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 of the university to establish a fully-fledged medical school that will contribute meaningfully to addressing the healthcare workforce needs of South Africa and strengthening the national health system. The Desmond Tutu School of Medicine is poised to become the 11th medical school in the country, with plans to welcome its first cohort of students in 2028.

Prof. Luke assumes leadership at a pivotal stage in the development of the school, bringing with him a strong, values-driven vision inspired by the enduring legacy of Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Under his stewardship, the school will be guided by principles of compassion, justice, integrity and service, with a firm commitment to producing fit-for-purpose medical graduates equipped to serve diverse communities.

“The values of ‘The Arch’ will be the guiding light as the Desmond Tutu School of Medicine begins its journey to produce fit-for-purpose doctors for our nation. Our curriculum and its delivery are intentionally designed to achieve this objective,” said Prof. Luke.

Welcoming the appointment, the NWU vice-chancellor and principal, Prof. Mzubanzi Bismark Tyobeka, highlighted the significance of this development for both the university and society at large.

“On behalf of the NWU, I warmly welcome Prof. Binu Luke as the founding chief director of the Desmond Tutu School of Medicine. This is a defining moment for our institution and for the communities we serve. Prof. Luke’s leadership, depth of expertise and alignment with our values of transformation, excellence and social responsiveness will be instrumental in shaping a medical school that is both globally competitive and locally relevant,” said Prof. Tyobeka.

At the heart of this initiative is the creation of a responsive and supportive academic and clinical training environment that will nurture a new generation of healthcare professionals. The school aims to foster a dynamic learning community, underpinned by dedicated educators and mentors and designed to equip students with the skills and competencies required to navigate the evolving challenges in the healthcare sector.

The academic programme will integrate strong foundational medical training with innovation in teaching, research and technology. This holistic approach will ensure that graduates are not only clinically competent, but also ethically grounded and socially responsive.

“Across both the university and the clinical training platform, this integrated model will support us in realising our dream of graduating doctors who are clinically excellent and responsive to the needs of society,” Prof. Luke added.

The establishment of the Desmond Tutu School of Medicine underscores the commitment of the NWU to academic excellence, social accountability and nation-building. The appointment of Prof. Luke marks a significant step in bringing this vision to life and reinforces the role of the university as a catalyst for transformative and socially responsive education in South Africa.

More about Prof. Binu Luke

Prof. Luke is a South African physician and seasoned health-systems leader with extensive experience spanning clinical medicine and provincial and national health-system governance. He holds multiple advanced qualifications, including an MBBS, an MD (general medicine), a DNB (general medicine), a Dip HIV Management (SA), an FCP (SA) and an FRCP (London), reflecting both international and South African specialist recognition.

Since 2023, he has served as project lead for the Desmond Tutu School of Medicine at the NWU, while also holding key leadership roles in the North West Department of Health. These include serving as technical adviser to the deputy director-general for hospital and clinical support services, programme manager for tertiary services, and head of the clinical department and chief specialist in internal medicine at the Klerksdorp/Tshepong Tertiary Hospital Complex.

His academic footprint includes appointments as extraordinary associate professor at the NWU and adjunct professor at the University of the Witwatersrand, underscoring his strong commitment to both service delivery and medical education.

Prof. Luke’s career reflects a sustained trajectory of leadership in health system strengthening and clinical service development, particularly in North West. Since joining the Klerksdorp/Tshepong Tertiary Hospital Complex in the mid-1990s, he has played a pivotal role in transforming it into a comprehensive tertiary health centre. His contributions include the establishment of multiple specialist services such as oncology, interventional cardiology, cardiothoracic surgery, nephrology, nuclear medicine, neurosurgery and advanced radiology.

He has also been instrumental in developing and coordinating the distributed clinical training platform of the University of the Witwatersrand in North West, facilitating the training of medical students and registrars across various disciplines.

Beyond institutional leadership, Prof. Luke has made significant contributions at national policy and regulatory levels. His work with the Health Professions Council of South Africa includes involvement in internship training reform, accreditation processes and policy development, including guidelines for foreign-qualified practitioners and the redesign of internship programmes. He currently serves on the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Human Resources for Health and played a key leadership role as technical lead in the province during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In addition to his administrative and clinical leadership, Prof. Luke has maintained an active academic and scholarly profile, contributing to the fields of tuberculosis, HIV and health systems through publications and presentations at national and international forums. He has supervised postgraduate research and contributed to national discourse on medical internship reform and health workforce training.

His contributions have been widely recognised through numerous prestigious awards, including a Fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians (London), the Ken Huddle Role Model Award at Wits (2022), the South African Medical Association Extraordinary Service to Medicine Award (2024) and the African Health Excellence Award (2024). He has also received honours for clinical leadership, service innovation and community service, including the Order of Simon of Cyrene from the Anglican Church of Southern Africa and recognition as a Paul Harris Fellow by Rotary International.

Prof. Binu Luke