Sunflowers stretching towards the sky and rows of green maize plants swaying in the breeze set the tone for a day rooted in growth, learning and possibility at Pienaarskamp Farm.

Just a day earlier, the farm had already made an impression. Prof. Bismark Tyobeka, principal and vice-chancellor of the North-West University (NWU), had taken members of the NWU Council on a tour of Pienaarskamp. They left inspired by what they saw, a space where vision is not only imagined, but actively lived out.

The Nano Environment Incubation Programme (NanoEnv) team from the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences (FNAS) at the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Mahikeng Campus engaged with the management of the Groot Marico Biosphere Reserve and local stakeholders on 20 February 2026.

The purpose of the engagement was to present scientific findings from integrated water and sediment analyses conducted at previously sampled sites within the Biosphere, and to discuss key physicochemical parameters influencing water quality in the region.

The opportunity to learn from some of South Africa’s top scholars is a major advantage for up-and-coming academics who participate in the Future Professors Programme (FPP), a national initiative.

One such academic is Prof. Thembinkosi Malevu, an associate professor in the subject group Physics at the North-West University (NWU). He joined the FPP in January 2024 for its current two-year cycle.

Plant waste is everywhere, in harvested fields, forestry sites and processing plants. A new study argues it could play a bigger role in the energy economy if it can be processed in a cleaner way.

Researchers and students at the North-West University (NWU) will livestream a partial solar eclipse from the NWU Solar Observatory* on the Potchefstroom Campus. This gives the public a safe way to experience the breathtaking celestial event on 17 February 2026.

Dr Ruhann Steyn, senior lecturer and researcher at the Centre for Space Research in the School of Physical and Chemical Sciences, says the eclipse will be visible across most of South Africa, including all three NWU campuses.

When wildfires tear through landscapes, the flames disappear quickly but the damage they leave behind can last for years. A new study by North-West University (NWU) academics shows how satellite technology is helping scientists and decision-makers better understand the true impact of wildfires and plan smarter responses for the future.

North-West University (NWU) academic Prof Patrick Tchepmo Djomegni, Associate Professor in Applied Mathematics has added an important scholarly contribution to the field of applied mathematics with the completion of his new book on mathematical modelling techniques, a project that reflects both academic excellence and deep personal meaning.

Roughly 384 400 km from the pale blue dot we call Earth hangs an orb that has fascinated humanity for millennia. The Moon is our planet’s only natural satellite and is about a quarter of Earth’s size. Only 12 people set foot on it between 1969 and 1972, but more than 50 years later the Artemis programme aims to add to that number.

In early March, NASA’s Artemis II mission will carry four astronauts on a lunar flyby during a 10-day trip, with later missions set to put feet back on the Moon’s surface.

As the Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) pandemic tightens its grip in the Gauteng, North West and the Free State provinces,  the impact is spreading far beyond farms, placing pressure on South Africa’s beef industry, food security and jobs across the agricultural economy.
Dr Kaya Myeki from the School of Agricultural Sciences at North-West University (NWU) said the absence of a centralised, real-time livestock disease database makes it difficult to quantify losses in monetary terms. Yet the effects across the livestock value chain are already apparent.

Molelwane farm, the agricultural farm of the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Mahikeng Campus, has recorded a significant milestone following the successful harvest and sale of watermelons to the OK outlet at The Crossing Mall, demonstrating how practical student training can directly contribute to revenue generation for the university.