A portfolio of clinical research programmes are set to launch on South African soil with the potential to enhance the scientific understanding of what is expected to become the most common cause of death in South Africa - non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Researchers studying cardiovascular diseases and it’s risk factors at the North-West University (NWU) just received significant funding to help alleviate this huge African risk.

By Prof Dan Kgwadi, vice-chancellor of the NWU.

We've recently celebrated International Mother Language Day (IMLD). The theme for this year’s IMLD is Towards sustainable futures through multilingual education, which places the role of educational institutions in promoting mother-tongue education firmly in the spotlight.

Many pairs of brothers have made their mark in the history of aviation. Just think of the Wright brothers, the Bell brothers and the Taylor brothers. However, the Jonker brothers from Potchefstroom are second to none and in the past 10 years have stirred up the world glider market with their business, Jonker Sailplanes.

What is the economic value of lion breeding in South Africa? This was the question Prof Melville Saayman and Prof Peet van der Merwe of the research unit TREES (Tourism Research in Economic Environs and Society and members of the South Africa Predators Association) asked when certain pressure groups again asked for captive lion breeding to be banned.  

2017 saw the Mahikeng Campus of the North-West University (NWU) offering a one-year full-time honours programme in logistics.

Losing a limb is certainly a traumatic experience. Making matters wors is that it usually goes with astronomical medical bills. Although the last thing that you would want to worry about is having sufficient funds to afford a prosthetic limb, this is a great concern for most people who have lost a limb.

Students at the Potchefstroom Campus of the North-West University (NWU) have discovered that soap in hotels and guest houses are often used only once and then thrown away. They then came up with an initiative to recycle this waste soap in order to be used again.

Marco Basson, a former chemical engineering student at the North-West University (NWU) has recently been given a four-chair turnaround of the judges during the latest episode of the popular TV singing competition, The Voice South Africa. Marco blew the audience away with his version of Nick Jonas' "Jealous". Bobby van Jaarsveld was the lucky judge that was given the opportunity to welcome Marco to his team.

The white minibus grinds to a halt in front of the corner stand in Drieziek in Orange Farm. Melinda du Toit, a PhD student at the Optentia Research Focus Area at the North-West University (NWU) and Hannes du Toit, lecturer in Engineering at the same university, are here to make a difference.

According to the Automobile Association, driver fatigue is one of the leading causes of collisions in South Africa. Although some luxury vehicles are equipped to warn drivers of this danger, not many people can afford them. An engineering student at the North-West University (NWU) addressed this problem as part of his final-year study by developing a mobile app that alerts the driver when driver fatigue sets in.