Student life

Subject group Chemistry paves the way for research support and scholarships for postgrads

By Menziwa Msibi

The subject group Chemistry at the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Mahikeng Campus hosted the National Research Foundation (NRF) and the Sasol Foundation during a visit on 2 June 2023.

The purpose of this visit was to reinforce the visiting parties’ commitment to support and enhance research capabilities by providing scholarships for honours, master’s, and PhD students.

Submitted on

NWU lecturer becomes first in family to bag a PhD

The recent autumn graduations at the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Vanderbijlpark Campus brought a momentous achievement for one employee in particular – Dr Bonelwa Sidumo.

Dr Sidumo, a statistics lecturer and emerging researcher, received her PhD in operational research.

The 33-year-old was born and bred in Centane, a rural town in the Eastern Cape, to a self-employed taxi driver and housewife. However, even when faced with limited resources and opportunities, her drive and determination helped her overcome obstacles and to achieve her dreams.

Submitted on

Revolutionising agriculture: industrial engineering for efficient farms

Prof Rojanette Coetzee, an academic at the North-West University’s (NWU's) Faculty of Engineering, recently established a research forum that will use industrial engineering methods to help farmers.

Assisted by research assistants Herme Nel and Jorinda Marais, the Industrial Engineering in Agriculture (IE@Agri) Forum aims to apply industrial engineering techniques to address the everyday challenges faced by farmers, organisations, and the agricultural value chain.

Submitted on

New book investigates higher education in the face of a pandemic

The Covid-19 pandemic left nothing but devastation in its wake, and the higher-education sector was not spared. This is the conclusion drawn in a new book titled Higher Education in the Face of a Global Pandemic, co-edited by Prof Petronella Jonck from the North-West University (NWU) and Prof Emnet Tadesse Woldegiorgis from the University of Johannesburg (UJ).

Submitted on

Restitution of land rights in South Africa in the spotlight

By Phenyo Mokgothu and Nolwazi Xulu

The North-West University’s (NWU’s) Faculty of Law, in collaboration with the Commission on Restitution of Land Rights, hosted a guest lecture titled “Restitution of Land Rights in South Africa” on 25 May 2025. The lecture was presented in a hybrid format, with the physical event taking place on the NWU’s Mahikeng Campus.

The keynote speaker at the lecture was Nomfundo Ntloko, chief land claims commissioner in South Africa.

Submitted on

Golden Key student receives outstanding member award

Reston Mawononga, a third-year social work student at the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Mahikeng Campus, has been announced the winner of the 2022 Golden Key Outstanding Member Award.

This award celebrates outstanding Golden Key (GK) members who demonstrate exceptional achievement in all three of the GK pillars, namely academic performance, leadership and community service.

Reston says he is honoured to be recognised as an outstanding member of this remarkable society.

Submitted on

NWU appoints alumnus and consul-general as professor of practice

Dr Bobby Moroe, North-West University (NWU) alumnus and the consul-general of South Africa in Lagos, Nigeria, has been appointed as a professor of practice in the research focus area Afrocentric Governance of Public Affairs (AGoPA) from 1 June 2023 to 31 May 2026.

In his new role, Dr Moroe will play an active part in training both undergraduate and postgraduate students in the specialised field of AGoPA.

Submitted on

Researchers advocate hypertension awareness and prevention on World Hypertension Day

In recognition of World Hypertension Day, the NWU Hypertension in Africa Research Team (HART) organised a blood pressure monitoring event as part of the May Measurement Month initiative. The event aimed to raise awareness about hypertension or high blood pressure, shedding light on the importance of early detection and prevention. Distinguished researchers from HART shared valuable insights on hypertension, its risk factors and effective measures to reduce or prevent high blood pressure.

Submitted on

Another international accreditation awarded to the NWU Business School

The North-West University (NWU) Business School recently received its accreditation from the Association of African Business Schools (AABS). The NWU Business School was represented at the 2023 AABS Connect Conference, hosted by the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) in Accra, by the senior manager for Accreditation and Quality, Dr Lungile Ntsizwane.

Submitted on