Potchefstroom Campus News
Researchers demonstrate that conservation and development can go hand in hand
While cities in Africa expand rapidly and the pressure for economic growth is increasing, the protected areas on the continent face a complex challenge: how to conserve nature and empower people.
At the North-West University (NWU) the Protected Areas Research Group, led by Prof. Reece Alberts, Prof. François Retief, Prof. Claudine Roos and Prof. Dirk Cilliers, is working to find exactly that balance.
“Conservation areas are the cornerstone of biodiversity conservation,” says Prof. Alberts. “They are essential to prevent the loss in biodiversity. Yet, we have to admit that… Read more
NWU Business School empower young entrepreneurs
Young entrepreneurs from more than 70 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) benefitted from a SME Business Finance Clinic hosted by the North-West University (NWU).
The Small Business Advisory Bureau (SBAB) of the NWU’s Business School, in collaboration with the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA), recently hosted an SME…
NWU is laying down the environmental law
When Prof Louis Kotzé, research professor at the Faculty of Law of the North-West University (NWU) utters the words “planetary crisis”, it takes a moment to comprehend the magnitude of what he is talking about.
In an unimaginable vastness – the extent of which is inconceivable to the layman’s mind – there floats a little blue dot. This…
Prof Falola's generous book donation enriches NWU library
Prof Toyin Omoyeni Falola, a renowned Nigerian historian and professor of African studies and current holder of the Jacob and Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities at the University of Texas at Austin, has generously donated 27 books to the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Mahikeng Campus library on 1 August 2023.
Twelve of…
Jarred gears up for World Student Games
Badminton boffin Jarred Elliott, a 23-year-old second-year student in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the North-West University (NWU), will represent the NWU and South Africa at the upcoming International University Sports Federation (FISU) Summer World University Games in China.
Recognising the immense responsibility that comes with…
Researcher brings African populations into previously Eurocentric cell research
Why did some people experience more severe coronavirus symptoms than others during the Covid-19 pandemic? International researchers believe part of the answer may lie deep within human cells, specifically in the small circular chromosome inside each cell, called the mitochondrial DNA.
Genetic variations in mitochondrial DNA are…
Solar telescope expands research horizons into solar physics
Located on the roof of building G5 at the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Potchefstroom Campus, the solar telescope of the Centre for Space Research has garnered attention from organisations such as the BBC and the Royal Astronomical Society.
Dr Ruhann Steyn, senior lecturer and principal scientist involved in the project, recently…
Using technology to prepare language teachers for the future
While debates about the quality of teacher education intensify, the North-West University (NWU) is exploring solutions, including mixed reality, that will ensure that well-prepared and effective teachers enter the country’s classrooms.
The recent findings of the 2021 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), indicating…
Spotlight falls on the role of parents in disciplining learners
Many studies have found a strong correlation between learners’ discipline levels and academic performance, with the latter improving as discipline levels improve. However, what is the role that parents play in disciplining their children?
Dr Nicholus Mollo, senior lecturer and subarea leader of Legal Perspectives, Governance and…
Naiden Jaarts takes to the air
Whether his graceful dive would cause his wings to be clipped was touch and go. He still gives a slightly embarrassed laugh when he thinks about it. It was Monday, 27 February in Potchefstroom during the Varsity Cup. The North-West University (NWU) Eagles were battling the Shimlas on the Fanie du Toit Sports Grounds in what was to end in a 63-…
NWU: The sustainable apple does not fall far from the TREES
Glitzy adds showing sun-drenched beaches, or snow-capped mountain peaks with views that stretch as far as the horizon allows. A smiling stewardess pouring a cup of coffee; a food stall next to a bustling street serving exotic cuisine. Tourism as an experience is a commodity – a commodity that sells, but one that is often misunderstood. Not only…