NWU’s nuclear research makes a global impact

Groundbreaking work, demanding years of teaching and learning and specialised research have over the past decade and a half led to the North-West University (NWU) now being described as the South African pioneer in the sophisticated field of nuclear engineering. This follows after the recent completion of the maximum…

NWU academic says back to basics for TB programmes

Phenyo Mokgothu

Deaths from Tuberculosis (TB) have increased globally for the first time in over a decade. This is according to the World Health Organisation’s Global TB Report that was released in October 2021. The increase in deaths is due to “reduced access to TB diagnosis and…

Why add subjects to an already congested school curriculum, when a redesign of the entire curriculum is needed?

The word “digital” has a strong presence in virtually every sector these days, along with outcries for re-skilling and up-skilling of the workforce with digital literacy and skills for them to remain relevant for the future world of work. The Covid-19 pandemic has seemingly increased the pace and urgency of acquiring these skills.…

Researcher rings alarm bells over use of alcohol among students

Mafumane Thlapi

High prevalence rates of alcohol use among students in higher education are a public health concern. This is according to a study conducted by Prof Miriam Moagi from the School of Nursing at the North-West University (NWU).

Prof Moagi reviewed existing evidence to address alcohol abuse…

Project explores how to boost profitability of indigenous language media

The research niche area Indigenous Language Media in Africa (ILMA) at the North-West University (NWU) is embarking on a three-year research project to assist South Africa’s struggling indigenous language media.

The past few years have seen massive closures and restructuring of media houses in South Africa, partly due to the introduction…

Covid-19 pandemic has further weakened South Africa’s fragile peace

In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, the exclusion of even more South African residents from economic activity has further weakened the country’s already fragile peace.

This is one of the conclusions drawn by North-West University (NWU) academic Dr Gideon van Riet, who recently published an article based on three years of research in…

NWU academic receives prestigious grant for malaria research

Phenyo Mokgothu

Dr Fortunate Mokoena, North-West University (NWU) academic in the subject group Biochemistry, has been awarded the Grand Challenges Africa drug discovery grant.

Dr Mokoena was awarded this grant for…

Cyberattacks likely to increase as connectivity grows

Cyberattacks are occurring thick and fast as the world becomes more connected and the rewards greater. According to a North-West University (NWU) academic, the possible rewards for cyberattackers will continue to increase, as more aspects of our everyday lives become interwoven and reliant on online interaction.

Prof Wian Erlank from…

Conserving African biodiversity through genomics has a food security link

Using genomics to understand and protect the African continent’s biodiversity could improve the resilience of plants, animals and other life forms to climate change, with a knock-on effect on food security, says North-West University (NWU) researcher Dr Roksana Majewska.

She and fellow researchers at the African BioGenome Project (…

NWU researchers help map the way forward for hydrogen in South Africa

The Earth is in trouble. It is suffocating under clouds of carbon dioxide emissions from the use of coal and other environmentally damaging resources to generate energy. These emissions are the primary cause of global warming, and if humanity wants to avoid the worst consequences of global warming*, we have to find alternatives for our energy…