Commencing in 2024, Prof Alistair Mokoena, Google South Africa’s country director, pledged to donate R50 000 to the North-West University (NWU) annually. According to Prof Mokoena, the sum of the funding will go into the Dr Alistair Mokoena Education Fund and will be used to support any student in need of financial assistance.

Prof Mokoena believes contributing towards the advancement of knowledge and innovation can help enrich the educational experience of students beyond the classrooms.

To unearth potential, you need to dig deep. To break new ground, knowledge is needed. The North-West University (NWU) brought these two themes together on Wednesday, 3 April, when the NWU held its first mining indaba at the Capitol on Park Hotel in Sandton.

Prof Lebo Gafane-Matemane, associate professor of Physiology and community engagement champion at the Hypertension in Africa Research Team (HART) in the Faculty of Health Sciences, has been appointed as the new chair of the International Society of Hypertension (ISH) Mentorship and Training Committee (MTC).

On 16 April 2024, the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) will join forces with various institutions to launch the World Intellectual Property Day (WIPD) celebrations. They are the North-West University (NWU), the Department of Trade, Industry, and Competition (DTIC), the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), the National Intellectual Property Management Office (NIPMO), the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), and the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA).

Banks provide financing options for various projects and initiatives, and in partnering with ABSA Bank Limited, the North-West University (NWU) can enhance the process of dealing with financing matters for the staff and students.

A continued downward trajectory is the only possible forecast for South Africa’s state-owned enterprises (SOEs) if political appointments in SOEs continue to take precedence over expertise.

This is according to Prof Bismark Tyobeka, principal and vice-chancellor of the North-West University (NWU). Prof Tyobeka says this is not only an inescapable truth, but a gross dereliction of duty by those in key positions, which serves to hamper economic growth to the detriment of the country’s struggling citizens.

 Micronutrient deficiencies are highly prevalent in Africa and are one of the major factors associated with growth retardation, poor immune function, and child mortality.

 A new master’s degree programme in Nutrition with Nuclear Techniques will help to address malnutrition in Africa.

 Role players across the continent are working together to ensure better nutrition for all Africans.

A new species of African bullfrog has been discovered in northeastern Namibia, southern Angola, southwestern Zambia and northwestern Botswana.

It is the largest frog species discovered in more than 100 years.

The largest specimen found is 210 millimetres long and weighs 1 kilogram.

The chancellor of the North-West University (NWU), Dr Anna Mokgokong, was again recognised for her remarkable achievements as an industry stalwart when she received the Black Industrialist Pioneer and Legacy Award at the second Black Industrialist and Exporters Conference.

The conference was held at the Sandton International Convention Centre on Wednesday 20 March, and President Cyril Ramaphosa presented the awards.

Ruan “Sampie” Swiegers, the former captain of the 2023 FNB Varsity Cup champions, the North-West University (NWU) Eagles, takes us down memory lane. “A lot of memories come to mind when I think of having studied at the NWU for seven years. I know every part of Potchefstroom, the good and the bad,” said Ruan. Apart from roaming around the lively Potchefstroom Campus or enjoying a braai with friends at the residence, Ruan says he will forever treasure the memory of representing the NWU on the rugby field.