The North-West University’s (NWU’s) ongoing commitment to sustainable energy through its trail-blazing solar projects across its campuses has earned it the Renewable Energy Initiative Award from the Higher Education Facility Management Association of Southern Africa (HEFMA) on 17 October.

The North-West University’s (NWU) two Olympic superstars, Bradley Nkoana and Jo-Ané van Dyk, were back on the podium when they were presented with top sporting awards at NWU’s Potchefstroom Campus.

These two remarkable athletes are both the pride of the nation and the NWU after both bagged silver at the Olympic Games in Paris, France earlier this year. Jo-Ané won silver in the javelin at the Olympics, gold at the All-African Games in Ghana, gold at the African Championships in Cameroon and set a personal best of 64,22 m in the Olympic qualifying rounds.

As a pillar of the Potchefstroom community, with an unshakeable commitment to quality policing, Brigadier Steven Moodley has been awarded the Chancellor’s Medal by the North-West University (NWU).

He received this honour during a graduation ceremony on 24 October. The Chancellor’s Medal is awarded to people who show exceptional merit or have made significant contributions to society.

Visiting universities is a critical step towards empowering students, as future leaders, to understand the role of the South African Reserve Bank (SARB).

Dr Mampho Modise, Deputy Governor of the SARB, made this observation during her prestige lecture on 21 October 2024, at the North-West University (NWU), Potchefstroom Campus.

In her lecture, Dr Modise outlined the role of the SARB and spoke about the importance of monetary policy, financial stability and economic statistics.

As the NWU delegation’s visit under the leadership of principal and vice-chancellor, Prof Bismark Tyobeka to the North Carolina State University (NCSU) comes to an end, it is great to reflect on the many successful and insightful engagements. What a rewarding experience. The delegation will leave the United States with a reinvigorated purpose, knowing that the NWU is on track to further grow the university’s global footprint.

As South Africans celebrate Transport Month in October, we should broaden our focus beyond infrastructure and modernisation to the more nuanced and pressing issue of universal access to transport. This annual observance is a time to reflect on how transport systems impact everyone, especially those who are marginalised by their physical or financial limitations. While President Cyril Ramaphosa has highlighted the need for universal access to transport, significant challenges remain, especially for the most vulnerable commuters.

• Increasing the air access capacity to South Africa remains a critical aspect of the tourism agenda.

• The tourism industry faces transport challenges such as public transport coverage in rural and remote areas, public transport security concerns and limited railway services.

• The Kruger National Park Airport is an excellent example of how to spread tourists to more remote areas.

The North-West University (NWU) conferred an honorary doctorate in agriculture on Peter Monametsi Chiepe during its Spring graduation ceremony on 3 October 2024. An earth scientist, businessman, social entrepreneur and farmer from Botswana, Chiepe was recognised for his contributions to agriculture, particularly in sustainable farming practices.

In the final part of our series of articles celebrating Tourism Month, we again look at the phenomenal work the North-West University’s (NWU’s) research unit Tourism Research in Economics, Environs and Society (TREES) is doing to infuse the tourism sector with its expertise, to make the sector visible and to protect our tourism heritage. This is why tourism matters.

South Africa’s place on the global tourism stage: A competitive destination