Dr Rorisang Machailo, senior lecturer and deputy director at the School of Nursing at the North-West University (NWU), has been recognised as a top 3 finalist in the Women in Academic Administration category of the 2025 Higher Education Women Leaders (HEWL) Awards.

This honour highlights her outstanding leadership and dedication to advancing mental health education and equity in South Africa’s higher-education sector.

Hosted by HERS-SA, the HEWL Awards honour outstanding women across South Africa’s higher-education landscape who have demonstrated leadership, academic excellence and a commitment to advancing equity and inclusivity. Dr Machailo’s nomination places her among the top national academic leaders contributing meaningfully to both their institutions and society at large.

Dr Machailo began her professional journey at Excelsius Nursing College in 1996 and went on to serve in a variety of psychiatric care environments in Gauteng. These included adolescent units, biochemical wards, and child and family psychiatric services. Since 2007, she has been committed to nursing education, and in 2016, she joined the NWU School of Nursing as a simulation laboratory manager. She now holds the roles of senior lecturer and deputy director, in addition to being an ambassador for Women Who Lead in Health Sciences at the NWU’s Mahikeng Campus.

Her passion for child mental health stems from deeply personal and professional experiences working with children in psychiatric care units.

“I realised that child mental health matters because it forms the foundation for a healthy mental health development. There is a strong need for psychiatric nurses with specific training in child psychiatry,” said Dr Machailo.

Her academic work – supported by a PhD in health sciences with nursing – has helped shine a spotlight on the critical gaps in mental health education, particularly the underrepresentation of child psychiatry in nursing curricula.

Being recognised on a national platform through the HEWL Awards has been both humbling and affirming for Dr Machailo.

“It is an honour and a privilege to be nominated on a national platform. Being a top 3 finalist is a compelling statement. However, it is an affirmation of teamwork in the school, also a culmination of what I stand for as a person. It is a confirmation of the alignment of personal and professional values. I am honoured by everyone who contributed to it,” she said.

Her leadership style reflects her belief in collaboration, integrity and the value of lived experience. She has been instrumental in promoting work-integrated learning, which connects classroom teaching with community needs and drives impactful research projects in the School of Nursing.

Dr Machailo’s research focuses on the structural and systemic issues impacting psychiatric nurses who care for children. She has called for the formal recognition of child psychiatric nursing as a clinical speciality, as well as greater emotional and logistical support for frontline mental health workers.

“Visionary leadership is needed that will anticipate the needs in any given environment,” she explains. “When you work with children, clinical support is key. This includes human and material resources, debriefing and emotional support for psychiatric nurses.”

She also sees innovation – such as simulation-based training, integrated care models and interdisciplinary teams – as crucial to improving the quality and reach of psychiatric care, particularly in rural or underserved areas.

Looking forward, Dr Machailo is committed to growing her impact as both a researcher and mentor. She aims to develop an empowerment programme focused on children’s mental health and earn recognition as a nationally rated researcher.

She also hopes to continue serving as a role model for aspiring women leaders in health sciences and beyond.

“I will open doors for young people to explore, innovate and take responsibility. I will promote and encourage respect, kindness, inclusivity and responsibility to build their character,” she says. “These values shape how they treat others and handle challenges.”

Dr Rorisang Machailo