Ranking places researcher third in neuroscience in South Africa

The 2026 edition of the ranking of the Best Scientists in Neuroscience by Research.com places Prof. Brian Harvey from the subject group Pharmacology at the North-West University (NWU) among the three most cited researchers in the field in South Africa.

Prof. Harvey says this accolade highlights his decades of work in neuropharmacology…

Tourism growth places focus on jobs, trade and policy, expert says

Africa's Travel Indaba 2026 is being held in KwaZulu-Natal from 11 to 14 May, drawing participation from more than 22 African countries. Attention is squarely on tourism’s role in driving jobs, trade and economic growth across South Africa and the continent.

Prof. Elmarie Slabbert, research director of Tourism Research in Economics,…

South Africans are in a suburban arms race

Violent crime in South Africa is rampant, with the country frequently ranked as one of the most dangerous in the world, as well as among the most unsafe in Africa. Citizens are afraid, and justifiably so, adapting to crime as though it is no longer temporary, but permanent. This fear has for decades quietly been redesigning suburban South…

Law School to Law Firm series to bridge gap between theory and legal practice

The North-West University (NWU) has launched a new Law School to Law Firm series aimed at bridging the gap between academic theory and the practical realities of the legal profession.

The initiative, led by the Law Students’ Academic Chapter (LSAC), is designed to equip final-year and postgraduate law students with the tools, insights…

Cost versus impact: legal expert comments on commission effectiveness

Questions about the cost and impact of commissions of inquiry in South Africa are intensifying as the Madlanga Commission faces a possible six-month extension amid funding constraints, prompting renewed scrutiny over whether such processes deliver value for money.

With R123 million of its R147 million budget already spent, the Madlanga…

30 graduates launch community animal health enterprises

A group of 30 animal health graduates is moving into business thanks to a joint programme between the North-West University (NWU) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

The initiative aims to equip the graduates to establish primary animal health care (PAHC) enterprises and deliver services in underserved communities. It…

Researchers’ dedication delivers Africa’s first free motor performance test for children

Groundbreaking research in child health assessment has now led to the development of the first free, open-source motor performance test designed specifically for African children.

Breakthrough research by Prof. Bouwien Smits-Engelsman, an extraordinary professor at the North-West University (NWU), and a team of international…

Faculty of Education celebrates excellence at 2025 FEDU Awards

The Faculty of Education at the North-West University (NWU) recently hosted its prestigious 2025 FEDU Awards, bringing together academics, professional staff, and key stakeholders from across its three campuses in a vibrant celebration of excellence.

The ceremony honoured outstanding achievements in teaching, research, innovation, and…

Scientific progress must be beyond reproach legally, says chemistry PhD graduate

When the Covid-19 pandemic unfolded, Dr Andrew Rabontsi Motsilanyane saw how global and local health systems reacted under pressure and where they failed.

This experience prompted him as a chemistry PhD graduate, former lecturer in the Faculty of Educations and recently completed an LLB from North-West University (NWU) to shift his…

DSTI hands over key hydrogen and energy innovation facilities at North-West University

The Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) marked a significant milestone in South Africa's clean energy transition with the official handover of two strategic energy research, development and innovation (RDI) deployments at the North-West University (NWU) Potchefstroom Campus.