NWU appoints founding chief director of the Desmond Tutu School of Medicine

The North-West University (NWU) has reached a significant milestone in its academic and institutional development with the appointment of Prof. Binu Luke as the inaugural chief director of the Desmond Tutu School of Medicine, effective from 1 April 2026.

This landmark appointment represents a major step forward in the strategic vision…

International partnership targets perinatal mental health care in rural South Africa

Long-term capacity building is required to address perinatal mood disorders which affect more than a third of women in South Africa, negatively impacting individuals and families.

To address this, local, international health care professionals and academics met in Mahikeng from 9 to 13 March 2026. The purpose was to advance a joint…

Nursing student wins WorldSkills South Africa competition

North-West University (NWU) nursing student Mecayla Johnson will represent South Africa at the 46th International WorldSkills Competition after winning the WorldSkills South Africa Occupational Standards national competition.

Mecayla represented the NWU at the national competition from 8 to 12 March 2026 in KwaZulu-Natal where she…

Crisis, trauma and how they affect you differently

Dr Monique de Klerk is a senior counselling psychologist at the NWU's Centre for Health and Human Performance (CHHP)

Dr Monique de Klerk knows the difference between the theoretical and the practical. As a senior counselling psychologist at the Centre for Health and Human Performance…

Prof. Machailo appointed to national nursing leadership role at FUNDISA

Prof. Rorisang Machailo from the School of Nursing in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the North-West University (NWU) has been appointed as the nursing practice portfolio chair at the Forum for University Nursing Departmental heads of South Africa (FUNDISA).

Her appointment recognises her knowledge of clinical practice and her…

Early action is crucial as researchers warn of rising high blood pressure in children

A significant global health concern is that growing numbers of children and adolescents worldwide are developing high blood pressure. Newly published research highlights childhood hypertension, once considered rare in young people, as a rapidly growing health problem and a powerful predictor of cardiovascular and kidney disease later in life.…

Olympic champions flock to Potchefstroom for altitude and facilities

While Europe is in the icy grip of winter, athletes are sharpening their form in Potchefstroom, drawn by the altitude, climate and a high-performance sport hub that has quietly become a base for Olympic gold medallists.

Members of the Netherlands’ Olympic gold-winning 4x400 m mixed relay team, including Femke Bol, Lieke Klaver and Isaya…

Social work students take ubudlelane into the community

For social work students at North-West University’s (NWU’s) Mahikeng Campus ubuntu is no longer a concept only discussed in lectures. It is becoming a structured community programme with students preparing to lead projects that strengthen support networks in local neighbourhoods through a growing framework known as ubudlelane.

The…

Tackling perinatal mental health in rural areas

A two-year initiative aimed at improving the screening and management of perinatal mood disorders in rural communities is being piloted in the North West.

The project, Capacity Building in Managing (Perinatal) Mood Disorders in Rural South Africa (CaBu-PeriMooD), was introduced…

Study examines link between faith, stigma and HIV treatment in South Africa

A milestone reached on World AIDS Day has focused new attention on how faith communities influence South Africa’s response to HIV. On 1 December 2025, a PhD study focusing on HIV stigma in religious settings was formally completed when the degree was awarded, marking the completion of research that examined a long-standing barrier to treatment…