Why did some people experience more severe coronavirus symptoms than others during the Covid-19 pandemic? International researchers believe part of the answer may lie deep within human cells, specifically in the small circular chromosome inside each cell, called the mitochondrial DNA.

Genetic variations in mitochondrial DNA are considered the key to unlocking answers about the innermost workings of cells and mapping the way forward for more effective medical treatment.

Located on the roof of building G5 at the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Potchefstroom Campus, the solar telescope of the Centre for Space Research has garnered attention from organisations such as the BBC and the Royal Astronomical Society.

Dr Ruhann Steyn, senior lecturer and principal scientist involved in the project, recently attended the National Astronomy Meeting in Cardiff, Wales, where he was commended for the outstanding work done by the Centre for Space Research.

While debates about the quality of teacher education intensify, the North-West University (NWU) is exploring solutions, including mixed reality, that will ensure that well-prepared and effective teachers enter the country’s classrooms.

The recent findings of the 2021 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), indicating that 81% of South Africa’s Grade 4 learners cannot read for meaning, have reignited the debate about the quality of pre-service teacher preparedness in the education sector.

Many studies have found a strong correlation between learners’ discipline levels and academic performance, with the latter improving as discipline levels improve. However, what is the role that parents play in disciplining their children?

Whether his graceful dive would cause his wings to be clipped was touch and go. He still gives a slightly embarrassed laugh when he thinks about it. It was Monday, 27 February in Potchefstroom during the Varsity Cup. The North-West University (NWU) Eagles were battling the Shimlas on the Fanie du Toit Sports Grounds in what was to end in a 63-16 victory against the visitors from Bloem. Just before the break the ball was played along the line and landed in Naiden Jaarts’s eager hands. This wing did what all try gluttons do.

Glitzy adds showing sun-drenched beaches, or snow-capped mountain peaks with views that stretch as far as the horizon allows. A smiling stewardess pouring a cup of coffee; a food stall next to a bustling street serving exotic cuisine. Tourism as an experience is a commodity – a commodity that sells, but one that is often misunderstood. Not only is tourism a powerful contributor to economic growth, it also helps to sustain our vulnerable ecosystems.

There are words that tie the tongue in knots. They confound the abilities of the learned; they separate the novice from the expert at spelling bees. They even change lives. At the North-West University (NWU), one of these words is “pharmacoepidemiology”, and it refers to a field that is enriching the health of the population of southern Africa.

It is again time for students to don their judicial robes for the popular annual NWU-Juta Mock Trials competition.

This year’s competition promises to be especially exciting, with the semi-finals and final taking place on 6 and 7 August respectively in the North West High Court in Mahikeng. The opening function will be hosted on 4 August.

“This will also be the first year that all four our semi-finals will take place simultaneously, bringing all the action to the courtrooms at the same time,” says Adv René Koraan, senior lecturer at the Faculty of Law.

The South African Centre for Digital Language Resources (SADiLaR) at the North-West University (NWU) hosted a successful fourth workshop on Resources for African Indigenous Languages (RAIL) in Dubrovnik, Croatia.

A group of linguistics and language practice students from the University of Johannesburg (UJ) recently attended an online workshop with staff from the South African Centre for Digital Language Resources (SADiLaR) to learn more about the career possibilities in the field of digital humanities.

This one-day externship – an online internship – took place on 14 June 2023 via Zoom, and offered the students a different perspective on the types of careers they could follow once qualified.