By Vukosi Mathale

As a testament to their dedication and commitment to innovation, the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Technology Transfer and Innovation Support (TTIS) office has been honoured with the esteemed Department of Science and Innovation / Southern African Research and Innovation Management Association (DSI/SARIMA) Award for Organisational Excellence in Innovation Management.

The announcement was made during the 2023 SARIMA Connect, Celebrate, Collaborate event held in Johannesburg on 19 October.

-NWU and IAEA collaborate to train students in nuclear forensic science

-The partnership will develop a Nuclear Crime Scene Management Laboratory

-The IAEA has recommended that each of its member states establish a national nuclear forensic library

In a significant step toward enhancing nuclear forensic science capabilities, the North-West University (NWU) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have entered into a ground-breaking partnership.

Dino Rangaka, a physical trainer at the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Soccer Institute, recently joined Premier Soccer League (PSL) Moroka Swallows FC as a physical trainer for the team.

The recent Society for Advanced Cell Culture Modelling for Africa (SACCMA) Conference, organised by the Faculty of Health Sciences of the North-West University (NWU), witnessed a delegation from the NWU making a significant impact on both the local and international stage. Despite planning a smaller conference this year, the faculty welcomed 91 registered delegates and 10 exhibitors, indicating the growing interest in and importance of the research field. The conference attracted delegates from countries such as Mauritius, the USA, Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden and France.

“The foundations of the 2023 Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) on 1 November need to be realistic and sound, given the additional fiscal and economic challenges it faces.”

Prof Raymond Parsons, economist at the North-West University (NWU) Business School, says the National Treasury has already warned of the tough decisions that will need to be made in the medium-term Budget.

It will be a first for Africa: One innovative step by the North-West University (NWU) and one giant leap by the continent. The NWU’s Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences is set to launch the research area SpaceBiology@NWU.

According to one of the project leaders, Prof Henk Bouwman, this multidisciplinary research area – which is going encompass expertise from other NWU faculties such as Engineering too – will look at how biology can assist with living in space.

In a great step towards advancing technology transfer capabilities across Southern Africa, a pioneering initiative has been launched to provide experiential learning for technology transfer practitioners from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.

The World Intellectual Property Organization, in partnership with the Southern African Research and Innovation Management Association and the Japan Patent Office, initiated an immersive eight-week training-on-the-job programme based at South African offices of technology transfer (OTTs).

Cooperation is key if Africa is to reach her potential. On 19 October, at the OR Tambo Premier Hotel in Johannesburg, the Research Output, Outcomes and Impact Community of Practice (Cop-ROOI) was launched by the North-West University (NWU) in conjunction with the Southern African Research and Innovation Management Association (SARIMA) to help achieve this goal.

The first-ever dictionary for N|uu, one of South Africa’s highly endangered minority languages with only one remaining fluent speaker, has been awarded the ATKV Wordwise Prize (Woordwystoekenning) for 2023 at the ATKV Woordveertjies (Afrikaans Language and Culture Association Word Feathers), an annual celebration of outstanding contributions around the Afrikaans word.

Protection Services on the North-West University's (NWU’s) Mahikeng Campus hosted an event – Men's conceptualisation of gender-based violence (GBV) – at the campus' Modiri Park.

This initiative was not merely a gathering, but a determined effort to educate students, staff and members of the community about the profound implications of GBV and to equip them with the tools and knowledge to stop GBV on campus.

Moreover, it aimed to encourage open discussions, emphasising the existence of policies and harsh punishments for transgressors.