The Chartered Accountancy programme of the North-West University (NWU) is truly a force to be reckoned with. This after the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) released its Initial Test of Competence (ITC) results, in which the NWU’s class of 2021 achieved a remarkable 100% combined pass rate in the January and June 2022 ITC sittings. Of the limited number of candidates who passed with distinction, three hailed from the NWU.

The North-West University (NWU) welcomes its newly elected Student Representative Council (SRC) that officially took office on 6 September.

The incumbent SRC will serve for a period of one year under the leadership of the SRC president, Yikumba Andreas, a graduate in Management Sciences and Marketing Management, and a current bachelor’s degree student in Economic Sciences with Economics and Risk Management.

The inauguration of Dr Bismark Tyobeka as the third vice-chancellor of the North-West University (NWU) is the start of an exciting new journey for the university.

Dr Tyobeka, who started his five-year term as principal and vice-chancellor on 1 June 2022, was officially inaugurated on 26 August during a prestige event at the Feather Hill Hotel and Venue in Potchefstroom.

To change the world, we must help people change how they see things, and if you want to see real change, stay persistent in educating humanity on how we are all more similar than different. When one reads this, the director of Academic and Office Solutions at the North-West University (NWU), Andiswa Msi, immediately comes to mind. When you walk into her office, her beaming smile and positive aura are a very welcome sight.

Andiswa grew up in Bhaziya, a village in Mthatha, in an education-oriented household surrounded by strong women.

A team of second-year students from the Faculty of Law on the Vanderbijlpark Campus of the North-West University (NWU) are this year’s winners in the popular annual NWU Juta Mock Trial competition that took place in Potchefstroom on 15 August.

The latest Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) ranking has placed the North-West University (NWU) among the top eight South African universities in the QS World University Rankings, which were released on 8 June.

Globally, the NWU has been placed in the 1 001 to 1 200 ranking category for the 2022/2023 QS World University Rankings – the same as last year. The NWU’s performance has been consistent in this ranking category for the past four years.

North-West University’s principal and vice-chancellor, Dr Bismark Tyobeka, has been invited by prominent global leaders in nuclear affairs to be a panelist in an international webinar on the role of nuclear and radiology safety in the peaceful applications of nuclear science and technology.

“Oom Danie!” echoes the voice of the young woman from across the street. For a second, eclectic Stellenbosch, where he is walking around, comes to a halt as Danie Hefer turns around. Only a few moments before he was scanning his surroundings for a restaurant, unaware that his lanky frame had attracted the attention of the woman who is now running towards him. With endearing resolve she gives him a hug. Then, after she has relinquished her grip, she thanks him for the role he played in helping her obtain her degree.

During its meeting on 23 June 2022 the North-West University (NWU) Council elected a new chairperson and deputy chairperson.

Mr Bert Sorgdrager, a seasoned legal professional with more than 30 years’ experience in the private sector, was elected as the sixth chairperson of the NWU Council. Mr Obakeng Mongale, an experienced public servant and the current superintendent general for the North West Department of Health, will serve as deputy chairperson.

It is very encouraging that the latest much-better-than-expected gross domestic product (GDP) figures for the first quarter of 2022 show a further strong recovery in the economy following the economic setbacks of the Covid-19 lockdowns and the widespread civil unrest of July 2021.

Prof Raymond Parsons, economist from the Business School of the North-West University (NWU), says the figures that were announced on 7 June 2022 reinforce the 4,9% GDP growth recorded for 2021 as a whole, after the negative -6,4% growth experienced in the previous year.