North-West University (NWU) vice-chancellor Dr Bismark Tyobeka has committed to supporting and assisting the North West provincial government in reviewing the policy and regulatory framework to fast-track the industrialisation of hemp and cannabis.

“The NWU is ready to make a contribution towards the implementation of the National Cannabis Master Plan to unlock the economic potential of rural communities,” said Dr Tyobeka.

Hemade this commitment during the first North West province Cannabis Lekgotla on the NWU’s Mahikeng Campus from 14 to 16 September.

North-West University (NWU) nursing student and the winner of the WorldSkills South Africa Occupational Standards National competition, Tshiamo Mokgoetsi, is preparing in all earnest for the international WorldSkills competition that will take place in France in October 2022.

With the assistance of the Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority (HWSETA), Tshiamo was coached and mentored by two national experts in August.

North-West University (NWU) coach Karabo Masehela says they are ready to reclaim the Varsity Football cup from the University of Johannesburg when they meet in the semi-final at the UJ Stadium on 15 September 2022.

“UJ beat us in the fifth round-robin game of Varsity Football by two goals to one, and my boys are ready to go all out to take revenge for this loss.

“Once beaten, twice shy... we are going out there to reclaim what is ours,” says coach Karabo.

The Film and Production Board (FPB), in conjunction with the North-West University’s (NWU’s) School of Communication, recently hosted a roadshow as part of an open dialogue with students on online harm, cyber safety and content classification.

The objective of the roadshow, that took place on the NWU’s Mahikeng Campus, was to provide the youth with a platform to share their input on policy matters that affect them.

As part of the roadshow, a panel of young people bravely shared personal testimonies on online harm and cyberbullying they have experienced.

By Ontiretse Motingwa

Business Enterprise and Development and residences on the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Mahikeng Campus recently celebrated Administrative Professionals' Day at the campus’ new residence, Cluster 10.

“We want to make secretaries and administrative professionals feel valued as they provide invaluable input and are an important part of the university,” says Freedom Gwele, residence manager.

The administrative professionals were treated to a beautiful event and scrumptious meal.

The North-West University (NWU) Eagles crushed the Vaal University of Technology (VUT) by 3-0 in the seventh and final round-robin Varsity Football game at the NWU’s Mahikeng Stadium on Thursday, 8 September 2022.

In the 21st minute of the game, the NWU Eagles opened the scoring thanks to Omphile Shuping who netted with a long-range left-foot shot.

VUT had a double chance to equalize just before the break, but the first attempt following a corner shot hit the post before NWU goalkeeper Luzuko Jevuka denied VUT on the rebound.

North-West University (NWU) alumnus Dr Bobby Moroe has been appointed Consul-General of South Africa in Lagos, Nigeria. Dr Moroe assumed this new assignment on 5 September 2022, and will be responsible for nine of the 36 states in Nigeria.

As head of the South African consulate in Lagos, he will be responsible for promoting trade and investment opportunities for South African businesses in Nigeria, and to encourage the same for Nigerian companies in South Africa.

“There is a growing dissatisfaction among South African employers towards the type of graduates that are currently being produced by higher education institutions, because they lack problem-solving, teamwork and critical thinking skills.”

This is according to Dr Quatro Mgogo, a senior lecturer in the School of Communication at the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Mahikeng Campus.

He recently presented a seminar, titled “Organising pedagogical activities for differently abled students”, which focused on peer empowerment and peer mentorship.

Ontiretse Motingwa

On 3 September the North-West University (NWU) Soccer Institute will be conducting a competition for players under the age of 19 with the aim to discover new talent.

“The soccer institute has been fostering and producing top-tier talent for many years, and we have no intention of stopping now,” says Vuyo Sambo, manager of the institute.

With the aid of thermal energy storage systems it is possible to use solar cookers to prepare hot meals at night. Some systems perform better than others though, and there is room for improvement. This is according to Prof Ashmore Mawire of the Solar Thermal research group at the North-West University (NWU).

He recently gave a public lecture at which he presented past and recent research results of the group, which is located in the Material Science Innovation and Modelling (MaSIM) research focus area.