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.

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).

NWU vice-chancellor, Prof. Bismark Tyobeka, pleads for aligned academic hospital in North West

Prof. Bismark Tyobeka, principal and vice-chancellor of the North-West University (NWU), has lauded Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi’s announcement that plans are in place to add to the country’s ten academic hospitals.

The NWU’s Development and Fundraising department has teamed up with the non-profit organisation Meals on Wheels Community Services (MOWCS) to effect change through a new partnership. The collaboration was launched on Friday 18 July at the Vanderbijlpark Campus, where the spirit of ubuntu was evident. To celebrate Nelson Mandela Day, they hosted a sandwich drive at the Tsebonokeng Hall, serving around 1500 sandwiches to students.

They hardly put a foot wrong. With flair and dazzling dance performances, the Dance Sport team of the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Mahikeng Campus has successfully defended their title as University Sports South Africa (USSA) Dance Sport champions.

The NWU team of 20 athletes competed against dancers from 13 South African universities in a tournament hosted by the University of KwaZulu-Natal Westville Campus in Durban from 28 June to 3 July.

In a landmark development for South Africa’s energy transition, Prof. Bismark Tyobeka, principal and vice-chancellor of the North-West University (NWU) and former CEO of the National Nuclear Regulator, has been appointed both a member and chairperson of the Ministerial Expert Panel on Nuclear.

The appointment, announced by the Minister of Electricity and Energy, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, places Prof. Tyobeka at the helm of a body tasked with advising government on the pace, scale, and procurement approach for new nuclear capacity.

The 30% tariff decision by the United States is not good news for the South African economy, and its potentially negative economic impact should not be underestimated.

Prof Raymond Parsons, economist from the North-West University (NWU) Business School, says while not unexpected, the decision creates a challenging economic headwind for South Africa.

The North-West University (NWU) continues to take pride in the remarkable achievements of alumni who actively make impactful and valuable contributions in all spheres of society – both locally and internationally.