NWU sprint hurdler Franco le Roux delivered a standout performance at the World Athletics Indoor Championship in Poland On Saturday 21 March. He set a new time of 7.50 seconds in the men’s 60 m hurdles, surpassing Shaun Bownes’ record of 7.52 seconds, set in Belgium in 2001, and thereby wrote his name in the history books of African athletics.

Competing in his first Indoor Championships, Le Roux broke the continental record set by his coach, Shaun Bownes, one that stood untouched for 25 years. In a moment of rich significance, the student surpassed the teacher.

The North-West University (NWU) continues to advance community-engaged scholarship through a compelling historical documentation project led by Dr Mojuta Motlhamme, a History Education lecturer in the Faculty of Education at the Mahikeng Campus.

His work focuses on preserving and sharing the rich heritage of the Barolong boo Ratshidi, a prominent Setswana-speaking community rooted in the Mahikeng region.

Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges and universities are central to solving South Africa’s skills crisis, bridging the gap between practical training and academic knowledge to drive economic growth.

It is within this context that the North-West University (NWU) and Vuselela TVET College held high-level talks on 23 March 2026, setting the stage for a strategic partnership aimed at reshaping skills development, strengthening research collaboration and expanding socio-economic impact.

Youth entrepreneurship took a significant step forward when the North-West University (NWU) hosting a session aimed at guiding students toward business development resources and funding opportunities.

Organised by the university’s Career Services on 27 February 2026, the event brought together key stakeholders such as the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) and the Small Enterprise Finance Development Agency (SEFDA).

Andiswa Msi, campus chief director of the Vanderbijlpark Campus of the North-West University (NWU), joined leaders from business, academia and international organisations at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) for the annual Ring the Bell for Gender Equality market opening ceremony.

The event marked a global call to advance gender equality and expand women’s participation in leadership and economic decision-making.

The better-than-expected headline inflation of 3% in February is welcome, but has now already been overtaken by a highly negative inflationary outlook.

In commenting on this easing in the CPI from 3,5% in January, Prof. Raymond Parsons, economist from the North-West University (NWU) Business School, says it is no longer only the external oil price shock that will have a likely future impact on the economy, but also the extent to which it will coincide with several domestic price increases on 1 April.

What began in 2025 as a targeted initiative through the HIV Unit at Vaal University of Technology (VUT) has grown into a powerful example of how institutions can work together to address real student needs. On Thursday, 12 March, something simple yet deeply meaningful took place at Tsebonokeng, as partners came together to support a cause that is crucial, but often overlooked, menstrual health.

As South Africa marks Human Rights Day on 21 March, the commemoration is again drawing attention to the gap between constitutional rights and the lived conditions of many citizens, with analysts saying the day should serve both as an opportunity for remembrance and as a measure of government performance.

Researchers from Nicolaus Copernicus University in Poland recently visited North-West University (NWU) to strengthen an international research partnership exploring how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the banking sector.

The recent escalation in the United States/Israeli war with Iran has now injected new urgency into assessing the economic and business implications for countries like South Africa.

Prof. Raymond Parsons, economist of the North-West University (NWU) Business School, says with the Brent crude oil price opening at over $100 a barrel this week, the Middle East conflict is widely seen as becoming increasingly protracted.