Potchefstroom Campus News

Prof Hans du Plessis: A literary giant passes away

He was of a different ilk. His immense literary stature cast a shadow under which so many South Africans found solace and comfort. Now, it is with sadness but also gratitude for the many contributions he made both culturally and academically, that the North-West University (NWU) has to say farewell to Prof Hans du Plessis, who passed away on Friday 24 October at the age of 79. 

Prof Hans was a beloved NWU faculty member since his appointment in 1981 as a professor in Afrikaans at the former Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education.

He was an esteemed writer,… Read more

NWU students provide warmth to NICU babies at Klerksdorp Hospital

Student midwives at the School of Nursing Science (SONS) at the North-West University (NWU) recently donated baby blankets to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at the Klerksdorp Hospital.

Sr Ingrid van der Walt, lecturer at the SONS, says this was part of their community engagement project supporting developmental care of…

Vergeet my nie promises to be an unforgettable affair

“Life is not merely a series of meaningless accidents or coincidence, but rather a tapestry of acts that culminate in an exquisite, sublime plan.”

This quote sums up the whole concept of the new romantic Afrikaans film Vergeet my nie, directed by André Felts and scripted by Tarryn-Tanille Prinsloo.

The film is based on a 90…

MBA Winter Study School learns from renowned experts

The Prestige Day of the North-West University’s (NWU’s) annual week-long MBA Winter Study School took place on 24 July 2019 in Potchefstroom.

During a stimulating programme 180 MBA students bonded with fellow students, listened to interesting lectures and took part in management skills workshops.

Top-notch speakers…

NWU students come out in numbers to career fairs

The North-West University’s (NWU’s) Career Centre is pulling out all the stops when it comes to equipping its students with the necessary knowledge that is needed for the world of work. 

The centre hosted its annual engineering and natural and agricultural sciences career fairs on the campus in Potchefstroom on 17 and 18 July…

Lowered interest rates: a double-edged sword of economic impact

As was expected, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the SARB reduced the repo rate by 0.25% from 6.75% to 6.50% on 17 July 2019.

“Most economic commentators predicted this decision, although the general feeling is that the reduction should have been at the end of 2018, and a 0.5% reduction at least,” says Prof Danie Meyer,…

Xena and this fish parasite have much in common

During the late 1990s and early 2000s, Xena the warrior princess dominated television screens all over the world. She was known for her strong personality and loved for her feistiness and fighting ability.

So when Serita van der Wal, a master’s student at the North-West University (NWU), named a fish parasitic cymothoid isopod after…

Uncharted waters await two NWU researchers

Two North-West University (NWU) researchers will navigate uncharted waters with their research, using fourth-generation cultural-historical activity theories (CHAT) to find solutions to the complex educational problems confronting South Africa.

Prof Elsa Mentz and Prof Josef de Beer from the research focus area Self-directed Learning…

Reduced interest rates is a positive move for SA economy

“The widely expected decision by the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to reduce the repo rate by 25 basis points, although minimal, remains positive for the economy.”

This is according to Prof Raymond Parsons, a well-known economist and academic from the North-West University (…

Exciting research to be shared at the Femmegineering celebration

The days of men dominating the engineering scene is still an evident and alarming fact. Despite an improvement in recent years, there remains a serious shortage of women pursuing careers in engineering. The North-West University (NWU) aims to change this - one semester at a time…

The NWU’s Faculty of Engineering will once again host…

Decolonisation of Afrikaans the topic of inaugural Christo van Rensburg memorial lecture

The first memorial lecture for Prof Christo van Rensburg was recently presented with great success on the North-West University’s (NWU’s) campus in Potchefstroom.

Prof Van Rensburg was one of the most well-known Afrikaans language experts and received the CJ Langenhoven prize for language science in 2018 for his work in identifying…