CAMPUS NEWS
Educating for a greener future
Anjonet Jordaan
On the Vaal Campus education is not limited to a class
room. The third year students in the B.Ed. programme
decided that their Life Sciences module need not be restricted to textbook theory.
are sure that these prospective teachers will teach the
next generation to treat their environment with respect
by keeping in clean.
While learning about the environment and how to teach
high school pupils about environmental matters, Mr
Francois Minnie’s students decided to make a contribution to the preservation of our environment right here on
campus. In a matter of an hour they quickly filled several
bags with litter they picked up around a number of buildings on campus.But their efforts didn’t end there. They
also compiled a list of suggestions which they handed
over to campus’ Technical Services about how the campus grounds can be kept neater in future.
Among their suggestions were to paint the dust bins
the same colour green our campus is identified with to
make them more visible; to put up more notices on campus that discourages people from littering and making
use of the dust bins; and making sand bins available at
the various buildings across campus to accommodate
smokers.
Looking after the environment starts at home and we
Graduates take to the stage
Annette Willemse
More than 1 300 diplomas and degrees were conferred
during the autumn graduation ceremonies of the Vaal
Triangle Campus of the North-West University (NWU
Vaal). During the graduation ceremonies, which took
place at the Quest Conference Estate in Vanderbijlpark,
a total of 14 doctoral degrees were also conferred.
In his address the Campus Rector, Prof Thanyani Mariba
gave a brief overview of the current profile of the University and elaborated on the achievements of the Campus
over the past decade. He furthermore compared each
graduation ceremony to a “portrait of promise” and explained that on graduation day the potential that higher
education offers gets set into motion. “It is important
for you to fully grasp the magnitude of your achievement since it is only paralleled by the responsibility you
know have to pro-actively contribute towards not only
the vesting of a vibrant and robust knowledge economy
but also to uphold our country’s lasting democracy,” said
Prof Mariba.
12 - Student 24/7
In celebration of the University’s tenth anniversary, the
Campus Rector related some of the highlights of the
past decade: In terms of student numbers, the NWU
Vaal grew from a modest satellite campus in 1977 with
only 55 students to an academic powerhouse with more
than 6 700 students in 2014. The amount of residence
beds increased from 353 in 2004 for more than 1 900
and the number of lecture room seats have more than
doubled to 4 545. In terms of academic offerings, the
Vaal Triangle Campus boasts with two dynamic faculties
and eight academic schools. In terms of research, the
Campus boasts with an increase of more than 284% in
terms of accredited articles since 2004.
Prof Mariba encouraged the graduates to cherish their
relationship with the campus and to go forth into the
world of work and be ambassadors of change and prosperity.
*During the graduation a total of 166 certificates and
diplomas, 650 degrees, 235 honours degrees, 33 masters’ degrees and 14 doctorates were awarded.