Youngsters win international Innovation Award for robotics project

Three 11-year old youngsters from Vanderbijlpark – Izabelle Bothma, Ewald Harmse and Wilmar Pretorius – designed a robot that will be able to assist rescuers in finding individuals trapped under snow. Their ingenuity earned them the Innovation Award at the recent Robotics World Championships.

But how does this remarkable invention relate to…

NWU South African Symposium on Teacher Education for Inclusion: All teachers can teach all children

The second South African Symposium on Teacher Education for Inclusion was recently hosted by the Optentia research focus area on the North-West University’s (NWU’s) campus in Vanderbijlpark and the Faculty of Education Sciences on the NWU’s campus in Potchefstroom.

Following the success of the first symposium in 2015, it was clear that…

Crowns, confidence and charisma - Miss & Mr NWU Vaal 2017

If you thought that beauty pageants were just about high fashion and desirability, you have another thing coming. At the North-West University’s (NWU’s) campus in Vanderbijlpark the annual Miss and Mr NWU Vaal pageant represents a celebration of confidence, charisma and talent.

This year saw the beautiful Palesa Keswa and the charismatic…

Inclusive education: team work between researchers, teachers and government

During the first day of the Second South African Symposium on Teacher Education for Inclusion in Vanderbijlpark, it quickly became clear that the goal of inclusive education in South Africa calls for cooperation across the educational spectrum.

Dr Moses Simelane from the Department of Basic Education highlighted the various ways the…

Second South African Symposium on Teacher Education for Inclusion: ‘Everyone has the right to education’

The Second South African Symposium on Teacher Education for Inclusion was recently held at the Emerald Resort and Casino in Vanderbijlpark.

The Optentia research focus area on the North-West University’s (NWU’s) campus in Vanderbijlpark and the Faculty of Education Sciences on the NWU’s campus in Potchefstroom, in collaboration with the…

The curriculum as contested space within the SA higher education sector

“In the South African context, when we consider the curriculum as a contested space, the following may come to mind: #RhodesMustFall, #ScienceMustFall and #DecolonisteTheCurriculum. I would however like to share a broader perspective and focus on how different stakeholders jostle to include – and exclude – selected voices in the curriculum in…

Enterprising Women Programme to be extended to northern Free State

Entrepreneurship is more than just a buzzword: it is perceived to be one of the most significant economic and social developments in the world at present.

Excitingly enough, more and more women are stepping up to own and run businesses in numbers that would have been hard to imagine a few decades ago. International research estimates that…

Idea generation: an entrepreneur’s first step towards success

Are you dreaming of starting your own business venture? Do you have an idea which you think has business potential? If so, the Idea Generation Workshop – hosted by the bhive Enterprise Development Centre (EDC) on the North-West University’s (NWU’s) campus in Vanderbijlpark – will suit you like a glove.

Ask any vested entrepreneur and he/she…

GeeXpo 2017: It’s time to change your attitude about maths and IT

Did you know that a bad attitude towards mathematics can literally cost you the opportunity to further your studies after completing high school? Trues bob!

Researchers have found that hard work and good study habits were the most important factors in improving your maths ability over time and hence – contrary to popular believe – there are…

NSG chief director address students on challenges of public service delivery

The first-year public management students on the North-West University’s (NWU’s) campus in Vanderbijlpark recently had the privilege of being addressed by Ms Milly Daweti, chief director at the National School of Government (NSG).

Ms Daweti’s visit follows after an invitation from Mr Kagiso Pooe, a lecturer in the School of Basic Sciences,…