NWU earns Platinum certification for global grant management standards

The North-West University (NWU) has achieved Platinum Tier certification in Good Financial Grant Practice (GFGP), placing the institution among a small group of South African universities recognised for meeting the highest international standards in research grant governance and financial accountability.

Fiction is where researchers can find facts

Civilisations rising and crumbling over eons and across galaxies. Interplanetary conflicts, alien races and worlds as vivid in description as they are difficult to conceive. For a young Prof. Henk Bouwman, now professor in Zoology at the North-West University (NWU) in South Africa, specialising in ecotoxicology…

Five researchers earn nominations for this year’s Science Oscars

Our researchers continue to receive national recognition for their impactful work across a wide range of disciplines. The North-West University (NWU) has five nominees for the 2025/2026 NSTF‑South32 Awards. This further affirms our standing as a contributor to excellence in science, engineering, technology and innovation in South Africa.

Smart Village dialogue advances South Africa’s first indigenous knowledge-led initiative

By Mzwandile Ndlovu

A renewed push to translate indigenous knowledge (IK) into practical rural development took centre stage as stakeholders gathered for the Second Smart Village conference in Nyandeni in the Eastern Cape.

Held under the theme “Towards an indigenous knowledge-based smart village model: A…

Academic recognised globally for blockchain research

A North-West University (NWU) academic has earned international recognition for research examining how ready South Africa’s public sector is to adopt blockchain technology.

Dr Beatah Sibanda received the 2024 Best Abstract Award from the British Blockchain Association for her study on blockchain adoption in government systems.

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NWU professors secure prestigious national research chairs

The North-West University (NWU) has marked a significant academic achievement after two of its leading scholars, Prof. Adeyemi Oladapo Aremu and Prof. Rasheed Adeleke, were awarded prestigious research chairs under the South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI).

The announcement was made at a high-profile national launch hosted…

Indigenous languages key in fight against crime

As crime continues to ravage communities across South Africa, a North-West University (NWU) researcher has highlighted how indigenous languages play an active role in strengthening crime prevention efforts through communication strategies in rural areas.

Dr Kgomotso Bosilong, a research support coordinator at the NWU, is focusing her…

Research flags regulatory gaps in tailings dam management

Thousands of abandoned mining tailings dams across South Africa continue to expose gaps in environmental regulation, placing communities and ecosystems at risk.

Researcher Thandolwakhe Mokotedi from the Faculty of Law at the North-West University (NWU) says that “the regulation of tailings dams in South Africa remains an area of…

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…

NWU researcher earns global recognition for advancing science in Africa

For Dr Modupe Stella Ayilara, science has always been about more than research. It is about people, communities and finding solutions that matter.

That purpose came into sharp focus on 11 December 2025 in Johannesburg, when she was named one of just 30 laureates of the L’…