Professor Ype Poortinga, emeritus professor at Tilburg University and the University of Leuven, delivered an insightful lecture at the Optentia Research Unit at the Vanderbijlpark Campus. His talk, titled “Exploring the History of Cross-Cultural Psychology: The Primacy of Method over Theory,” explored the evolution of research methods in cross-cultural psychology, emphasising their importance in understanding differences and similarities in behaviour.

By Gofaone Motsamai

Instead of focusing on formal employment when they graduate, final-year animal health science students at the North-West University (NWU) are tapping into their entrepreneurial spirit to explore ways to generate an income.

As part of a specialised entrepreneurship module, students from the School of Agricultural Sciences showcased their innovative business proposals at a pitching session on 15 November.

The Speaker of the North West Provincial Legislature, Desbo Mohono, recently graduated from the North-West University (NWU) with a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Agricultural Economics. The degree was conferred at a graduation ceremony held on the Potchefstroom Campus on 28 November 2024.

He has found a home away from home. Prof Paul Smit, associate professor for Labour Relations Management at the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences at the North-West (NWU), has been elected to Life Membership of Clare Hall, University of Cambridge, during their most recently held governing body meeting.

Clare Hall is a college for advanced study at the University of Cambridge.

Smit has an extensive collaborative history with the United Kingdom based university, having been a visiting fellow with Clare Hall earlier in the year.

The SADiLaR-Wikipedia-PanSALB (SWiP) project is an important collaborative project that has seen key partners coming together to drive the digital ascent of isiNdebele, one of the low-resource languages in the country.

Prof Leepile Sehularo, a professor of Psychiatry and Mental Health Nursing at the North-West University (NWU), has received the Nurse Researcher Award at the South African Nursing Council (SANC) Nursing Excellence Awards. The ceremony took place at The Capital Menlyn Maine in Pretoria on 8 November 2024.

This award celebrates significant contributions to nursing research and forms part of the SANC’s 80th anniversary.

Prof Roelien Goede, director of the Unit for Data Science and Computing at the North-West University (NWU), has been awarded a B1 rating by the National Research Foundation (NRF).

This is in recognition of her contributions to critical systems thinking and its applications in information systems and information systems education.

The B1 rating acknowledges researchers whose work is of high quality and has significant impact, affirming their international standing.

Tarryn Williams, an Educational Technologist at the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL) at North-West University (NWU), has been honoured for her outstanding contributions to education and technology. She has been selected as one of the recipients of the prestigious 30 Under 30 Programme at this year’s Open Education Berlin (OEB) Global Conference. This accolade highlights her pivotal role in advancing learning design, integrating innovative technologies, and supporting both lecturers and students in creating enriched educational experiences.

Two Potchefstroom secondary schools are reaping the benefits of an initiative of the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Faculty of Theology aimed at improving study methods and motivating learners.

According to Prof Fazel Ebrihiam Freeks, project leader, there has been a definite improvement in the pass rates of Grade 12 learners at Promosa Secondary School and Potchefstroom Secondary School.

The Faculty of Engineering at the North-West University (NWU) participated in the World Association of Industrial and Technological Research Organizations (WAITRO) Summit 2024, which took place in Nanjing, China from 13 to 15 November.

The summit’s theme, “From innovation to impact: Strategies for sustainable solutions”, highlighted the importance of connecting innovation with market demands to foster sustainable development.