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Modest economic recovery is indeed underway

It is welcome news that in the third quarter of 2025, the economy showed its fourth consecutive rise in economic activity, albeit off a low base.

In commenting on the 0,5% rise in the third quarter gross domestic product (GDP) growth, Prof. Raymond Parsons, economist from the North-West University (NWU) Business School, says this expected better growth trend confirms that a modest economic recovery is indeed underway.

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Prof. Brian Harvey honoured with prestigious five-year appointment at UCT

The North-West University (NWU) is proud to announce that Prof. Brian H. Harvey, from the subject group Pharmacology and the South African Medical Research Council’s (SAMRC’s) Unit on Risk and Resilience in Mental Disorders, has received an esteemed honour as the year draws to a close.

Prof. Harvey has been invited by the Council of the University of Cape Town (UCT) to accept the title of honorary professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health in the Faculty of Health Sciences. This prestigious five-year appointment will run from 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2030.

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Play is nature’s tool for children’s healthy development

The cost of digitisation to children’s developing brains cannot be ignored. Children find themselves in a digital world where screens are always within reach. This places increasing pressure on parents to manage the use of technology wisely, especially when it comes to young children.

The North-West University’s (NWU) Centre for Health and Human Performance (CHHP) highlights two intertwined issues. The first is a rising reliance on screen time and the second is a declining presence of healthy, unstructured play.

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New international programme opens global pathways in renewable energy and sustainable construction

The North-West University (NWU) is set to benefit from a major new international initiative following the recent approval of the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master RESCO (Renewable Energy and Sustainable Construction) programme.

Prof. Ashmore Mawire, director of the Material Science, Innovation and Modelling (MaSIM) Research Focus Area, says the involvement of the NWU in RESCO marks a significant step towards strengthening internationalisation and enhancing training opportunities for local students.

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What South Africa can learn from China’s quiet wisdom

South Africa can learn a great deal from China, not by copying its politics but by understanding how it builds relationships, trust and social harmony. That is the argument made by Dr Casper Lötter, a conflict criminologist at the North West University, who believes China’s way of thinking offers practical lessons for a deeply divided South Africa.

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NWU and Lincoln University strengthen ties in sport and agriculture

The North-West University (NWU) and Lincoln University in New Zealand have expanded their growing academic ties after concluding a series of engagements on sport, recreation, agriculture and applied research.

The visit took place on 26 November, follows an earlier trip by Lincoln academics to the NWU’s Potchefstroom Campus, where initial exchanges were held on high-performance sport, concussion studies and postgraduate training.

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Medical and space science research takes centre stage during NWU’s visit to Otago University

Strengthening ties in two fast-growing scientific fields, medicine and space science, was the central focus of high-level engagements at Otago University in New Zealand where the North-West University (NWU) explored opportunities to advance its internationalisation drive.

The visit on 28 November brought together academics working in medical training, health research and astrophysics to map out areas where their institutions can work together in coming years.

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Where tomorrow’s medicines begin and Africa’s health future is forged

South Africa’s pharmaceutical landscape is marked by ambition, urgency and stark inequities. The continent carries 25 percent of the global disease burden but produces only a fraction of the medicines it consumes. Bridging this gap requires more than scientific talent; it demands infrastructure, accreditation and an ecosystem that can move a molecule from idea to impact. At the North-West University (NWU), the Preclinical Drug Development Platform (PCDDP) is positioning itself as precisely that bridge.

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Centre for Space Research hosts successful workshop to strengthen radio astronomy capacity across Africa

The Centre for Space Research (CSR) at the North-West University (NWU) recently hosted a highly successful Radio Astronomy Advancement Programme (RAAP) workshop – an annual initiative funded by the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO) and the National Research Foundation (NRF).

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NWU students stood in solidarity against GBVF honouring Purple Silence

On Friday, 21 November, South African women silenced the nation in a powerful stand against gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF). Across the country, purple settled over campuses and streets alike—a quiet but unyielding promise that every story of fear, survival, and hope would be carried, not forgotten.

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