| About the NWU Potchefstroom Campus | | | | Potchefstroom Universiteitskollege voor Christelike |
| This is the largest of the NWU campuses, having had | | | | Hooger Onderwijs in Afrikaans, and usually |
| 35,174 students registered in 2008, of which more | | | | abbreviated as PUK) came into being. It was decided |
| than 18,800 were enrolled for distance learning | | | | that the PUK would be a higher education institute |
| programmes. The Potchefstroom Campus also | | | | separate and independent from the GKSA, although |
| accounts for most of the NWU research output and | | | | the PUK would continue to train GKSA ministers. |
| National Research Foundation-rated researchers. | | | | In 1921, the Potchefstroom University College |
| The Potchefstroom Campus has eight faculties: Arts; | | | | (without the "for Christian Higher Education" suffix), |
| Natural Sciences; Theology; Education Sciences; | | | | was incorporated into the University of South Africa; |
| Economic and Management Sciences; Law; | | | | the PUK only got the "for Christian Higher Education" |
| Engineering, and Health Sciences. | | | | part of its name back in 1933. |
| The Campus has 20 research entities, as well as | | | | The Potchefstroom University College for Christian |
| many academic and research centres of excellence. | | | | Higher Education was officially recognised as an |
| International recognition: The Honours BSc | | | | independent university and was renamed the |
| Quantitative Risk Management (QRM) programme of | | | | Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher |
| the Centre for Business Mathematics and Informatics | | | | Education in 1951. |
| (Centre for BMI) has received international recognition | | | | In 1993, Private Law status was established. In 1998, |
| from two global professional risk management bodies. | | | | the statutes of the PUK were amended in order to |
| Unparalleled programme in SA: Representatives from | | | | enable her to better fulfill her role as part of the |
| the Open University in the United Kingdom declared | | | | co-ordinated higher education system in South Africa |
| the programmes in the School of Continuing Teacher | | | | according to her original mandate as an institution of |
| Education (SCTE) unparalleled in South Africa and ven | | | | Christian higher education. |
| better than comparable courses offered at many | | | | The Vaal Triangle Campus of the University was |
| universities in the world. | | | | established in Vanderbijlpark in 1966 in order to |
| International award for Power Alerts: A researcher of | | | | provide that area with tertiary education. |
| the School for Mechanical Engineering, whose | | | | In the same year, the first online courses were |
| ingenious Power Alerts saved the Western Cape | | | | offered. Students were offered interactive courses, |
| from widespread power failures in 2006 received an | | | | the systematic application of multimedia. To facilitate |
| international award in the USA for his work in the | | | | the learning process, over 25 study centres were |
| field of energy conservation. The Association of | | | | established country-wide. |
| Energy Engineers also announced that the Power | | | | On 1 January 2000, the Potchefstroom |
| Alert project was chosen as the winner of the 2007 | | | | Onderwyskollege was incorporated with the |
| Energy Project (International) of the Year Award. | | | | Potchefstroom University's Potchefstroom campus. |
| World-class fabrication laboratory: The Faculty of | | | | In 2004 the Potchefstroom University became one |
| Engineering boasts a world-class laboratory where | | | | of the three campuses of the new North-West |
| almost any idea can be transformed into a design. At | | | | University, the others being in Mafikeng and Vaal |
| the new Fablab (fabrication laboratory) users can use | | | | (situated in Vanderbijlpark). The fourth campus, |
| the technology to transform a simple idea into a | | | | Mankwe, was closed by end of 2004. |
| design. Details are accessible from | | | | Faculties |
| fablabpotchefstroom. | | | | Arts |
| Soaring globally: A lecturer of the School for | | | | Natural Sciences |
| Mechanical Engineering received the Design Excellence | | | | Theology |
| Award (DISA) for his 18-m wingspan JS1-Revelation | | | | Education Sciences |
| glider. The NWU has contributed directly to the | | | | Economic and Management Sciences |
| establishment of the only glider manufacturing plant in | | | | Law |
| the southern hemisphere, thereby creating 30 jobs | | | | Engineering |
| and generating foreign exchange for South Africa | | | | Health Sciences |
| through orders for the JS1 Revelation glider. | | | | Cultural |
| Students excel nationally: The Engineering Faculty has | | | | The University has several touring groups. |
| proven their value when four different student | | | | Alabama: |
| groups walked away with laurels in national student | | | | One of these, the "Alabama Student Company" |
| competitions in 2008. In addition, the Graphic Design | | | | musical revue group, which was formed in 1943, was |
| students of the Campus has scooped up all the | | | | well-known throughout South Africa. This group was |
| major national design prizes, thereby gaining the | | | | disbanded in 2006. |
| reputation as the best design school in the country. | | | | PUK-Choir: |
| CTexT: The Centre for Text Technology (CTexT) | | | | The PUK-choir is famous across the world. Choir |
