Women in leadership positions should strive to be role models for younger women coming up through the ranks, always standing for ethics and integrity. This was the message from top women leaders who spoke at an event hosted by the North-West University (NWU) Business School to mark the conclusion of Women’s Month.

The celebration of women in leadership, with a particular focus on women shaping the public sector with courage and integrity, was held at the Mahikeng Protea Hotel on 29 August.

The North-West University (NWU) Technology Transfer and Innovation Support (TTIS) office is proud to celebrate the achievements of Dr Mariaan Wicks, a senior lecturer in Dietetics and a woman innovator whose work is transforming the way South Africans understand their food.

In celebration of the Women’s Month 2025 theme of the North-West University (NWU), “Empowered to Lead: NWU Women Shaping the Future”, the Technology Transfer and Innovation Support (TTIS) office proudly showcases the achievements of women innovators who are transforming society through practical solutions. Leading this charge is Prof Erica Derbyshire, a chartered accountant and academic, whose pioneering research has resulted in the Financial Literacy Survival Toolkit, a practical resource designed to equip owners of small and micro enterprises with essential financial skills.

There is always something special about seeing colleagues outside the boardroom, offices and lecture halls while swapping shoes for sneakers with whistles blowing instead of the ping of an incoming email.

On 15 August 2025, staff members from across all three campuses of the North-West University (NWU) came together for the annual Staff Wellness Tournament.

South Africa’s capacity to deal with incidents involving radioactive materials has received a boost. North-West University (NWU) academic Dr Tebogo Kupi has returned from Austria where he attended a high-level international training course aimed at preparing experts to deliver national workshops on radiological crime scene management.

North-West University (NWU) alumnus Andries van Heerden is the chief executive officer of Afrimat Limited, a JSE-listed company that supplies iron ore, anthracite, phosphate, construction materials and industrial minerals across Southern Africa.

“I started as a first-year mechanical engineering student in Potchefstroom in 1984,” he recalls. His studies took him to the NWU’s Vaal Campus, where he graduated in 1988.

Reflecting on his time at university, he says: “I think my dream to become a successful entrepreneur was really born during the two years in Vanderbijlpark.”

In celebration of Women’s Month, the North-West University (NWU) hosted a vibrant and thought-provoking Women’s Day celebration on Friday, 8 August 2025 under the theme “Personal branding – Leadership branding master class”.

Held at the Mahikeng Campus and livestreamed to the Potchefstroom and Vanderbijlpark campuses, the hybrid event focused on empowering women through leadership, branding and growth.

Ideal Healthcare is not only about treating patients but also about being fully present for and with them. This notion was at the heart of an inaugural lecture delivered at the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Potchefstroom Campus on 8 August 2025.

Prof Tinda Rabie from the Faculty of Health Sciences presented her lecture titled “Can the light of presence in caring still shine in the health profession through wise and guiding healthcare providers? Absolutely!”

The North-West University (NWU) continues to strengthen its international networks in line with its strategy, Taking the NWU forward: 2024 and beyond. Central to this vision is the commitment of the institution to global partnerships, academic excellence and societal impact.