“The optimism that most children are born with – the joy of learning, playing and simply living when they are small – gradually diminishes for many learners. This happens if they sense that, no matter how much they try to do well in school, they can’t succeed.”
These are the words of Prof Hans Henrik Knoop, extraordinary professor at the Optentia Research Focus Area on the North-West University’s (NWU’s) campus in Vanderbijlpark.

The North-West University’s (NWU’s) Campus in Mahikeng recorded a surge in doctoral degree graduates during its recent autumn graduation ceremony. Thirty-nine doctoral degrees out of a total of 2 233 degrees across all faculties were conferred, with 11 of these being university staff members.

The North-West University’s (NWU’s) campus in Mahikeng produced its first group of graduates who graduated with a Bachelor in Indigenous Knowledge Systems (BIKS) degree during the recent autumn graduation ceremony. This group is also the first BIKS graduates in Africa.

Prof Linda du Plessis, acting rector of the North-West University’s (NWU’s) campus in Vanderbijlpark, recently acted as key note speaker at the 2017 PMR Awards ceremony held at the Riverside Hotel in Vanderbijlpark. 

The subject group Theology and Philosophy in the Faculty of Humanities on the North-West University’s (NWU’s) campus in Vanderbijlpark recently hosted a public lecture about the link between identity and race.

The North-West University (NWU) has produced one of Africa’s youngest female PhD graduates. Musawenkosi “Musa” Saurombe received her PhD in Industrial Psychology at the university`s campus in Mahikeng on 25 April 2017.

Good work never goes unnoticed. This was emphasised during the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Institutional Teaching Excellence Awards ceremony (ITEA) which took place on 20 April in Potchefstroom.

On 19 April 2017 the North-West University’s (NWU’s) campus in Mahikeng hosted a guest lecture by Prof Bill Puplampu, pro vice-chancellor of the University of Ghana and a professor in organisational behaviour.

Few scientific events are more prestigious than those where Nobel Prize winners share their knowledge. Retha Peach, a doctoral student from the North-West University (NWU), is being given the rare opportunity to attend a gathering where 31 Nobel laureates will be present.

The Optentia Research Focus Area on the North-West University’s (NWU’s) campus in Vanderbijlpark, the Faculty of Education Sciences on the NWU’s campus in Potchefstroom, and the Flemish Association for Development, Cooperation and Technical Assistance (VVOB) are hosting the Second Symposium on Teacher Education for Inclusion on 7 and 8 June 2017.