The Potchefstroom campus of the North-West University (nicknamed "Pukke") was formerly known as the Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education (abbreviated PU for CHE). Tuition is mainly in Afrikaans on the Potchefstroom campus and in English on the other campuses in Mafikeng, and the Vaal Triangle (situated in Vanderbijlpark).
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This is the largest of the NWU’s campuses, having had 35,174 students registered in 2008, of which more than 18,800 were enrolled for distance learning programmes. The Potchefstroom Campus also accounts for most of the NWU’s research output and National Research Foundation-rated researchers.
The Potchefstroom Campus has eight faculties: Arts; Natural Sciences; Theology; Education Sciences; Economic and Management Sciences; Law; Engineering, and Health Sciences.
The Campus has 20 research entities, as well as many academic and research centres of excellence.
International recognition: The Honours BSc Quantitative Risk Management (QRM) programme of the Centre for Business Mathematics and Informatics (Centre for BMI) has received international recognition from two global professional risk management bodies.
Unparalleled programme in SA: Representatives from the Open University in the United Kingdom declared the programmes in the School of Continuing Teacher Education (SCTE) unparalleled in South Africa and “even better than comparable courses offered at many universities in the world”.
International award for Power Alerts: A researcher of the School for Mechanical Engineering, whose ingenious Power Alerts saved the Western Cape from widespread power failures in 2006 received an international award in the USA for his work in the field of energy conservation. The Association of Energy Engineers also announced that the Power Alert project was chosen as the winner of the 2007 Energy Project (International) of the Year Award.
World-class fabrication laboratory: The Faculty of Engineering boasts a world-class laboratory where almost any idea can be transformed into a design. At the new Fablab (fabrication laboratory) users can use the technology to transform a simple idea into a design. Details are accessible from fablabpotchefstroom.
Soaring globally: A lecturer of the School for Mechanical Engineering received the Design Excellence Award (DISA) for his 18-m wingspan JS1-Revelation glider. The NWU has contributed directly to the establishment of the only glider manufacturing plant in the southern hemisphere, thereby creating 30 jobs and generating foreign exchange for South Africa through orders for the JS1 Revelation glider.
Students excel nationally: The Engineering Faculty has proven their value when four different student groups walked away with laurels in national student competitions in 2008. In addition, the Graphic Design students of the Campus has scooped up all the major national design prizes, thereby gaining the reputation as the best design school in the country.
CTexT: The Centre for Text Technology (CTexT) has not only developed spelling checkers in all the official South African languages, but also lexical data for several African languages as part of Microsoft's Local Language Programme.
International collaboration: South African Power Quality Initiative (SAPQI), founded by lecturers of the School for Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering, focuses on the effective utilization of electrical energy and strives towards formal collaboration with institutions such as Integral Energy in Australia and the Leonardo Power Quality Initiative in Europe.
Pioneers in the plastics industry: The Centre for Advanced Manufacturing (CFAM) at the School for Mechanical Engineering is the latest NWU spin-off company and has developed a range of high-quality twin-screw extruders for application in the polymer and food industries.
Unique technology: Researchers from the Unit for Drug Research and Development have developed unique technology, known as Pheroid, for more effective treatment of infectious diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis (TB) and paediatric Aids.
International player in HIV/Aids treatment: Another cutting-edge accomplishment is the University’s participation in an international consortium that won a $7 billion tender to contribute to the United States’ President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (PEPFAR).
World Health Organisation Collaborating Centre: The Research Institute for Industrial Pharmacy incorporating the Centre for Quality Assurance of Medicines withinin the Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Services section of the School of Pharmacy is designated by the World Health Organisastion (WHO) as a WHO Collaborating Centre for the Quality Assurance of Medicines.
The University has several touring groups.
Alabama:
One of these, the "Alabama Student Company" musical revue group, which was formed in 1943, was well-known throughout South Africa. This group was disbanded in 2006.
PUK-Choir:
The PUK-choir is famous across the world. Choir master prof. Awie van Wyk has been directing this choir for years.
In August 2004, the Potchefstroom Campus of the North-West University had 33,713 students. Of these, 13,021 were male and 20,692 female. Undergraduate students numbered 31,300 and postgraduate students 2,413.
Examples of typical projects manufactured by CFAM are: