Recognising top achievers in academic mentorship programme

The Optentia research unit, in collaboration with the People and Culture department at the North-West University (NWU), recently honoured a group of exceptional academic mentors and mentees who completed the university’s flagship development programmes: Being a Successful Academic Mentor and Being a Successful Academic Mentee.

Between…

Indigenous languages bring meaning to health care messaging

By Gofaone Motsamai

When Perpetual Umeaku realised that many communities lacked access to health information in a language they could understand, she set out to challenge the status quo and started exploring indigenous languages in health communication.

This focus led her to win the Doctoral Poster…

Breaking barriers: Prof Suranie Horn on science, sustainability, and women in STEM

When a research paper leaps from the quiet world of academia into the glare of public debate, it is rarely accidental. For Prof Suranie Horn of the North-West University (NWU), that moment arrived when she and her colleagues revealed that HIV antiretrovirals (ARVs) such as lopinavir and efavirenz were not only saving lives but also seeping into…

Dr Maryke Schoonen is ensuring that rare diseases meet science, not neglect

Genomic medicine promises to revolutionise healthcare, but Africa remains dangerously underrepresented in the data that drives it. This gap leaves thousands of families without answers and, too often, without hope. At the North-West University’s (NWU) Mitochondria Research Laboratory and the National Metabolomics Platform, Dr Maryke Schoonen is…

Lulama Mabala: It is time to rethink retirement

South Africans tend to think of retirement in rands and cents. Yet, research by Lulama Mabala suggests that what people do with their time after leaving work is just as critical as how they fund it.

Mabala is an expert in leisure, physical activity, wellness, successful ageing and community engagement at the North-West University’s (NWU…

Prof Bismark Tyobeka: Starlink should shine in SA’s skies

As Starlink’s vast constellation of satellites traverse the sky in low-Earth orbit, they evoke wonder and awe in those gazing up at the night heavens. Science fiction has become technological reality. Yet, for South Africans, the benefits remain as distant as the stars beyond our solar system.

Here is why. Elon Musk’s satellite internet…

A chance for change or a missed opportunity? Researchers must choose now

Research is at a crossroads, but the choice facing researchers is clear: make a difference to the world’s most pressing problems or be relegated to irrelevance.

“We are reminded that the decisions we make regarding the type of research we prioritise will either be the turning point towards a more sustainable and equitable world, or a…

Mental health awareness workshop encourages postgraduate students to prioritise well-being

Postgraduate students at the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Mahikeng Campus were given a timely reminder to prioritise their mental health during a mental health awareness workshop.

The in-person session, which Student Counselling and Development hosted on 5 August 2025, was for postgraduate students from different faculties, creating…

Chantel Muller’s POWERful vision

In a world where innovation meets wellbeing, Chantel Muller is proving that the two can powerfully coexist. A published author and senior lecturer in marketing research and sports marketing at the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Vanderbijlpark Campus, Chantel is redefining how technology can transform health — and she…

Multilingualism shapes online communication

Languages clash, blend and connect users across the North-West University (NWU) Mahikeng Campus Updates Facebook Group, revealing how multilingualism drives communication in a digital student space.

Ontiretse Motingwa, an NWU graduate, led a study that examined how language choice, ethnicity and power relationships influence…