed successful contractors on expectations ahead of the start of a two-year…

IMF loan goes wider than just helping the budget

“The welcome special loan facility from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to help South Africa deal with the socio-economic impact of Covid-19 goes wider than just helping to balance the budget.”

Prof Raymond Parsons, well-known economist and academic from the NWU Business School, says that – as was widely expected – the IMF has…

The plastic problem: NWU researchers highlight major data gaps

Our oceans are choking on plastic debris. In fact, marine plastic debris is one of the most pressing environmental concerns facing the world today, with devastating effects for both humans and the environment.

But just how big a culprit is South Africa?

Prof Henk Bouwman, from the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Faculty of…

NWU Professor takes a psychological peep into the 2020 class of learners

Due to the devastating effects of the global Covid-19 outbreak, uncertainty, worry, fear and anxiety have become the order of the day for many families – particularly for those with learners in schools, says North-West University (NWU) Humanities professor, Erhabor Idemudia.

This issue is again in the spotlight after President Cyril…