By Gofaone Motsamai

Master’s degree student Otsile Emily Moatshe from the Indigenous Language Media in Africa (ILMA) research niche area of the North-West University (NWU) is advancing the role of Setswana in academic research.

She is the first student at ILMA to write a master’s-degree dissertation entirely in Setswana, aligning with the research niche area’s focus on African languages in the media. She is supervised Prof Gilbert Motsaathebe – a renowned scholar in journalism, film, and television studies at the NWU.

A disease without a diagnosis is a battle fought in the dark. Without precise diagnostic tools, treatment decisions become guesswork, prevention efforts lack direction and disease control remains ineffective. This was the core message of Prof Oriel Thekisoe’s inaugural lecture at the North-West University (NWU).

“Diagnosis is the foundation of disease control,” said Prof Thekisoe during his lecture on 6 March 2025 at the Potchefstroom Campus. “It determines the effectiveness of treatment and guides prevention strategies.”

The Technology Transfer and Innovation Support (TTIS) office has begun 2025 with a renewed commitment to helping researchers turn their ideas into real-world solutions. TTIS has played a key role in two major events: the Research and Innovation (R&I) Induction Session and the Research and Innovation Colloquium.

The recent State of the Province Address (SOPA) delivered by the North West province’s Premier, Lazarus Mokgosi, sought to strike a balance between the service delivery needs of residents and the limited resources available.

This is according to Thabang Motswaledi, a political analyst and academic at the North-West University (NWU), interpreting the Premier’s maiden SOPA.

As we consider the urgent issues confronting social work in South Africa, it is evident that the profession is at a crucial turning point. On 18 March we commemorate World Social Work Day, and this year’s theme – “Strengthening Intergenerational Solidarity for Enduring Well-being” – serves as a timely reminder of the vital role that social workers play in our communities.

However, the challenges they encounter risk undermining their efforts and compromising the well-being of those they serve.

Food security, climate change and sustainability. These are some of the issues that will take centre stage from 19 to 20 March when the North-West University (NWU) and Agricultural Research Council (ARC) will be co-hosting the 2025 National Grain Research Programme (NGRP) Annual Meeting, themed Farming 2.0: Smarter & Greener.

This event will bring together industry leaders, researchers, policy makers and students from across South Africa to discuss innovative approaches to farming and grain production.

• Hunters, especially international hunters, believe that they benefit local communities.

• International hunters spend up to four times more per visit than local hunters.

• International hunters perceive their impact to be greater than local hunters.

• The perspective of the local community is still missing.

The North-West University (NWU) continues to shine in international rankings. The latest Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings by Subject place four of the NWU’s subject groups in the top 850 globally, with one of these featuring in the 301 to 350 ranking category. The subject groups are agriculture, environmental sciences, physics and medicine. QS published these rankings on 12 March 2025.

Prof Conroy Cupido’s musical journey has been nothing short of extraordinary, and his latest triumph at the kykNET Fiesta awards – often dubbed the "Oscars" of South Africa's arts festivals – in 2025 is another feather in his already illustrious cap.

A new weapon in the battle against malaria is emerging, and this time not from a laboratory, but rather driven by machine learning.

Researchers at the North-West University (NWU) have leveraged artificial intelligence (AI) to accelerate the search for life-saving drugs, a breakthrough that could shift the tide against this deadly disease.