Establishing clear pathways for academic leadership

Opinion piece by Prof. Ushotanefe Useh, deputy dean for community engagement and stakeholder relations in the Faculty of Health Sciences of the North-West University.

Universities, as seats of knowledge, are tasked with developing conceptual abilities and producing graduates who can…

Mini-budget is the President’s own deadline on child stunting, say NWU experts

When the Minister of Finance tables the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement on 21 October, one test will be whether it delivers on a promise made to South Africa’s youngest children.

In February’s State of the Nation Address, President Cyril Ramaphosa set a goal of ending child…

NWU Nursing students take breast cancer awareness to the community

As breast cancer continues to affect women across towns and communities, early detection remains one of the most powerful tools in the fight against the disease. According to the latest data from the National Cancer Registry (NCR), approximately one in 28 women in South Africa may develop breast cancer during their…

NWU PhD student earns international recognition for occupational hygiene research

A study highlighting a less recognised form of chemical exposure among South African petrol attendants has earned the North-West University (NWU) PhD student Lize van der Westhuizen international recognition.

Lize received the award for the best oral presentation by an early-career…

Across faculties and borders: International Teaching Weeks bring global perspectives into classrooms

Academics from across Africa and Europe joined colleagues and students from the North-West University (NWU) for a week of teaching, learning, collaboration and cultural exchange - bringing international perspectives directly into NWU classrooms.

From 14 to 18 September 2026, the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences (FEMS) and the…

National teaching honour recognises researcher’s passion for student success

A researcher in physiology at the North-West University (NWU) has received one of the highest levels of recognition for excellence in higher education teaching in South Africa. Dr Annemarie Wentzel, senior lecturer and researcher in physiology, is one of only six recipients of the 2026 National Teaching Awards (NUTA…

Nursing student Mecayla Johnson takes her skills to the world stage

Mecayla Johnson is ready to step on the world stage. After months of intensive preparation, the North-West University (NWU) nursing student will represent South Africa at the 48th WorldSkills competition in Shanghai, China, from 22 to 27 September 2026.

Mecayla, a fourth-year student,…

Africa already has answers to its health challenges

Africa does not have to look beyond its borders for every answer to its health challenges. Much of the knowledge, expertise and data needed to find solutions already exist on the continent.

That is the message from North-West University (NWU) physiology professor Lebo Gafane-Matemane,…

Changing the conversation on suicide through hope and resilience

Hope, open conversations and stronger support systems can help save lives. This was the message as health professionals gathered at the Mahikeng Campus of the North-West University (NWU) to mark Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Awareness Day on 10 September 2026.

Held under the…

When the body count becomes a data point: what Kempton Park tells us about the academy we built

By the time this goes to print, the number may have changed again. As I write, at least nine, possibly 10, women have been found dead in and around Kempton Park since mid-July, most half-naked, several with visible bruising, left along the same stretch of the R21 and its surrounding veld.