Walter Sisulu UniversityWalter Sisulu UniversityWalter Sisulu University


 SUPPORT SERVICES  |  ALUMNI  |  NOTICE BOARD  |  CONTACTS 

  • Home
    • Discover WSU
      • Overview
      • Focus Areas
      • FAQs
      • Important Facts
    • Vision & Mission
    • Governance & Leadership
      • Governance Structures
        • Council
        • Institutional Forum
        • Institutional & Campus SRCs
      • Leadership
    • Organisational Strategy
      • Higher Education Act
      • Statute
      • Policies
      • 2030 Strategic Plan
      • Predetermined Objectives
      • Annual Performance Plan
      • University Calendar
      • Annual Report
  • Study with Us
    • Undergraduate Programmes
      • New Students
        • Admission Requirements
          • Business Management Sciences & Law
          • Education
          • Health Sciences
          • Science Engineering & Technology
        • Student Accommodation
        • Fees & Financial Support
          • Fees
          • NSFAS & Funza
          • ISFAP
          • Other
        • How to Apply: The Process
        • Students with Special Needs
        • International Students
        • Important Dates
        • Student Online Services Portal
      • Returning Students
        • Re-Admission Requirements
        • Online Results
        • Student Accommodation
        • Fees & Financial Support
        • Students with Special Needs
        • International Students
        • How to Re-Register
        • Important Dates
        • Student Online Services Portal
      • Faculties
        • Buffalo City
          • Faculty of Business Sciences
          • Faculty of Science, Engineering & Technology
        • Butterworth
          • Faculty of Education
          • Faculty of Engineering & Technology
          • Faculty of Management Sciences
        • Mthatha
          • Faculty of Commerce & Administration
          • Faculty of Educational Sciences
          • Faculty of Health Sciences
            • Health Sciences Research Ethics & Biosafety Committee
          • Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences & Law
          • Faculty of Natural Sciences
        • Komani
          • Faculty of Economics, & Information Systems
          • Faculty of Education
    • Postgraduate Programmes
      • Postgraduate Students
        • Admission Requirements
        • Online Results
        • Student Accommodation
        • Fees & Financial Support
          • Fees
          • NRF
          • Other
      • Faculties
        • Buffalo City
          • Faculty of Business Sciences
          • Faculty of Science, Engineering & Technology
        • Butterworth
          • Faculty of Education
          • Faculty of Engineering & Technology
          • Faculty of Management Sciences
        • Mthatha
          • Faculty of Commerce & Administration
          • Faculty of Educational Sciences
          • Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences & Law
          • Faculty of Natural Sciences
        • Komani
          • Faculty of Economics, & Information Systems
          • Faculty of Education
    • Application Guide
      • 2023 Prospectuses
      • 2023 Registration Guidelines
      • Students with Special Needs
      • International Students
      • How to Re-Register
      • Important Dates
      • How to Apply: The Process
      • WSU Figshare
  • Teaching & Learning
    • Overview of the Directorate
    • Policies & Strategic Documents
    • Student Development & Support
      • Academic Advising
      • Peer-Assisted Learning (PAL)
      • Extended Curricula
    • Teaching & Learning Development
      • Staff Development Programmes
    • Learning & Teaching with Tech
    • Scholarship of Teaching & Learning
    • Writing Centre
  • Research & Innovation
    • Directorate of Research Development & Innovation (DRI)
    • Research @ WSU
    • Innovation @ WSU
    • Research Facilities & Centres
    • NRF-Rated Researchers
    • Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (PDRF)
    • Postgraduate Studies @ WSU
    • Grants, Bursaries, Conferences & Other Funding
    • Policies & Documents
    • The Team
  • Community
    • CE&ID Director's Introduction
    • About CE&ID
    • Work-Integrated Learning
    • Service Learning
      • Implementation Guides
      • Community Learning
    • Internationalisation
      • International Partnerships
      • National Partnerships
    • International Education
      • International Education Admission
      • International Education Events
      • Financial Information & Liability
      • Pre-Arrival Information
  • Library
    • Search Library Resources - OPAC
    • LibGuides
    • Library Services
    • Library Membership
    • Electronic Resources
      • E-Books
      • E-Journals
    • Research Support
    • Online Newspapers
    • WSU Vital Repository
    • WSU Figshare
    • Off Campus access to Library
    • Student Email Access
    • Open Educational Resources Commons
    • DHET List of Approved Journals
  • Student Life
    • Overview of the Directorate
    • Student Services Policies
    • Institutional & Campus SRCs
    • Student Societies
    • Student Health and Wellbeing
      • Sport & Fitness
      • Campus Clinics
      • Student Counselling Unit
    • Student Accommodation
    • Quick Links
    • Campus Life
      • Campus SRCs
  • Campuses
    • Buffalo City
      • Overview
      • Management Committee
      • Faculties
        • Faculty of Business Sciences
        • Faculty of Science, Engineering & Technology
    • Butterworth
      • Overview
      • Management Committee
      • Faculties
        • Faculty of Education
        • Faculty of Engineering and Technology
        • Faculty of Management Sciences
    • Mthatha
      • Overview
      • Management Committee
      • Faculties
        • Faculty of Natural Sciences
        • Faculty of Humanities, Social Science & Law
        • Faculty of Educational Sciences
        • Faculty of Commerce & Administration
        • Faculty of Health Sciences
    • Komani
      • Overview
      • Management Committee
      • Faculties
        • Faculty of Education & School Development
        • Faculty of Economics & Information Systems Technology
  • Media
    • Current News
    • Media Releases
    • Media Resources
    • Speeches
    • Newsletters
    • Gallery
    • login

