When healthcare staff at the Klerksdorp/Tshepong Hospital complex voiced a heartfelt need for debriefing and support, Dr Khumo Shopo, deputy director of the School of Nursing at the North-West University (NWU) and hospital board member, listened.

Her response set in motion an inspiring initiative: the Presence workshops, an initiative of the Presence team of the School of Nursing and the NuMIQ research focus area, designed to nurture well-being and relational caring among hospital staff, and now making waves across North West.

Prof Welma Lubbe from the Quality in Nursing and Midwifery (NuMIQ) research focus area at the North-West University (NWU) has been appointed as the nursing representative on the global committee for the Newborn Brain Society.

Prof Lubbe, who is the director of NuMIQ and focuses her research on neonatal care in the Faculty of Health Sciences, will represent the nursing profession in an international forum focused on newborn brain health.

On Wednesday, 30 July, the North-West University (NWU) conferred an honorary doctorate on Professor Sir Hilary McDonald Beckles, a distinguished Caribbean historian and vice-chancellor of the University of the West Indies (UWI). The award recognises Sir Hilary’s formidable academic contributions and his global advocacy for social justice. On the evening before the ceremony, he delivered a public lecture titled From Durban to Accra: Rise of the Global Reparations Movement.

In order to enhance healthcare throughout Africa, it is crucial to equip frontline healthcare workers with the necessary tools and confidence to drive change. However, their hard work often goes unnoticed and unappreciated.

On Thursday, 24 July, the 2025 Leopards Lair® Student Pitching event showcased a vibrant celebration of innovative ideas. Held at the D’Vine VenU on the Potchefstroom Campus, the event highlighted exceptional student talent across two categories: Side Hustles and Research-Based Ventures.

TTIS and the bhive Enterprise Development Centre collaborated to host an event that brought together a panel of esteemed judges, industry professionals, staff, and students, creating an atmosphere of ambition and creativity.

The high calibre of postgraduate research at the North-West University (NWU) has been nationally recognised. Seven NWU students were awarded top honours at the South African Institute of Physics (SAIP) annual conference, the country’s leading platform for physics scholars.

The awards span three fields: space science, astrophysics and condensed matter physics. Six students from the NWU’s Centre for Space Research (CSR) and one student from the Physics subject group walked away with the spoils.

Tanya Lerm never imagined herself in the aerospace sector. But nearly seven years after joining NewSpace Systems, she now leads it.

“Stepping into the role of CEO at NewSpace Systems has been one of the most significant moments of my career, both professionally and personally,” said Tanya, who holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Metallurgical Engineering from the North-West University (NWU). “It is a company I have grown with, a team I believe in, and an industry that never stops pushing boundaries.”

The North-West University (NWU) continues to affirm its leadership in student success, and has been nominated as one of the top three universities in South Africa in the Best Career Service category at the South African Graduate Employers Association (SAGEA) Awards 2025.

The nomination places the NWU in the same league as long-established institutions such as the University of Cape Town and the University of Pretoria – a significant milestone for the university’s career development efforts.

A vibrant trial run took place this past Saturday, 19 July at Matlosana Mall in Klerksdorp, setting the pace for the upcoming TRACTOR Awareness Rally, an inspiring campaign by North-West University (NWU) aimed at raising awareness around dementia and Alzheimer’s in South Africa.

The TRACTOR campaign (Together Rallying Across Communities to Overcome Remembrance-loss) is a collaborative initiative driven by NWU’s Faculty of Health Sciences, Engineering Compliance, and the Department of Sustainability and Community Impact, in partnership with corporate and community stakeholders.

In the heart of the Northern Cape, science will step out of the classroom and into the community as the North-West University (NWU) brings its third Vice-Chancellor’s Science Day to Mothibistad on 6 August 2025.

The event, to be held at the Thabo Moorosi Multi-Purpose Hall in Kuruman, is part of a growing outreach initiative by the NWU to strengthen public engagement with science and spark the interest of rural learners in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers. It follows successful editions in Mabieskraal (2023) and Taung (2024).