The North-West University (NWU) hosted its official academic opening on its Mahikeng Campus on Friday, 18 February. Due to Covid-19 regulations, scores of other NWU staff and both new and returning students joined the event virtually.

Executive deans from the NWU’s eight faculties also shared their recent successes and plans for the year ahead with students, staff and members of the public.

Among the highlights was the hope expressed by Prof Awie Kotzé, executive dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, that the NWU will this year finally get approval for the establishment of a medical school.

A process to establish a medical school in North West started several years ago and a multi-stakeholder team, which includes the government, was established in 2021 to work towards the successful realisation of this project.  Read more here….

Earlier in the day, NWU student leaders joined acting vice-chancellor and principal Prof Linda du Plessis during an SABC outside broadcast to discuss various issues affecting students.

Chief among these were clarifications given around the NWU’s efforts to encourage student and staff vaccinations, historical debt issues and recurring accommodation shortages. Last week, the NWU Mahikeng Campus opened a new student housing complex in which an initial 324 students will be housed. Read more here….

Prof Linda congratulated all university staff and students with the NWU’s academic achievements last year. According to her, 59% of all students who had been registered had passed all their modules, while about 20% had failed only one module.

So far, the NWU has fully registered 10 500 first years on all three its campuses, which translates to 98% of its enrolment target. The university has also made strides in increasing the number of its NRF-rated researchers, many of whom were promoted late last year, says Prof Linda.

The NWU has also announced that from next week it will make R286 million available to pay its students who are funded by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS).

Prof Linda says this cash injection is necessitated by the fact that the NSFAS will only be able to pay student allowances from April this year.

Given this situation, Prof Linda says that, in view of the current 88% registration rate, students are ready to commence with their studies, and the institution therefore “has a solid platform to start this academic year on 21 February”.

 Prof Linda with student leaders

 Prof Linda du Plessis has praised all NWU students and staff for their exceptional performance despite the Covid-19 crisis

Prof Awie Kotzé, executive dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, says he is confident that the NWU will this year finally get approval for a medical school