News & Events (Archive)

Malaria deaths show downturn
Nicolize Mulder
Posted on 25 Apr 2013

South Africa has made considerable progress in malaria control in the past decade, says Prof Tiaan de Jager, Director of the Centre for Sustainable Malaria Control at the University of Pretoria (UP). He spoke on the eve of World Malaria Day (25 April) and said South Africa plans to eradicate the spread of malaria within the country’s borders by 2018. This will, however, take hard work, time and above all, money.

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The World Marks Immunisation Week 21-28 April 2013
Dr Mphelekedzeni Mulaudzi
Posted on 24 Apr 2013

This week is World Immunisation Week (WIW), which is an annual event from 20-28 April 2013. It is a globally recognised initiative by the World Health Organization (WHO) which aims to raise awareness of the significance of immunisation. It is also referred to as ‘Vaccination to the society’. This year’s WIW theme is “Protect your world by getting vaccinated. Don’t fall ill from diseases that can be prevented. Immunisation saves lives”.

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Keeping South Africa’s immunisation effort on track
Sanku Tsunke
Posted on 19 Apr 2013

The University of Pretoria’s Department of Virology will mark World Immunisation Week with an awareness-raising lecture on preventing influenza. This intervention comes as China battles to contain a new influenza strain – H7N9 – which has claimed a number of lives. The university aims to influence its staff to take precautions against the most common flu viruses by getting vaccinated at the start of the winter months.

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TuksFM showcases the best in SA campus radio at 2013 MTN Radio Awards
Loutjie van der Merwe
Posted on 17 Apr 2013

Tuks FM attended the 2013 MTN Radio Awards presented at a Gala Banquet at the Sandton Convention Centre on Saturday, 13 April. The station walked away with seven awards including the prestigious Campus Station of the Year award for the second consecutive year. This year’s awards programme, the fourth edition of this South African radio industry celebration, attracted well over 1 000 entries, pushing up entries by 52 percent, from the number of entries received in 2012.

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Political Sciences professor wins prestigious award
Department of Political Sciences
Posted on 12 Apr 2013

Die Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns recently awarded the 2013 Stals Prize for Political Science to UP Political Sciences Extraordinary Professor, Gerrit Olivier.

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Prof Sathekge elected president of international society for nuclear medicine
Sanku Tsunke
Posted on 12 Apr 2013

The Head of The Department of Nuclear Medicine at the University of Pretoria, Prof Mike Sathekge, was unanimously elected as the fifth president of the International Society of Radiolabelled Blood Elements (ISORBE) following the society’s 16th congress, hosted by the University from 21–22 March 2013. During the congress, attended by nuclear medicine specialists from 14 countries, 15 international speakers addressed the delegates on a wide range of topics.

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Olympic Gold Medallist receives honours degree from UP
Nicolize Mulder
Posted on 12 Apr 2013

“It was a great challenge.”

This is how Matthew Brittain described his schedule last year when he was preparing for his participation in the 2012 London Olympic Games while simultaneously working to obtain his honours degree in Economics at the University of Pretoria (UP).

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DST Minister supports National Science Deans Forum
Martie Meyer
Posted on 12 Apr 2013

'Science faculties all over South Africa, and probably worldwide, face a number of similar challenges within the higher education system – hence the need for them to share best practices and to collectively develop strategies to advance science, not only in South Africa, but in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region generally. So I welcome this opportunity to address the Forum, as it is important that we get together from time to time to provide feedback to each other and to re-align our thoughts.'

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Geoinformatics student awarded the prestigious Esri Young Scholars Award
Centre for Geoinformation Science
Posted on 12 Apr 2013

René Smit, a BScHons student in Geoinformatics, won the Esri (Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc) Young Scholars Award for her third-year project. The Esri Young Scholars Awards are an Esri initiative to showcase the work of up-and-coming scholars in the geospatial field.

René entered a digital game, Hiking through GIS, which she developed as part of her undergraduate project. To be considered for this award, students were required to submit a full-text academic article to Esri South Africa.

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UP awards honorary doctorate to Prof Sampie Terreblanche
Nicolize Mulder
Posted on 10 Apr 2013

The University of Pretoria has awarded an honorary doctorate (DCom, honoris causa) to Prof Sampie Terreblanche during the Universitys Autumn Graduation Ceremonies. Although he could not attend the graduations due to ill health, his honorary doctorate was received by his daughter, Christelle Terreblanche, on his behalf. ‘Prof Sampie Terreblanche has made a lifelong contribution to the economic discipline in South Africa and played a major role in improving our understanding of the political economy and economic history of our country,’ explains Prof Niek Schoeman, from the Department of Economics in the Faculty of Economic and Business Sciences at the University of Pretoria

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