In a display of entrepreneurship, innovation and community impact, the North-West University (NWU) Business School magnificently hosted the final pitching event for its InnovateHER community project on Saturday, 9 November in a quest to empower young women.

Five sets of finalists took centre stage at SuperSport Park in Centurion to battle it out to be announced winner of this year’s pitching competition. InnovateHER is an online programme that trains young women between the ages of 15 and 25 to identify and solve problems.

By Gofaone Motsamai

When individuals blend professional media experience with academic work, they are “pracademics” who build bridges between the two spheres. This is according to Prof Gilbert Motsaathebe, research professor at the North-West University (NWU), who used the term during his recent inaugural lecture titled “Pracademics bridge the gap between media and academia”.

The North-West University (NWU) is proud to announce that Prof. Linda du Plessis has been appointed as deputy vice-chancellor for teaching and learning by the NWU Council during its meeting on 13 November 2024.

She has been serving as acting deputy vice-chancellor for teaching and learning since August of this year, and previously, since July 2017 held the position of deputy vice-chancellor for planning and Vanderbijlpark Campus operations.

The North-West University (NWU) Council reappointed Dr Anna Mokgokong, renowned business leader and entrepreneur, as its chancellor during its meeting on 13 November 2024.

As chancellor, she serves as titular head of the NWU, and all qualifications awarded by the university are formally conferred by her.

Mother-tongue education for North West Province school learners is set to be expanded through a pilot project in January 2025. The expert view of Dr Judicial Sebatana of the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Faculty of Education is that the provincial government’s plans are a critical step forward for mother-tongue learning. However, some foundational issues will need to be addressed for the initiative to succeed.

By Phenyo Mokgothu and Tiyiselani Precious Miyambu

For his PhD study challenging traditional gender roles in education, North-West University (NWU) alumnus Dr Obakeng Kagola has received the Best Doctoral Thesis Award for 2024 from the South African Education Research Association (SAERA).

Dr Kagola received the award during SAERA’s annual conference, held from 29 October to 1 November at the University of the Free State, another of his alma maters.

The NWU Vaal Young Alumni Chapter hosted a vibrant fundraising event on 02 November 2024, at the scenic Big Lapa of Vanderbijlpark Campus, with a powerful mission; to support final-year students burdened by debts under R5,000, enabling them to graduate and unlock new opportunities. The event buzzed with enthusiasm as alumni, staff, and special guests gathered for a relaxed, picnic-style gathering. The unique setting fostered connections, camaraderie, and a shared purpose, while also encouraging Convocation sign-ups to strengthen alumni bonds.

The first space biology article has been published in South Africa, marking an important advancement for African space science – and potentially for the world.

The article, based on a study of young earthworms exposed to various hypergravity conditions for eight days, was authored by researchers at the North-West University (NWU). For earthworms to reach space, they have to withstand hypergravity during launch and decelerations.

Prof Dumisani Moyo, executive dean of the Faculty of Humanities at the North-West University (NWU), delivered his inaugural address on Wednesday, 13 November 2024. The title of his presentation was “Moving the Centre of Media and Communicative Power in the Digital Age: Promise, Pitfalls, and Perspectives”.

Thirty-one thousand. That is the conservative estimate of the current teacher shortage in South Africa. Classrooms are overcrowded, with ballooning learner-to-teacher ratios, especially in rural and under-resourced schools. This severely impacts dropout rates and education quality.

This is not where the woes of future learners end. It is estimated that nearly half the teaching workforce will retire within the next decade, meaning the demand for new teachers will only keep increasing.