“The dance. I miss the dance. I miss the discipline, the sweating, the emotions, the sensations … When I danced, nothing else existed.” – Johnny Clegg, Scatterling of Africa

He is known for setting the highest standards for himself, and now Prof Bismark Tyobeka, principal and vice-chancellor of the North-West University (NWU), has been entrusted with doing the same for the country. As the newly appointed member and chairperson of the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS), he will steer an institution that plays a critical role in setting and upholding South Africa’s national standards.

The future of the North-West University’s (NWU) Desmond Tutu School of Medicine was further consolidated on Tuesday, 24 June 2025, with the signing of a memorandum of agreement (MoA) between the NWU and the North West Department of Health (NWDoH) on the university’s Potchefstroom Campus.

“It is a privilege to be able to celebrate another milestone in the establishment of our medical school,” said Prof Awie Kotzé, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences.

The North-West University (NWU) is firmly positioning itself as a globally engaged, innovative university committed to excellence and societal relevance. Prime examples of how the strategic priorities of the NWU align with the quest for globally relevant, sustainable solutions are the establishment and proposed establishment of three future-fit academic schools: the Desmond Tutu School of Medicine, the School of Mines and Mining Engineering, and the School of Veterinary Sciences.

The North-West University (NWU) delegation’s visit to the Universidad Tecnológica del Perú (UTP) on 17 June began with a warm and culturally rich welcome that set the tone for an inspiring day of academic exchange and collaboration.

In a landmark step toward deepening legal education, community engagement, and access to justice, the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Faculty of Law has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Consumer Goods and Services Ombudsman (CGSO). The signing ceremony took place on 11 June 2025, marking the formalisation of a collaboration that has been evolving since 2022.

On 10 June 2025, Prof Bismark Tyobeka, principal and vice-chancellor of the North-West University (NWU), arrived in Curitiba, Brazil, alongside a delegation of senior academic staff to formalise a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the NWU and the Universidade Federal do Paraná (UFPR).

The agreement aims to strengthen collaboration in research, staff development, and the exploration of new academic fields, while also advancing initiatives related to student and staff exchange programmes.

Comrades Marathon superstar Tete Dijana went supernova on Sunday 8 June when he won his third Comrades Marathon, following back-to-back victories in 2022 and 2023.

Dijana is an employee of Mi7, which is an external security service provider to the North-West University (NWU), and his reassuring presence on the Mahikeng Campus has made him a beloved member of the NWU family.

It was a stellar performance from Dijana who completed the 98.98 km distance from Pietermaritzburg to Durban in a time of five hours, 25 minutes and 28 seconds.

Her transformative leadership through her editorship of the Potchefstroom Electronic Law Journal stands as a beacon of achievement in the vision and mission of the North-West University (NWU) to be a pre-eminent university in Africa. Her achievements in legal academia and journal development have earned Prof Christa Rautenbach the NWU Chancellor’s Medal.

She received this honour during a graduation ceremony on 6 June. The Chancellor’s Medal is awarded to people who show exceptional merit or have made significant contributions to society.

South Africa should invest more in nuclear research if it wishes to remain globally competitive and fulfil its responsibility to meet the diverse needs of its communities. This was Professor Machaba Michael “Mike” Sathekge’s message when he received his honorary doctorate in Pharmaceutical Sciences (Philosophiae Doctor, Honoris Causa) from the North-West University (NWU) on Wednesday 4 June.