The Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS) officially opened its University Innovation Pod (UniPod) at its main campus in Blantyre in an exciting event filled with cheers and applause. The inauguration of UniPod marked a big step forward in promoting innovation and entrepreneurship among Malawian students and researchers with the sponsorship of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The event was attended by His Excellency Dr Lazarus McCarthy Chakwere, President of Malawi.

The Research Support Office at the North-West University (NWU) is one of only ten research support offices in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) that received a grant and were selected to participate in the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation-funded project.

This constitutes a part of the Southern African Research and Innovation Management Association (SARIMA) initiative.

Researchers across the faculties at the North-West University (NWU) are doing exciting work in their fields of expertise.

Prof Courtney Cook is an associate professor and researcher in the Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences.

When it comes to money, Millennials – also known as Generation Ys* – have mixed feelings. On the one hand, they have a positive attitude to personal financial planning. On the other, they may be more inclined to indulge in discretionary spending, leading to overspending and difficulties in budgeting effectively.

Adding to this dilemma is that Millennials prioritise immediate gratification over long-term financial goals, such as saving for retirement or building an emergency fund, and may be less inclined to seek advice or guidance from financial professionals.

Despite being nutrient-rich and drought-resistant, indigenous foods are often overlooked in food security strategies. North-West University (NWU) student Modjadji Mandy Rasehlomi seeks to change that.

Modjadji, a master’s student in Indigenous Knowledge Systems, has been delving into the untapped potential of indigenous foods to address the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of No Poverty (SDG 1) and Zero Hunger (SDG 2).

Water is a limited natural resource and for Africa to improve its management of this resource, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning skill sets need to be taught and embraced at institutions of higher learning.

It is time to realise and accept that we, as a species, share a responsibility to work together to safeguard all the environmental systems that regulate the functioning and state of the planet.

While Africa is a continent with a rapidly growing population of young people, it is crucial for the region to pay attention to the global agenda on ageing.

The United Nations declared the years 2021 to 2030 as the "Decade of Healthy Ageing". This global collaboration, aligned with the last 10 years of the Sustainable Development Goals, seeks to improve the lives of older people, their families and the communities in which they live.

If you think you have seen arum lilies in all their beautiful shapes, sizes and colours, you are in for a surprise: two new species were recently discovered in the Sekhukhuneland bushveld where these plants grow naturally and spectacularly.

A researcher of the North-West University (NWU) has been selected to serve on the board of directors of the South African Heart Association (SA Heart®). He will also work in its executive and stakeholder committees.

Prof Ruan Kruger from the Hypertension in Africa Research Team (HART) will serve on the board for a period of three years. “It is a great honour. The SA Heart® board comprises the best cardiologists in South Africa, and for me as a physiologist to be selected is a wonderful milestone.”