Newsroom - Potchefstroom Campus

Economic growth is a welcome rebound

South Africa’s economic growth of 1,2% in the fourth quarter of 2021 has yielded an overall positive gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 4,9% in 2021, which is a welcome rebound in the economy after the devastating -6,4% growth in 2020.

According to Prof Raymond Parsons, economist from the Business School of the North-West University (NWU), half the sectors in the economy, especially mining and agriculture, made positive contributions to the economic recovery in the final quarter of the year.

Submitted on Wed, 03/09/2022 - 10:13

NWU hosts SASCOC indaba

The North-West University (NWU) hosted the SASCOCHigh Performance Indaba at the Sports Village between 9 and 11 February 2022. SASCOC used this strategic planning session to review the performance of the Olympic and other elite teams over the past five years, and finalise a strategic plan for the next few Olympic cycles.

Submitted on Fri, 02/25/2022 - 14:07

Waiting times in healthcare are under the microscope

Waiting for medical treatment can be a life-or-death matter.

“Waiting times in healthcare are a significant problem that occurs across the world and often has catastrophic effects – as we have seen during the Covid-19 pandemic,” says Maria van Zyl, a lecturer in the School of Industrial Engineering at the North-West University (NWU).

Submitted on Sun, 02/20/2022 - 12:18

Newly B-rated researcher pursues new problems on ancient culture

Prof Jaco Gericke does not take an orthodox approach to research in his field, ancient culture, and in a sense that has sometimes counted against him. However, the tide has turned, and the fact that his work is not in the mainstream of scholarship may have proved to be an advantage. It led to the National Research Foundation (NRF) awarding a coveted B rating to Prof Gericke, an associate professor at the Faculty of Theology on the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Vanderbijlpark Campus.

Submitted on Thu, 02/17/2022 - 22:08

New species named in honour of NWU academic

According to Sir David Attenborough, who has at least 17 species named in his honour, having a species named after you is the “biggest of compliments that you could ask from any scientific community.” 

Internationally acclaimed North-West University (NWU) researcher, Prof Nico Smit was recently complimented in such a way.

Researchers from the Queensland Museum in Australia and the Prince of Songkhla University in Thailand named a new species of cirolanid isopod in his honour.

Submitted on Thu, 02/17/2022 - 08:52

#theArtofResearch – making health science more accessible

It is no secret that the Hypertension in Africa Research Team (HART) at the North-West University (NWU) is at the forefront of in-depth research. Over the past year they have demonstrated yet again that their mission is to conduct research that could solve many health-related problems that affect young and old.  

Recently, HART researchers took part in a programme, #theArtofResearch, as an initiative to activate African knowledge. The researchers showcased their research by means of posters to make African science more accessible to our communities.

Submitted on Wed, 02/16/2022 - 21:27