On 10 June 2025, Prof Bismark Tyobeka, principal and vice-chancellor of the North-West University (NWU), arrived in Curitiba, Brazil, alongside a delegation of senior academic staff to formalise a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the NWU and the Universidade Federal do Paraná (UFPR).

The agreement aims to strengthen collaboration in research, staff development, and the exploration of new academic fields, while also advancing initiatives related to student and staff exchange programmes.

This visit marks the first stop in Prof Tyobeka’s strategic international mission to Brazil and Peru, which runs from 8 to 20 June 2025, and is aimed at building partnerships that will strengthen the NWU’s international collaborations and impact.

Following the MoU signing, Prof Tyobeka was joined by Prof Awie Kotzé, executive dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, and Prof Binu Luke, project lead for the NWU’s forthcoming Desmond Tutu School of Medicine, on a benchmarking visit to one of Brazil’s most renowned medical institutions – the Clinical Hospital of the Federal University of Paraná (HC-UFPR).

The visit to HC-UFPR, also known as the Hospital Complex of Clinics (CHC) was more than symbolic. It forms part of the NWU’s meticulous preparation for the opening of its own medical school in 2028, a milestone that will significantly shape the university’s health sciences trajectory and contribute meaningfully to public healthcare in South Africa and beyond.

The HC-UFPR, affiliated with UFPR’s School of Medicine, stands as the largest university hospital in the state of Paraná and one of the most prominent in Brazil. With its foundations laid in 1949 and doors officially opened in 1961, the hospital has been a leader in bone marrow transplants and bone banking since 1979.

The HC-UFPR functions as a high-complexity tertiary care and teaching hospital, operating entirely under Brazil’s Unified Health System (SUS). The Clinical Hospital of UFPR (HC‑UFPR) serves as a major referral centre for complex medical cases and as a critical training ground for thousands of undergraduate, graduate, and specialist health professionals.

In celebration of its 62nd anniversary in 2023, HC-UFPR introduced several major upgrades:

· A state-of-the-art simulation centre for practical, hands-on clinical training,

· The Romolo Sandrini Neto Research Centre, and

· Refurbished facilities in key medical departments, including the Cardiology ICU, Nephrology and Surgery Services, and Radiotherapy Unit.

For the NWU delegation, the visit offered an opportunity to learn, reflect, and engage – from observing innovative training methods and modern infrastructure to discussing governance models and healthcare integration with UFPR leadership.

“This visit has been immensely enriching,” said Prof Tyobeka. “The HC-UFPR exemplifies the kind of excellence the NWU aspires to as we prepare to welcome our first cohort of medical students in 2028. Benchmarking against institutions of this calibre is essential to ensure we build a world-class medical school that meets the needs of South Africa.”