Current News

WSU COLLABORATES WITH AUSTRAIN UNIVERSITY FOR CANNABIS RESEARCH

WSU Grows Collaboration With Uni Graz

The Walter Sisulu University Faculty of Natural Sciences has again established another  research collaboration with the Technical University of Graz.

The long-term research collaboration of the EndoAfrica and children/adolescent risk for cardiovascular disease research project collaboration has given birth to a new Cannabis research project collaboration.

Faculty of Natural Sciences Dean, Prof Benedicta Nkeh-Chungag, said “I have been to Graz three other times before and each time I went was in the Medical University where I have collaborations going on and typically I am in the faculty of Natural Sciences so I started asking myself how do I get the faculty where I am to also benefit from my trips and that is when I contacted the Technical University of Graz.”

Nkeh-Chungag added that she contacted their international office to request for a collaboration and that is when they said individuals from my faculty must go the university website and align themselves with the researches that are currently being done in the university,” she elaborated.

In July, Nkeh-Chungag visited the Technical University of Graz and introductions were made to get to know each university in more detail. Specific  cooperation interests in the field of medicinal plants as well as advanced material science were identified.

This first get together with members of the Institute of Environmental Biotechnology proved considerable interest on both sides.

“From the Technical University of Graz we had two people who came and said they were interested in the cannabis research because Prof Oyedeji aligned herself with the cannabis research,” added Nkeh-Chungag.

The two researchers from the Technical University of Graz will be visiting WSU in February and March 2023 to get started with the collaboration.

“We had to start doing the basic ground work which was to first get a clearance for cannabis research in the area and also make sure I have money to buy specific research kits which were indicated at the time when the collaboration was discussed,” said Nkeh-Chungag.

She further stated that the researchers from the collaborating university will come to look at the different microscopic organisms that affect the growth of cannabis. We will visit at least five cannabis farms to test the microscopic organisms.

Cannabis is a historic, multidimensional, and sometimes controversial plant. Its versatility and usefulness have propelled cannabis into all kinds of industries and products, especially in the medical field.

Some of the health benefits of cannabis include lowering blood pressure, reduce inflammation, prevents relapse in drug and alcohol addiction, treating anxiety disorders and preventing seizures.

Nkeh-Chungag also said that she is hoping that other scholars from the faculty will also align themselves so that the collaboration can have different research niche areas.

By Anita Roji

Contact us

Nelson Mandela Drive, Mthatha, Eastern Cape, South Africa

  • +27 47 502 2844

  • +27 47 502 2211

  •  enquiries@wsu.ac.za

About WSU

  • Overview
  • Council
  • Leadership
  • Important Facts
  • Campuses and Maps
  • Contact Us

