By Vukosi Mathale

The executive director of the South African Centre for Digital Language Resources (SADiLaR) at the North-West University (NWU), Prof Langa Khumalo, was recently honoured for his contribution to multilingualism at the 1st International Conference on Language, Multilingualism, and Decolonisation Practices in Higher Education.

Organised by the University of the Free State’s (UFS) Academy for Multilingualism, the conference brought together scholars from 18 universities in South Africa, as well as from Namibia, the Netherlands and the United States.

It was a long time coming, but on Wednesday, 19 July, Cyril Ramaphosa, the South African president, officially recognised South African Sign Language as South Africa’s 12th official language.

This makes South Africa only the fourth country in Africa to recognise sign language as an official language and, according to Dr Keaobaka Seshoka, director of the Language Directorate at the North-West University (NWU), it is a belated but very welcome addition to the country’s official language family.

The North-West University (NWU) has secured fourth place in the Sustainable Development Goals Initiative of the Year category of the 2023 Global Triple E Awards for Africa.
These awards – made by the Accreditation Council for Entrepreneurial and Engaged Universities (ACEEU) – recognise universities worldwide that exhibit an exceptional commitment to entrepreneurship and community engagement in higher education.

A group of linguistics and language practice students from the University of Johannesburg (UJ) recently attended an online workshop with staff from the South African Centre for Digital Language Resources (SADiLaR) to learn more about the career possibilities in the field of digital humanities.

This one-day externship – an online internship – took place on 14 June 2023 via Zoom, and offered the students a different perspective on the types of careers they could follow once qualified.

The NWU Botanical Gardens Gallery at the North-West University’s Potchefstroom Campus proudly presents the upcoming solo exhibition “When the Dust Settles”, running from 17th July with an opening reception and walkabout on the 22 July 2023 at 13h00.

In February 2022, the foundation stone of the Rustenburg Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in South Africa’s North West province was removed, as the building was finally being sold - there has not been an active worshipping congregation or Jewish Community in over twenty years.

The North-West University’s (NWU) Alumni Relations office and the Career Centre recently hosted a career empowerment seminar for postgraduate students.

The aim of the seminar was to equip them with the necessary skills, and to provide them with the insight and resources they need to navigate the professional world and to make informed career decisions.

Various companies made presentations at the event, including the Small Enterprises Development Agency, the National Youth Development Agency, and the Department of Labour.

By Zandile Nkosi and Belinda Bantham

The North-West University’s (NWU’s) Career Centre recently hosted its annual career fair across its three campuses.

The aim of this event is to bring together students and potential employers in a centralised location to facilitate networking and information sharing, and to share recruitment opportunities.

By Sandile Mahlangu

The North-West University (NWU) Museum celebrated International Museum Day on 18 May at the NWU’s Potchefstroom Campus.

Transforming an idea into a thriving business may seem like a daunting task, but the North-West University (NWU) gives the expertise and support to point aspiring entrepreneurs in the right direction.