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 is the proud host of this year’s Child Health Priorities Conference

The late President Nelson Mandela said: “Our children are the rock on which our future will be built, our greatest asset as a nation. They will be the leaders of our country, the creators of our national wealth, those who care for and protect our people.” There can be no truer words than…

Confirmed incident of bacterial meningitis at NWU Potch

On Monday, 21 October 2019 a fourth-year student on the North-West University’s (NWU’s) campus in Potchefstroom was admitted to a local hospital after which a case of bacterial meningitis was confirmed on Tuesday morning, 22 October 2019.

The student is not involved with a residence and all indications are that it is an isolated…

Even engineering students sometimes wear superhero capes!

One of Albert Einstein’s most famous quotes is: “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.”

This is certainly the mind-set of second-year students at the Faculty of Engineering at the North-West University (NWU) who recently had their first taste of the engineering world when they had…

Jo-Ané and Chederick claim top sport awards

It feels like she has been on the international sporting scene much longer than her 22 years of age, and yet the accolades keep rolling in for Jo-Ané van Dyk.

On Wednesday 16 October this superlative javelin thrower was named the North-West University’s (NWU’s) campus in Potchefstroom’s Sportswoman of the Year. Her stellar year…

MSMEs and services trade: A pathway to more inclusive growth?

MSMEs (micro, small and medium-sized enterprises) are known to play a critical role in countries’ economies, both as sources of employment and as suppliers of diverse goods and services. Yet they receive little attention at policy level, with many failing to achieve their economic potential.

This is particularly evident in…

Brexit agreement is a major step towards avoiding widespread disruption

“The fact that the United Kingdom (UK) and the European Union (EU) have reached an agreement on Brexit after complex negotiations will be generally welcomed in view of the wider implications of 'hard' Brexit for key components of the world trading system.”

This is according to Prof Raymond Parsons, a well-known economist and…

NWU Engineering gives her dreams wings – literally!

She is inspired by the people around her – by friends, family and, in her professional career, by her lecturers. Today Dr Angelique Janse van Rensburg is someone who in turn inspires others by her absolutely unquenchable passion for what she does – being an engineer!

As former student and former lecturer at the Faculty of…

Fiery Chucky is NWU Rugby Institute’s player of the year

What a year for Louis van der Westhuizen and what a night at the recent year-end function of the North-West University (NWU) Rugby Institute.

The firebrand no 2’s fiery mop of red hair was a common sight in this year’s Varsity Cup and even on the international stage, resulting in the hooker rightly being awarded the Johan Claassen…

Africa Cup has NWU sparkle

On Friday 18 October, the cream of the continent’s netball crop will converge at the Bellville Velodrome in Cape Town to compete in the Africa Netball Cup. Lesotho, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Zambia, Malawi and Tanzania will, along with South Africa as the host nation, compete to secure this much sought after trophy.

South Africa’s…

NWU and Cachet Park CID are serious about safety

The recent crime statistics that were released by Stats South Africa revealed a grim picture of the country’s current state. The North-West University (NWU) is not only concerned about keeping its staff and students safe on campus, but also outside its premises. 

The NWU, the Cachet Park City Improvement District (CID) and JB…