Work With Us

  • Tenders
  • Vacancies
  • Support Services
Copyright © 2005 - 2021. Walter Sisulu University.
Powered by TTECH.
  • Home
    • Discover WSU
      • Overview
      • Focus Areas
      • FAQs
      • Important Facts
    • Vision & Mission
    • Governance & Leadership
      • Governance Structures
        • Council
        • Institutional Forum
        • Institutional & Campus SRCs
      • Leadership
    • Organisational Strategy
      • Higher Education Act
      • Statute
      • Policies
      • 2030 Strategic Plan
      • Predetermined Objectives
      • Annual Performance Plan
      • University Calendar
      • Annual Report
  • Study with Us
    • Undergraduate Programmes
      • New Students
        • Admission Requirements
          • Business Management Sciences & Law
          • Education
          • Health Sciences
          • Science Engineering & Technology
        • Student Accommodation
        • Fees & Financial Support
          • Fees
          • NSFAS & Funza
          • ISFAP
          • Other
        • How to Apply: The Process
        • Students with Special Needs
        • International Students
        • Important Dates
        • Student Online Services Portal
      • Returning Students
        • Re-Admission Requirements
        • Online Results
        • Student Accommodation
        • Fees & Financial Support
        • Students with Special Needs
        • International Students
        • How to Re-Register
        • Important Dates
        • Student Online Services Portal
      • Faculties
        • Buffalo City
          • Faculty of Business Sciences
          • Faculty of Science, Engineering & Technology
        • Butterworth
          • Faculty of Education
          • Faculty of Engineering & Technology
          • Faculty of Management Sciences
        • Mthatha
          • Faculty of Commerce & Administration
          • Faculty of Educational Sciences
          • Faculty of Health Sciences
            • Health Sciences Research Ethics & Biosafety Committee
          • Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences & Law
          • Faculty of Natural Sciences
        • Komani
          • Faculty of Economics, & Information Systems
          • Faculty of Education
    • Postgraduate Programmes
      • Postgraduate Students
        • Admission Requirements
        • Online Results
        • Student Accommodation
        • Fees & Financial Support
          • Fees
          • NRF
          • Other
      • Faculties
        • Buffalo City
          • Faculty of Business Sciences
          • Faculty of Science, Engineering & Technology
        • Butterworth
          • Faculty of Education
          • Faculty of Engineering & Technology
          • Faculty of Management Sciences
        • Mthatha
          • Faculty of Commerce & Administration
          • Faculty of Educational Sciences
          • Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences & Law
          • Faculty of Natural Sciences
        • Komani
          • Faculty of Economics, & Information Systems
          • Faculty of Education
    • Application Guide
      • 2023 Prospectuses
      • 2023 Registration Guidelines
      • Students with Special Needs
      • International Students
      • How to Re-Register
      • Important Dates
      • How to Apply: The Process
      • WSU Figshare
  • Teaching & Learning
    • Overview of the Directorate
    • Policies & Strategic Documents
    • Student Development & Support
      • Academic Advising
      • Peer-Assisted Learning (PAL)
      • Extended Curricula
    • Teaching & Learning Development
      • Staff Development Programmes
    • Learning & Teaching with Tech
    • Scholarship of Teaching & Learning
    • Writing Centre
  • Research & Innovation
    • Directorate of Research Development & Innovation (DRI)
    • Research @ WSU
    • Innovation @ WSU
    • Research Facilities & Centres
    • NRF-Rated Researchers
    • Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (PDRF)
    • Postgraduate Studies @ WSU
    • Grants, Bursaries, Conferences & Other Funding
    • Policies & Documents
    • The Team
  • Community
    • CE&ID Director's Introduction
    • About CE&ID
    • Work-Integrated Learning
    • Service Learning
      • Implementation Guides
      • Community Learning
    • Internationalisation
      • International Partnerships
      • National Partnerships
    • International Education
      • International Education Admission
      • International Education Events
      • Financial Information & Liability
      • Pre-Arrival Information
  • Library
    • Search Library Resources - OPAC
    • LibGuides
    • Library Services
    • Library Membership
    • Electronic Resources
      • E-Books
      • E-Journals
    • Research Support
    • Online Newspapers
    • WSU Vital Repository
    • WSU Figshare
    • Off Campus access to Library
    • Student Email Access
    • Open Educational Resources Commons
    • DHET List of Approved Journals
  • Student Life
    • Overview of the Directorate
    • Student Services Policies
    • Institutional & Campus SRCs
    • Student Societies
    • Student Health and Wellbeing
      • Sport & Fitness
      • Campus Clinics
      • Student Counselling Unit
    • Student Accommodation
    • Quick Links
    • Campus Life
      • Campus SRCs
  • Campuses
    • Buffalo City
      • Overview
      • Management Committee
      • Faculties
        • Faculty of Business Sciences
        • Faculty of Science, Engineering & Technology
    • Butterworth
      • Overview
      • Management Committee
      • Faculties
        • Faculty of Education
        • Faculty of Engineering and Technology
        • Faculty of Management Sciences
    • Mthatha
      • Overview
      • Management Committee
      • Faculties
        • Faculty of Natural Sciences
        • Faculty of Humanities, Social Science & Law
        • Faculty of Educational Sciences
        • Faculty of Commerce & Administration
        • Faculty of Health Sciences
    • Komani
      • Overview
      • Management Committee
      • Faculties
        • Faculty of Education & School Development
        • Faculty of Economics & Information Systems Technology
  • Media
    • Current News
    • Media Releases
    • Media Resources
    • Speeches
    • Newsletters
    • Gallery
    • login