The North-West University (NWU) is a South African university with three campuses at Potchefstroom, Mahikeng (Previously Mafikeng) and Vanderbijlpark, South Africa. In Potchefstroom is the head office of the University. With its merged status, the North-West University became one of the largest universities in South Africa and has 64 081 students (full-time and distance education). The universities that merged to form this institution are the Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education and the University of North-West (formerly the University of Bophuthatswana). The Potchefstroom University already had a Vanderbijlpark branch.