By Gofaone Motsamai and Phenyo Mokgothu

When students from the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Mahikeng Campus gathered for the School of Physical and Chemical Sciences-in-Action event on 7 and 8 October 2025, they joined an initiative that brought academia and industry together.

Under the theme “Connecting academia and industry through science”, the two-day event created a space for students, academics and professionals to engage with organisations working across various scientific fields.

By Gofaone Motsamai and Phenyo Mokgothu

In the scientific field, learning theory and doing practical work at university provides a foundation for aspiring scientists, but developing real-world skills is what prepares students for professional environments.

South Africa’s pursuit of sustainable development remains uneven, with economic growth often taking precedence over environmental and social considerations, and while laws and policies highlight sustainability, practice tells a different story.

“Economic growth dominates the discourse,” said Dr Fredua Agyemang, a postdoctoral research fellow under the SARChI Chair: Cities, Law and Environmental Sustainability at the North-West University (NWU).

“Social sustainability is often reduced to consultation exercises, and environmental concerns are treated as secondary.”

By Gofaone Motsamai and Mzwandile Ndlovu

Once played in dusty village yards and open fields where laughter echoed and children learned teamwork through play, indigenous games used to be at the heart of African childhood. Today, many of those games - from morabaraba and diketo to mmela and ntimo - are fading from memory, overshadowed by modern sports. But at the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Mahikeng Campus, those forgotten rhythms came alive again as the institution hosted its first-ever Indigenous Games Varsity Tournament.

“Community engagement connects learning with life,” said Vincent Russell, Assistant Professor and Liberal Studies Program Coordinator in the Department of Communication at Western Carolina University. He presented a talk to the North-West University (NWU) employees on the role of engagement in teaching and research and its impact on academic careers.

By Phenyo Mokgothu and Gofaone Motsamai

Veteran broadcaster Tim Modise returned to Mahikeng, where his media career began, to deliver a public lecture on the evolving role of broadcast media in shaping South Africa’s cultural identity.

Gosego Phutieagae and Phenyo Mokgothu

If young people take ownership of their linguistic future, they can ensure that the internet becomes multilingual. This call to action to the youth was made during the North-West University’s (NWU’s) 2025 Language Awareness Week.

Two North-West University (NWU) football players were recognised for their performance in the 2025 Varsity Football tournament, taking home major individual honours and contributing significantly to the team’s competitive campaign.

Goalkeeper Ethan Mokwena won the Cashbuild Golden Glove award and the official Goalkeeper of the Tournament prize, which included a trophy and a monetary reward. Team captain Aphelele Sibisi was named FNB Player of the Tournament, receiving a R10 000 prize.

One of the most influential figures in South Africa’s higher education history, Prof John William Mokone Makhene, was the guest of honour at a high-profile colloquium hosted recently by the North-West University (NWU).

The colloquium, held at the Mmabatho Palms Hotel in Mahikeng on 3 October, had the theme “Academic leadership as a catalyst for transformative change”. It was an apt reminder that visionary leadership can shape entire generations.

By Mzwandile Ndlovu

In a tough job market, success in finding employment takes skills, strategy and professionalism. Final-year language students at the North-West University (NWU) honed their post-university preparations during a work-readiness workshop hosted by the School of Language Practice in collaboration with Career Services on the Mahikeng Campus.