On the surface there is little commonality between the two. One is a predominantly homogenous first-world country with a population of 10,5 million people where you are more likely to see the northern lights than a lanky giraffe. It occupies an area of 447,425 km2 . The other is almost thrice as large. Its contours encapsulates 1,221,037 km2  and within it a diverse population of 60,6 million people live in a developing country at the foot of Africa.

Entrepreneurs should deal with challenges in their own communities, conduct thorough research, and protect their intellectual capital on their way to monetising their unique ideas.

They received this advice recently when the North-West University (NWU) hosted the 4th annual Intellectual Property and Technology Commercialisation Colloquium under the theme: “Driving innovation and positioning Intellectual Property Commercialisation for post Covid-19 pandemic.”

They may sit in opposite hemispheres, but in the global village, borders and boundaries are no inhibitors to cooperation. The South Africa Sweden University Forum (SASUF) is evidence thereof.

From 29 to 31 March, SASUF is hosting its Sustainability Forum at the University of the Western Cape in conjunction with its 40 partner universities – including the North-West University (NWU) - from across Sweden and South Africa.

By Phenyo Mokgothu and Mafumane Tlhapi

The North-West University (NWU) GoAllOut and Golden Key student chapters on its Mahikeng Campus attempted the Guinness World Record for the longest line of sanitary pads on 25 March 2023.

Spanning a distance of 6 km, a total of 60 000 pads were laid in line to advocate against period poverty. This attempt has now been sent to Guinness World Records to evaluate.

Prof Frank Winde, a professor in environmental science at the North-West University (NWU), recently presented a Water Policy Brief at the United Nations (UN) Water Conference that took place at the UN Headquarters in New York. 

This was the first global water conference in nearly 50 years and stakeholders across the globe were welcome to attend. Officially known as the 2023 Conference for the Midterm Comprehensive Review of Implementation of the UN Decade for Action on Water and Sanitation (2018-2028), the gathering attracted more than 6 600 delegates from 150 countries.

The North-West University's (NWU's) Optentia research unit and Corporate Relations and Marketing present the Southern African premiere of “Your Hundred Year Life: A Film about Rethinking Ageing in the 21st Century” at Killarney Cinema on 4 April 2023.

They just have a touch of class, don’t they? Slick as marlins in the water at the back, as ferocious as stampeding rhinos in the front. On Monday, 20 January, the North-West University (NWU) Eagles ran in five tries as they beat the Central University of Technology (CUT) Ixias 45-28 at the Fanie du Toit sports grounds in Potchefstroom.

North-West University (NWU) alumnus Berlina Lekgethwane could very well be the next Mrs South Africa.

She has recently entered the 2023 competition and has advanced to the semi-finals.

Berlina, who was born and bred in Ramokokastad in the Phadi village, graduated from the NWU's Mahikeng Campus with a BA in communications and an honours degree in social sciences psychology. She also holds a master's degree in business administration from Mancosa and is currently pursuing another master's degree in public administration from the same institution.

To mark National Water Week, the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Geography subject group hosted a water awareness event at the Vanderbijlpark Campus.

Water Week is a national awareness week celebrated in March every year, coinciding with World Water Day on 22 March. This year’s celebration also coincided with the United Nations’ 2023 Water Conference taking place in New York from 22 to 24 March.

North-West University academic and researcher Prof Lebo Gafane-Matemane recently attended the 14th HOPE Meeting with Nobel Laureates from 27 February to 3 March 2023 in Tsukuba City, Japan.

She was nominated by the National Research Foundation (NRF), together with Dr Ncediwe Ndube-Tsolekile from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology.

The HOPE meetings have been organised by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) since 2008, aiming to advance science and technology in the Asia-Pacific and Africa region.