While Africa is a continent with a rapidly growing population of young people, it is crucial for the region to pay attention to the global agenda on ageing.

The United Nations declared the years 2021 to 2030 as the "Decade of Healthy Ageing". This global collaboration, aligned with the last 10 years of the Sustainable Development Goals, seeks to improve the lives of older people, their families and the communities in which they live.

The North-West University’s (NWU’s) Indigenous Language Media in Africa (ILMA) research niche area is proud to be hosting a public lecture featuring Prof Molefi Kete Asante, a towering figure in African-American scholarship, on 19 March 2024.

The theme of the lecture is “Afrocentricity, communication and culture: Building a common history”.

Excellence seems to follow the Graphic Design subject group at the North-West University (NWU), which has a well-deserved reputation for walking off with the top honours in national and international competitions.

They are continuing this winning streak with top positions in the recently released Loeries official rankings for Africa and the Middle East. These rankings have placed the NWU among the top four educational institutions for 2023.

Following hot on the heels of prizes at both the Loerie Awards and the Student Gold Pack Awards (read more: https://news.nwu.ac.za/nwu-designers-dazzle-loerie-and-student-gold-pack-awards), North-West University (NWU) students and graduates in Graphic Design continue to reap national and international recognition for their distinctive creativity and skills.

In a delightful showcase of musical talent, North-West University (NWU) lecturer Thomas Erlank and second-year BA student Sisikelelwe Mngenela took the spotlight as soloists in Salon Music's enchanting Christmas Concert recording.

The recording took place in Studio M1 at the SABC in Johannesburg. Accompanied and guided by Dr Antoinette Olivier, the duo's outstanding performance promises to mesmerise audiences nationwide.

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) says it is ready for this weekend’s voter registration (18 - 19 November) and is urging the youth to make use of this opportunity to be able to vote in next year's local and national elections.

However, Naledi Modise, lecturer in politics and international relations at the North-West University (NWU), notes that the North West province has among the lowest turnouts in the country, with only 42,36% of registered voters turning out to  vote in the 2021 local government elections.

When we all lend a hand in helping the communities around us, we improve everyone's quality of life. This is what the Lifting Dreams organisation aims to do. Lifting Dreams seeks to transform communities through education – and it should come as no surprise that academics and students from the North-West University (NWU) are part and parcel of this weekly run initiative.

“Music students are easily recognised, not by the musical instruments they carry, but by their dedication, respect, and unwavering commitment. They are the embodiment of hard work, continuously striving to better themselves, and their art.”

These are the words of Dr Yvonne-Marié Brand, director of the School of Music during her welcome message at the North-West University’s (NWU’s) School of Music annual Bursary Winners’ concert on 24 October 2023.

“When good governance is sacrificed on the altar of corruption, service delivery falters. Where corruption thrives, as we have seen in many of our municipalities, an increase in poverty becomes inevitable.”

This is according to Prof Kedibone Phago, director of the North-West University’s (NWU’s) School for Government Studies, who explains that corruption is killing the country’s future.

A researcher in the School of Communication at the North-West University (NWU), Dr Quatro Mgogo, has embarked on a study to explore how Facebook emojis are being employed to shape the meanings of izaci namaqhalo esiXhosa (isiXhosa proverbs and idioms).

The study also delves into how isiXhosa-speaking Facebook users are harnessing emojis to breathe fresh life into isiXhosa expressions. This study, rooted in interpretivist research philosophy, seeks to decode the cultural values of the Xhosa community through their use of emojis in digital communication.