About the initiative:
The tourism research unit (TREES) invites postgraduate students to participate in a high-impact innovation project aligned with national tourism priorities.
Selected students will:
Translate research into real-world solutions
Develop a prototype, business concept, and pitch
Engage with emerging global travel trends and digitally connected visitor experiences
Compete against leading South African universities
We are seeking full-time postgraduate students from:
Tourism Management
Information Technology
Geography
Engineering
Marketing
Requirements:
Registered full-time (Honours / Master’s / PhD)
Based at the NWU Potchefstroom campus
Available for in-person collaboration and regular meetings
Work in a multidisciplinary innovation team
Gain hands-on product and solution development experience
Collaborate with academics and industry stakeholders
Strengthen your profile in tourism, digital innovation, and strategy
Present your work at a national innovation summit
Active participation from May – October 2026
Regular in-person team meetings and workshops (Potchefstroom campus)
Full contribution to all project deliverables (prototype, business case and pitch)
Participation in and representation of NWU at the Student-Led Tourism Innovation Summit (October 2026) at TUT