| has not only developed spelling checkers in all the | | | | master prof. Awie van Wyk has been directing this |
| official South African languages, but also lexical data | | | | choir for years. |
| for several African languages as part of Microsoft's | | | | Student numbers and statistics |
| Local Language Programme. | | | | In August 2004, the Potchefstroom Campus of the |
| International collaboration: South African Power | | | | North-West University had 33,713 students. Of these, |
| Quality Initiative (SAPQI), founded by lecturers of | | | | 13,021 were male and 20,692 female. Undergraduate |
| the School for Electrical, Electronic and Computer | | | | students numbered 31,300 and postgraduate |
| Engineering, focuses on the effective utilization of | | | | students 2,413. |
| electrical energy and strives towards formal | | | | Famous alumni |
| collaboration with institutions such as Integral Energy | | | | Frederik Willem de Klerk State President of South |
| in Australia and the Leonardo Power Quality Initiative | | | | Africa (19891994); Vice President of South Africa, |
| in Europe. | | | | with Nelson Mandela as President (19941996). |
| Pioneers in the plastics industry: The Centre for | | | | Marike de Klerk Former first lady of South Africa and |
| Advanced Manufacturing (CFAM) at the School for | | | | leader of the National Party's women's wing. She |
| Mechanical Engineering is the latest NWU spin-off | | | | studied commerce at the university. |
| company and has developed a range of high-quality | | | | Erica Eloff, singer. |
| twin-screw extruders for application in the polymer | | | | Rina Hugo , well known singer received her B.Mus |
| and food industries. | | | | degree in 1970. She was a member of the "Alabama |
| Unique technology: Researchers from the Unit for | | | | Studentegeselskap". She performed in nearly all |
| Drug Research and Development have developed | | | | genres as soloist: Opera, Oratorium, Operetta, Musical |
| unique technology, known as Pheroid, for more | | | | theatre and popular Afrikaans music. |
| effective treatment of infectious diseases such as | | | | Kobie van Rensburg is an international opera tenor |
| malaria, tuberculosis (TB) and paediatric Aids. | | | | who currently operates from Germany. He was a |
| International player in HIV/Aids treatment: Another | | | | member of the Potchefstroom University Choir |
| cutting-edge accomplishment is the University | | | | (19871994). |
| participation in an international consortium that won a | | | | Martin Watt a well-known South African composer. |
| $7 billion tender to contribute to the United States | | | | Pieter Mulder a South African politician and leader of |
| President Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (PEPFAR). | | | | the Freedom Front Plus. |
| World Health Organisation Collaborating Centre: The | | | | Johan Heyns an influential Afrikaner theologian and |
| Research Institute for Industrial Pharmacy | | | | moderator of the general synod of the Nederduits |
| incorporating the Centre for Quality Assurance of | | | | Gereformeerde Kerk (NGK). He played a major role in |
| Medicines withinin the Pharmaceutical and Biomedical | | | | dismantling support for Apartheid in the NGK. |
| Services section of the School of Pharmacy is | | | | Niekie van den Berg is one of the country's most |
| designated by the World Health Organisastion (WHO) | | | | famous radio personalities. |
| as a WHO Collaborating Centre for the Quality | | | | Henno Mentz is a former Springbok rugby player. |
| Assurance of Medicines. link title | | | | Godfrey Khotso Mokoena, silver medal winner in long |
| History | | | | jump at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. |
| Potchefstroom University developed out of the | | | | Justine Robbeson a South African athlete who |
| Theological School of the Reformed Churches in | | | | specialises in the javelin throw. |
| South Africa (Gereformeerde Kerke in Suid-Afrika in | | | | Commercial products and Patents |
| Afrikaans, abbreviated as GKSA), which was founded | | | | CFAM - Centre for Advanced Manufacturing |
| on 29 November 1869 in Burgersdorp. At the | | | | Examples of typical projects manufactured by CFAM |
| founding meeting, it was decided that education | | | | are: |
| would also be offered to prospective teachers and | | | | Twin-screw extruder screw segments |
| to persons without any particular profession in mind. | | | | Twin-screw extruder barrels and barrel segments |
| Initially, there were only five students and two | | | | Extrusion dies and kneading/paddle blocks |
| lecturers. | | | | Defense industry components |
| In 1877 a "Literary Department" was established, | | | | Components for mining and rock drilling industry |
| with one professor, with the specific aim of | | | | Retrofitting of mechanical components for |
| educating students for academic degrees or as | | | | twin-screw extruders |
| teachers. | | | | CTexT - Centre for Text Technology |
| In 1905, the Theological School, including the Literary | | | | Spelling checkers for several South_african languages |
| Department, was transferred from Burgersdorp to | | | | including Afrikaans, Setswana, Sesotho sa Leboha |
| Potchefstroom. | | | | (Pedi), isiZulu, isiXhosa |
| In order to qualify for government subsidies, the | | | | TSENANG! SETSWANA is a multimedia language |
| Literary Department was separated from the | | | | acquisition programme |
| Theological School in 1919 and the Potchefstroom | | | | NGENANI! |
| University College for Christian Higher Education (Het | | | | |