There are too many misconceptions about the role that gender plays in society. This is the opinion expressed by the Honourable Ambassador Maria Del Rosario Mina Rojas of Colombia during her visit to the Potchefstroom Campus of the North-West University (NWU) on 18 August.

In an interactive session the Honourable Ambassador Mina Rojas delivered an address titled “The role that gender plays in society and the impact it has on traditional gender norms”, which elicited not only acclaim, but also interest from staff and students alike.

The North-West University (NWU) would like to wish our NWU Eagles the best of luck during the Varsity Netball tournament. You have shown time and again what remarkable people and exceptional players you are. Your commitment, hard work and ethic of care has made us proud, and we know that you will give nothing but your best on the court.

Last year you were runners-up in the final, which is already a remarkable achievement, and you have all of the NWU family’s backing to go that one step further.

When Prof Louis Kotzé, research professor at the Faculty of Law of the North-West University (NWU) utters the words “planetary crisis”, it takes a moment to comprehend the magnitude of what he is talking about.

It took only a few seconds for her to lose weeks of her life. After her Toyota Yaris had crashed head-on into a bakkie, she was trapped in a cocoon of unconsciousness and when she awoke her world had irrevocably changed. Torturous years of rehabilitation were to follow. Initially she was forgetful, frightened, frantically searching and frequently failing to find a coherent memory.

The Student RAG Community Service (SRCS) is a community engagement initiative of the North-West University (NWU) based on the Potchefstroom Campus and is the largest student-driven community engagement initiative in the southern hemisphere. It is a unique NWU tradition that you will find in few other places. This tradition encapsulates the spirit of the NWU’s students: a commitment to their community and the determination to ensure a better life for those the university serve.

Women's Month is the ideal opportunity to reflect on the tremendous strides made by women in education and celebrate an intergenerational legacy of academic achievements. What an honour it is to share the inspiring journeys of four generations of female graduates, with three holding master’s degrees. These stories testify to the power of education, the importance of the empowerment of women and the significant impact women can have on future generations.

By Zandile Nkosi

South Africans are called to contribute 67 minutes of community service on 18 July each year in honour of Madiba’s legacy. This year’s Mandela Day theme was “Make every day a Mandela Day #itisinyourhands.

Why did some people experience more severe coronavirus symptoms than others during the Covid-19 pandemic? International researchers believe part of the answer may lie deep within human cells, specifically in the small circular chromosome inside each cell, called the mitochondrial DNA.

Genetic variations in mitochondrial DNA are considered the key to unlocking answers about the innermost workings of cells and mapping the way forward for more effective medical treatment.

A key United Nations agency has shown its confidence in the North-West University (NWU) by relaunching the Chair on Multimodal Learning and Open Educational Resources for a second term of four years.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has approved the NWU’s submission for a renewal of the chair, which was initially awarded to the university in 2019. The chair was relaunched in June.

Dr Tshepiso Ndhlovu, a PhD graduate from the North-West University (NWU), has completed promising research on the use of medicinal plants to treat children’s diseases.

Childhood illnesses make a major contribution to infant mortality rates worldwide, and the high cost of conventional treatment exacerbates the problem by putting a financial strain on rural populations.