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

International footprint for NWU's Centre for BMI

The North-West University’s (NWU’s) Centre for Business, Mathematics and Informatics (BMI) is expanding its global reach in leaps and bounds.

Agreement with Global Credit Data

The centre – which forms part of the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences – recently entered into an agreement with Global Credit Data, a non…

BMI: industry directed research prepares students for world of work

Each year master’s students from the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences’ Centre for Business, Mathematics and Informatics (BMI) conduct a first semester group research project. This project aims to prepare the students for their second semester individual industry directed research projects.

This year saw a group of BMI…

SA’s banking sector to utilise NWU’s operational risk model

A new methodology for determining economic capital for operational risk was recently proposed by the North-West University’s (NWU’S) Centre for Business Mathematics and Informatics (BMI). This model was subsequently successfully introduced to the South African financial services sector and is now being implemented by Absa as part of their…

International research collaboration examines microbial ecosystem of active fault zone in SA

The North-West University’s Centre for Water Science and Management (CWSM) recently joined an international research team that will focus on the microbial ecosystem of an active fault zone in South Africa.

This collaboration follows after the appointment of Prof Esta van Heerden as an extraordinary professor within the centre. Prof…

Focus area for Chemical Resource Beneficiation goes from strength to strength

The Chemical Resource Beneficiation (CRB) research focus area in the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences is going from strength to strength.

Researchers are committed towards adding value to the South African national mineral and chemical resource base foundation in the North West and Southern…

Busy year for NWU’s Centre for Water Sciences and Management

The North-West University’s (NWU’s) Centre for Water Sciences and Management is built on the pillars of research, education and social responsibility. As a multi-disciplinary approach is adopted to assist both industry and government in addressing many of the water related problems facing South Africa, the centre is at the forefront of…

NWU’s marine research has international impact

Researchers at the Unit for Environmental Science and Management (UESM) in the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, are making their impact felt within the field of marine research.

This is evident from the acclaim Dr Roksana Majewska, a postdoctoral fellow from the UESM receives as a…

NWU UESM leads 24 national and international research projects

Currently, researchers in the Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management (UESM) in the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences are leading 24 national and international research projects.

These projects are funded by several government funding agencies as well as the private sector and is…

Marine biology at the NWU: the Tsitsikamma National Park Marine Living Lab

Undergraduate and postgraduate students from the North-West University’s (NWU’s) School of Biological Sciences recently undertook the annual Estuarine and Nearshore Marine Ecology Living Lab excursion. This year saw participants visit the Tsitsikamma National Park.

The excursion was presented by several academic staff members of the…

Good Capitalism, Bad Capitalism: The Role of Business in South Africa

With South Africa having turned the corner politically and President Ramaphosa promising a ‘new dawn’, many people are cautiously optimistic about the prospects of an economic turnaround in the country. However, in looking forward to a better future, it is important to remember – and extract relevant lessons from – the past, to which most of…