Research News

NWU partners with North West government to address Hartbeespoort Dam crisis

By Gofaone Motsamai

By joining forces to tackle the social and economic challenges surrounding the Hartbeespoort Dam, the North-West University (NWU) and the provincial government aim to defuse current tensions and generate long-term solutions.

An NWU research team, led by Prof Gilbert Motsaathebe of the…

Astronomy is the name of the game in global contest for 'quasi-moon'

Astronomy enthusiasts from nearly 100 countries have submitted thousands of suggestions for the naming of a rare celestial body. The task of narrowing this down to the top 10 possible names has been entrusted to an international panel of experts, one of whom is Prof Thebe Medupe, an astronomer and academic at the North-West University (NWU).…

Student entrepreneurs win big in Leopards Lair® 2024 final

The final round of the sixth annual Leopards Lair® student business pitching competition was hosted jointly by the TTIS, bhive Enterprise Development Centre and the North-West University (NWU) Business School on Thursday, 3 October.    

The top NWU student entrepreneurs presented their inventive ideas…

Research examines the need for regional policy in the Southern African Development Community

Creating and executing supranational regional policies is a critical first step in preparing regions to become core players on the global stage. Such policies seek to modernise and restructure a region’s foundations, promote sustainable development across borders and address economic and social inequalities.

Prof Mariske van Aswegen and…

Better support for psychiatric nurses means better mental health care for children

Improvements in the North West province’s support systems for psychiatric nurses would directly impact the quality of care for children with mental health issues.

This is one of the findings of a recent study led by Dr Rorisang Machailo, an academic at the School of Nursing at the North-West University (NWU). She focused on developing…

Replacing antibiotics in chicken feed with fulvic acid could satisfy farmers and consumers

Chicken farmers in underprivileged communities are battling to contain feed costs while meeting growing consumer demand. An NWU master’s student has been exploring a potentially win-win solution.

Keamogetswe Constance Mokubung recently earned her master's degree in animal science under the guidance of Prof Upenyu Marume. Her research…

In lean times, more food can be produced with fewer resources

Agriculture is at the forefront of ensuring food security and researchers at the North-West University (NWU) are constantly looking for innovative and more effective ways to enhance this crucial sector.

Associate professor Rojanette Coetzee from the School of Industrial Engineering is focusing on “lean agriculture” to reduce waste and…

Researchers in the spotlight

Researchers across the faculties at the NWU continue to produce exciting work in their fields of expertise.

We introduce the work of two researchers - Prof Muchativugwa Liberty Hove, deputy director of the School of Language in Education, and Dr Wihan Pheiffer, senior lecturer at the DSI/NWU Preclinical Drug Development Platform (PCDDP…

Optentia research unit hosts insightful research perspectives festival

From 3 to 6 September 2024, the Optentia research unit at the North-West University (NWU) hosted the Diverse Qualitative Research Perspectives Festival at The Roots Conference Centre, Potchefstroom.

The idea of having such a festival originated among members of the Strengths-based Studies and Interventions sub-programme of Optentia.…

“Monsters, Myths & Fables” exhibition displays student curators’ growth and learning

The ViNCO (Visual Narratives and Creative Outputs) research entity at the North-West University (NWU), a collective that includes creative practitioners, created an exhibition titled “Monsters, Myths & Fables” with the aim of showcasing and promoting their members’ creative and artistic endeavours. A total of 14 artists, including the ViNCO…