The School of Computer Science and Information Systems (SCSIS) at the Potchefstroom Campus of the North-West University held its annual Honours Project Presentation Day on 10 October 2024 at The Roots venue in Potchefstroom. The event showcased the innovative projects and research conducted by the school’s 32 honours-degree students, providing a platform for them to present their research findings and group projects.

All the students gave individual presentations on their honours-degree research projects, demonstrating their mastery of various technical topics and research methodologies. Following these, group presentations highlighted collaborative projects that students worked on as part of their coursework in the Information Systems Engineering module.

The event was well attended, with 15 representatives from six external companies, including Taskflow, Andile, Aquatico, Singular Systems, BBD, and Gendac. Also present were colleagues from NWU Technology Transfer and NWU Enterprises, showcasing strong industry interest and engagement in the research and development initiatives at the NWU.

Staff from the SCSIS evaluated the student presentations, assessing each student’s ability to communicate their research and the impact of their findings. Industry representatives also had the opportunity to interact with the students during the afternoon’s interactive demonstration and Q&A session, providing feedback and exploring potential collaborations.

Prof Estelle Taylor, director of the SCIS, praised the students' efforts, stating, "The students did an outstanding job and made us incredibly proud. We received very positive feedback from the industry representatives."

Dr Annette van der Merwe, subject group chair for Computer Science and Information Systems at the NWU Potchefstroom Campus, echoed this positive feedback: "We have had very positive comments from our industry guests. They all enjoyed it very much and asked to be invited again in the future. Many companies also mentioned that they would like to be involved throughout the year too." She added, "It was an excellent opportunity for the students to interact with industry professionals. There were a few comments that they would very easily hire students from the NWU, because their character and sense of responsibility are better than that they experience from other institutions."

Feedback from industry representatives also highlighted Herman le Roux, who served as the MC. Herman, an MSc student at the SCSIS who has recently submitted his dissertation and will graduate in October, was praised as an exceptional host. One representative noted, "Your MC was outstanding, and it was a wonderful opportunity for him to shine – please pass on our compliments to him."

Additional feedback from the industry representatives emphasised the diversity of student projects, with one representative stating, "The diversity in topics for this year’s projects was off the charts, making the presentations far more interesting. The number of projects that produced a physical artifact or product was also up, which we greatly appreciated. Students seemed more invested in their work as a result."

The overall feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with industry representatives commending the professionalism and organisation of the event, as well as the engaging atmosphere fostered by both students and staff.

Ryno Erdmann of Aquatico sponsored and presented the awards for the best presentations, recognising the top-performing students for their exceptional work. The three winners were Francois

Meiring, who took home the first prize, followed by Gian van Zijl and Janco Weyers. The prize-giving ceremony was captured in a commemorative photograph, featuring Paul Naude from Aquatico, Gian, Janco, Francois, and Ryno Erdmann.

The event wrapped up with closing remarks, leaving attendees inspired by the creativity, dedication and technical prowess demonstrated by the NWU’s honours-degree students. The Honours Project Presentation Day once again underscored the commitment of the SCIS to fostering a culture of innovation and excellence in the fields of technology and information systems.