The North-West University (NWU) plans to spend about R380-million over the next three years on new buildings and the upgrading of existing buildings and equipment on its Mafikeng, Potchefstroom and Vaal Triangle campuses.

The Department of Higher Education and Training would contribute R211.3-million to the upgrades, while the NWU would contribute the balance from its reserve fund.

The university would spend most of this money, R163-million, on its Mafikeng campus, while R155-million would be spent on the Potchefstroom campus and R62-million on the Vaal Triangle campus.

“We are still expanding and improving our facilities on all three campuses in order to make provision for the growth in student numbers and the increasingly diversifying academic programme and qualification mix,” Vice-Chancellor Dr Theuns Eloff said.

“This way we ensure that the NWU can continue its core business in modern facilities that promote effective teaching, learning and research.”

The biggest project for the three-year period would be tackled on the Mafikeng campus. It entails two new student residences to be built and furnished at a total cost of R76.9-million.

The first 250-bed residence should be completed by the end of 2013 and the second by the end of 2015.

The second-biggest project, to the value of R54.7-million, would see the construction and furnishing of a new building for the pharmacy faculty on the Potchefstroom campus.

Some of the other big projects include the construction and furnishing of a new building for the nursing faculty and the second phase of the building of the natural sciences faculty, both on the Mafikeng campus.

The Potchefstroom campus is going to get its first new residence since the three campuses merged in 2004. Construction has already started in 2012 and is expected to be completed in 2013.

Meanwhile, the Vaal Triangle campus would receive a modern library, as well as a new African languages, and human and social sciences building and a new residence.