Academic

Role of indigenous health practitioners in addressing mental health issues

North-West University (NWU) academic Prof Miriam Moagi, together with Dr Mokgobola Thobakgale from the University of Limpopo and Dr Madimetja Magoro from Tompi Seleka College of Agriculture, recently published a book chapter on indigenous health practices in the treatment of mental illness in South Africa.

The book chapter aims to demonstrate the understanding of mental illness and the treatment thereof from an indigenous African perspective.

Submitted on Tue, 04/25/2023 - 09:43

NWU academics on a collaboration mission to improve early childhood education in Africa

Dr Marinda Neethling and Dr Susan Greyling, both academics from the North-West University’s (NWU's) research focus area Community-based Educational Research (COMBER), recently travelled to Namibia and Zimbabwe to collaborate and build relationships in the field of early childhood development.

Dr Neethling's research focuses on providing comprehensive training to caregivers in African early childhood development centres, where many caregivers are unqualified grandmothers or mothers.

Submitted on Tue, 04/25/2023 - 09:32

The BUA! Poetry Slam competition fuels creativity

The North-West University’s (NWU's) Creative Writing subject group in the School of Languages recently hosted its very first BUA! Poetry Slam at the NWU Gallery on the Potchefstroom Campus.

More than 100 students showed up to the first of three events across campuses before the intercampus final. The second preliminary, scheduled for 3 May 2023, will be held on the Vanderbijlpark Campus, and the third one will be held in August on the Mahikeng Campus.

The winners from each campus will then take part in the final poetry slam at the end of the year.

Submitted on Fri, 04/21/2023 - 14:40

Advocating for sustainable poultry production to ensure food security

North-West University (NWU) academic Prof Kenny Mnisi presented a seminar on 20 April 2023 focusing on food security and safety.

The topic of the seminar was “Are we food secured now? If not, let us practise sustainable poultry production!”

According to Prof Mnisi the question is designed to measure the advances that researchers, governments, non-governmental organisations (NGO) and other civil society groups have made in ensuring global food and nutrition security.

Submitted on Fri, 04/21/2023 - 14:26

NWU lecturer brings Kahoot’s awesomeness to the classroom

Kurt Naicker, a senior lecturer and chartered accountant at the North-West University’s (NWU’s) School of Accounting Sciences, recently presented the first virtual annual Kahoot Higher Ed Meetup and 10-year celebration of bringing awesomeness to classrooms worldwide.

Kahoot is a tool that can be used to engage students in the learning process by using gamification techniques. It is an online game-based learning platform that allows educators to create and share interactive quizzes, surveys, and discussions with their students.

Submitted on Thu, 04/20/2023 - 14:45

Energy challenge is the biggest threat to economic performance

The rise in the annual consumer price inflation from 7,0% to 7,1% in March was contrary to market expectations, which had been that the consumer price index (CPI) might by now have shown a modest decline to about 6,7%.

According to Prof Raymond Parsons, economist from the North-West University (NWU) Business School, food prices are the main culprit. “The rate of inflation at 7,1% therefore remains well above the target range of 3% to 6% of the South African Reserve Bank (SARB).”

Submitted on Thu, 04/20/2023 - 09:31

Becoming a professor at a time of decolonisation

Prof Emmanuel Mfanafuthi Mgqwashu, the director of the Centre for Higher Education Professional Development at the North-West University (NWU), recently delivered his inaugural lecture on the Potchefstroom Campus.

The topic of his lecture was “A timely question: How can we not talk about becoming a professor in the context of decolonising higher education?”

During this lecture, Prof Mgqwashu drew from his 26 years of experience in the academia and shared critical reflections on his journey to becoming a professor.

Submitted on Tue, 04/18/2023 - 10:19

Best paper award for NWU academic

North-West University academic Dr Ankit Katrodia’s paper – titled “Generation Y’s perception towards and actual usage of African language radio Stations in South Africa” – recently earned him the Best Paper Award at the 3rd International Conference on Leveraging Industry 5.0: Sustainability, Innovation and Disruption that took place in Mumbai, India.

In the paper, co-authored by Dr Katrodia and his master’s student, Nkosinathi Ntuli, Dr Katrodia said that radio broadcasting is the most consumed form of broadcast media in the world.

Submitted on Fri, 04/14/2023 - 11:38

Guiding Grade 9 learners on their path to success

You should start planning your future career as early as in Grade 9. This was what North-West University (NWU) statistics lecturer Dr Piet Ntema, told Grade 9 learners during a recent career guidance workshop.

Dr Ntema hosted the workshop in partnership with the office of Prof Rodney Medupe, deputy dean for community engagement and stakeholder relations at the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, and Phomolong Community Library.

Submitted on Wed, 04/12/2023 - 12:40