The North-West University (NWU) is proud to announce that Prof. Brian H. Harvey, from the subject group Pharmacology and the South African Medical Research Council’s (SAMRC’s) Unit on Risk and Resilience in Mental Disorders, has received an esteemed honour as the year draws to a close.

Prof. Harvey has been invited by the Council of the University of Cape Town (UCT) to accept the title of honorary professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health in the Faculty of Health Sciences. This prestigious five-year appointment will run from 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2030.

When we think about anniversaries, 15 years is traditionally known as a crystal anniversary, and the symbolism of crystal is both beautiful and unique. Crystal represents clarity and transparency, reflecting the trust and openness that have grown over the years in a partnership. It also signifies care, strength and beauty, showing that even with its delicate nature, crystal is enduring, elegant, and able to last generations — just as we hope this collaboration will.

The cost of digitisation to children’s developing brains cannot be ignored. Children find themselves in a digital world where screens are always within reach. This places increasing pressure on parents to manage the use of technology wisely, especially when it comes to young children.

The North-West University’s (NWU) Centre for Health and Human Performance (CHHP) highlights two intertwined issues. The first is a rising reliance on screen time and the second is a declining presence of healthy, unstructured play.

The North-West University (NWU) is set to benefit from a major new international initiative following the recent approval of the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master RESCO (Renewable Energy and Sustainable Construction) programme.

Prof. Ashmore Mawire, director of the Material Science, Innovation and Modelling (MaSIM) Research Focus Area, says the involvement of the NWU in RESCO marks a significant step towards strengthening internationalisation and enhancing training opportunities for local students.

The North-West University (NWU) is the headline sponsor of the 2025 North West Media Awards. This marks a significant milestone in the ongoing efforts of the university to support media development, ethical journalism and professional growth in the province.

The partnership reinforces the commitment of the NWU to fostering collaboration between academia, the media industry, government and the private sector.

The North-West University (NWU) and Lincoln University in New Zealand have expanded their growing academic ties after concluding a series of engagements on sport, recreation, agriculture and applied research.

The visit took place on 26 November, follows an earlier trip by Lincoln academics to the NWU’s Potchefstroom Campus, where initial exchanges were held on high-performance sport, concussion studies and postgraduate training.

Strengthening ties in two fast-growing scientific fields, medicine and space science, was the central focus of high-level engagements at Otago University in New Zealand where the North-West University (NWU) explored opportunities to advance its internationalisation drive.

The visit on 28 November brought together academics working in medical training, health research and astrophysics to map out areas where their institutions can work together in coming years.

Today marks the opening of proposal presentations for the inaugural cohort of the PhD Hub for Africa, an ambitious pilot initiative of the North-West University (NWU) Business School to reimagine doctoral education for the continent.

Over two days, Friday, 28 November and Monday, 1 December 2025, 24 doctoral candidates will present their research proposals as the culmination of a four-month Bridging Phase. Those who meet the academic requirements will proceed to full enrolment in the PhD in Business Administration programme in 2026.

South Africa’s pharmaceutical landscape is marked by ambition, urgency and stark inequities. The continent carries 25 percent of the global disease burden but produces only a fraction of the medicines it consumes. Bridging this gap requires more than scientific talent; it demands infrastructure, accreditation and an ecosystem that can move a molecule from idea to impact. At the North-West University (NWU), the Preclinical Drug Development Platform (PCDDP) is positioning itself as precisely that bridge.

The Faculty of Health Sciences proudly congratulates Prof. Siedine Coetzee, NRF SARChI Chair in Nursing Science (Tier 1) and esteemed researcher at the North-West University (NWU), on her election to the board of the Academy of Nursing of South Africa (ANSA) – a distinguished recognition of her leadership and lifelong contribution to the advancement of nursing in South Africa and beyond.