There was little doubt that she would be able to do it. Scratch that – less than a little, but just more than none. Liezel Gouws says that perhaps she would not have ended on the podium in the long-jump event at the recent Para Athletics World Championships, but a top position was definitely booked for her.

“I started with long jump only recently, but unfortunately I could not participate in it in Paris. However, I do believe that I could have ended among the top four,” the 25-year-old student from the North-West University says.

Whether his graceful dive would cause his wings to be clipped was touch and go. He still gives a slightly embarrassed laugh when he thinks about it. It was Monday, 27 February in Potchefstroom during the Varsity Cup. The North-West University (NWU) Eagles were battling the Shimlas on the Fanie du Toit Sports Grounds in what was to end in a 63-16 victory against the visitors from Bloem. Just before the break the ball was played along the line and landed in Naiden Jaarts’s eager hands. This wing did what all try gluttons do.

The Rugby Institute of the North-West University (NWU) has again proven itself to be one of the country’s foremost player factories, with no fewer than six players from the NWU Eagles’ Varsity Cup-winning squad having secured provincial contracts.

These players have also obtained or are in the process of completing their respective academic degrees from the NWU, thereby yet again underlining the NWU’s commitment to providing well-rounded athletes with a future beyond the sports fields.

The North-West University’s (NWU’s) Student Life division will be hosting an African Spirituality workshop on 29 July 2023 at its Mahikeng Campus.

Baba Ngwemabala, also known as Thandiwe Prudence Magagula, will be the main speaker.

The purpose of the event is to look into the different dynamics for understanding African spirituality within tertiary education.

Student and organiser of the workshop Sandile Mbizeni says he believes this will be contribute towards transformation at the university.

Prof Jean-Marie Kileshye Onema, executive manager for SADC WaterNet and extraordinary professor at the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, has been elected the secretary-general of the International Association of Hydrological Sciences (IAHS).

Prof Onema's election, which took place during the 28th International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics in Berlin, Germany, marks a momentous occasion in the history of IAHS. He is the first African to hold this significant position since the association's inception 101 years ago.

The North-West University (NWU) is gearing up to host the first Vice-Chancellor’s (VC’s) Science Day at Mabeskraal near Rustenburg in the Moses Kotane Municipality on 31 July 2023.

As was widely anticipated, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) decided by a 3:2 majority to keep interest rates on hold for now, instead of opting for a further increase of 25 basis points.

In commenting on the MPC’s decision on 20 July, Prof Raymond Parsons, economist from the Business School at the North-West University (NWU), says it was the right call by the MPC, given the latest global and domestic economic cross-currents, as well as the cumulative impact of previous rate hikes on the economy.

The North-West University (NWU) takes pride in the calibre of its academics. The expert work of the NWU’s researchers and lecturers is often recognised internationally, resulting in opportunities to collaborate with some of the most renowned and highest-ranking universities in the world.

Prof Paul Smit, associate professor of and programme leader for Labour Relations Management at the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, has been invited to collaborate as a visiting fellow with the Centre for Business Research (CBR) at Cambridge University in the United Kingdom.

The Covid-19 pandemic has left an indelible scar on the face of South Africa’s tourism sector, and although cosmetic touch-ups have restored some of its previous splendour, some extensive surgery is still required to get it back to rude health.

Glitzy adds showing sun-drenched beaches, or snow-capped mountain peaks with views that stretch as far as the horizon allows. A smiling stewardess pouring a cup of coffee; a food stall next to a bustling street serving exotic cuisine. Tourism as an experience is a commodity – a commodity that sells, but one that is often misunderstood. Not only is tourism a powerful contributor to economic growth, it also helps to sustain our vulnerable ecosystems.