Community Engagement

NWU’s Dr Sweetness had to face a lot of sour

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.

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NWU Potchefstroom Campus Student RAG Community Service donations 2023

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.

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Five women, four generations, one powerful legacy

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.

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Researcher brings African populations into previously Eurocentric cell research

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.

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UNESCO chair continues on its journey of opening doors to education

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.

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Study explores the use of medicinal plants to treat childhood diseases

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.

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Using technology to prepare language teachers for the future

While debates about the quality of teacher education intensify, the North-West University (NWU) is exploring solutions, including mixed reality, that will ensure that well-prepared and effective teachers enter the country’s classrooms.

The recent findings of the 2021 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), indicating that 81% of South Africa’s Grade 4 learners cannot read for meaning, have reignited the debate about the quality of pre-service teacher preparedness in the education sector.

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