Greetings NWU donor
It is my honour to write to you in my capacity as the chairperson of the North-West University (NWU) Board of Donors (BoD) which is a statutory structure that offers advice to the vice-chancellor and/or the university council on matters of interest to the university or the donors, at their own initiative or on invitation. I was privileged to meet some of the donors at the event organised by the BoD and the NWU on 5 October 2024, in Sandton. Some of the issues that were raised during that event include the need for the university to increase its enrolment of postgraduate students who are increasingly finding it difficult to secure financial assistance to further their studies. This is unfortunate because our country needs to develop and grow a knowledge economy which needs investment in postgraduate students and research development to create sustainable jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities.
During the third quarter of 2023, the vice-chancellor, Prof. Bismark Tyobeka shared the university's draft revised strategy with the BoD for input. In the discussions with Mr Bert Sorgdrager, chairperson of the NWU Council, he emphasised the importance of the revised strategy towards the continued success and sustainability of the NWU amid a range of challenges and opportunities faced by the higher education sector in South Africa and beyond. The newly approved strategy contains some ambitious initiatives such as the establishment of the Medical School, the School of Veterinary Sciences, and the School of Mining and Mining Engineering. These initiatives are crucial for the broader NWU family, our country, and our continent.
I am immensely proud of the many contributions that the NWU donors continue to make to support the university and its students. However, considering the challenges faced by some students and the need for the university to continue to invest in strategic projects such as the ones mentioned above as well as the implementation of the digital business strategy that seeks to enhance operations and deliver teaching and learning more efficiently and effectively, we must as donors begin to explore new ways and means of support to the students and the university.
This newsletter shows some of the work done by the NWU donors. I hope the team will broaden the scope and cover the work of more donors in future.