The North-West University (NWU) is positioning itself at the forefront of South Africa’s evolving mining landscape, with a strategic focus on critical minerals, smart mining technologies and sustainable sector development. Through the establishment and expansion of its School of Mines and Mining Engineering, the University is aligning its academic, research and partnership agenda with national and global priorities in mineral security, industrialisation and economic resilience.

President Cyril Ramaphosa will deliver his 2026 State of the Nation (SONA) address on Thursday 12 February, and he will do so in a world starkly different from that of a year ago. Political uncertainty, strained international relations and domestic pressures mean the president is operating in a political climate that is no longer simmering but rapidly reaching boiling point.

The North-West University (NWU), a South African public higher education institution, whose policies and rules are governed in accordance with the supreme law of the country – the South African Constitution – has the responsibility and accountability to ensure access and success of students. 

As a public institution, the university recruits and admits qualifying students, regardless of their origin (village/township/town/region), race, religion, or gender.

The North-West University (NWU) begins 2026 on a positive trajectory, recording a notable improvement in the Computer Science subject group of the Times Higher Education (THE) Rankings by Subject. This latest ranking underscores the continued commitment of the university to academic excellence and global relevance.

In the most recent THE Rankings by Subject, which was published on 21 January, the rankings place the Computer Science offerings of the NWU in the 601 to 800 group globally, while it featured in the 801 to 1 000 position last year.

The North-West University (NWU) congratulates matriculants who have passed their 2025 examinations. Well done and best wishes. You are now at a very crucial stage of your life that requires you to make decisions about your career(s). We look forward to welcoming successful applicants who have chosen to advance their careers at the NWU. 

A North-West University (NWU) delegation visited the University of Melbourne, Australia’s highest-ranked institution, on 20 November to benchmark international best practices and explore avenues for future collaboration.

The visit comes as the NWU accelerates plans to establish the Desmond Tutu School of Medicine, scheduled to welcome its first cohort in 2028, and advances discussions to launch a School of Mining and Mining Engineering.

The North-West University (NWU) and its AI Hub are continuing to strengthen the institution’s digital capacity through an incentive programme aimed at encouraging academic staff to complete the AI and Assessment course. This initiative is a collaborative effort between the office of the Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Teaching and Learning, the AI Hub, the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL), and People and Culture.

During a visit to Australia, a delegation from the North-West University (NWU) held a series of engagements with The University of Western Australia (UWA) on 18 November 2025, opening discussions on collaboration in research, teaching and learning, and student and staff mobility.

The visit to UWA – the first by a South African university – aligns with the NWU’s strategy of developing long-term international partnerships across key academic disciplines.

For more than two decades, the African Nutrition Leadership Programme (ANLP) of the North-West University (NWU) has been shaping the future of nutrition leadership on the continent. Since its first programme in 2002, this flagship 10-day residential initiative, hosted annually at the NWU, has developed over 500 professionals from more than 40 African countries. This year alone this flagship programme will reach close to 50 professionals from 10 African countries.