The North-West University (NWU) continues to advance its commitment to student success and holistic development through strategic partnerships and knowledge exchange.

In this regard, the acting campus director for student life on the Potchefstroom Campus, Funani Mabala, led a delegation on a benchmarking visit to the University of Pretoria from 19 to 23 April 2026.

The 2026 Varsity Cup Young Guns (YS) campaign may be over, but the FNB NWU YGs have once again proven why they remain one of the toughest sides in the competition. Although they fell short of winning the title, the season offered valuable lessons in growth and resilience.

The NWU YGs failed to reach the semi-finals for the first time in seven years, and this highlights the competitiveness of the tournament and the magnitude of the challenge they faced.

The North-West University (NWU) Green Team is turning small environmental actions into sustained community impact, with recent initiatives showing how student-led efforts are reshaping public spaces while building a culture of responsibility among young people.

A tree-planting initiative and a large-scale clean-up campaign, both held in March 2026 with support from the Safety, Health and Environment (SHE) department, have highlighted the focus of the group on environmental awareness, collaboration and long-term sustainability.

According to North-West University (NWU) principal and vice-chancellor Prof. Bismark Tyobeka higher education institutions have a role to play in supporting governance reform at local municipalities - many of which are in disarray.

“Universities can contribute to the rehabilitation of local government through research, skills development and evidence-based policy input,” he said during a public lecture by Dr Ben Bole, head of the Department for North West Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) on13 April.

The North-West University’s (NWU’s) School of Agricultural Sciences has been recognised for its skills development at the South Africa Leadership Awards 2026.

The award, presented on 13 April in Johannesburg, places the school among institutions acknowledged for advancing capacity building and training across sectors.

Director of the School of Agricultural Sciences, Prof. Simon Letsoalo, said the award reflects the collective effort of staff and students in advancing agricultural education and skills development.

• Severe teacher shortages, with tens of thousands of vacant posts, are destroying learning conditions.
• “Learners are being left defenceless in places meant to protect and nurture them.” – Dr Marelize Vergottini.
• “Without dedicated psychosocial support, these conditions will continue to hinder learning and jeopardise children’s futures.” – Dr Vergottini.

South Africa does not suffer from a knowledge deficit. It suffers from a translation deficit. The country produces knowledge at scale as universities generate research, publishing extensively and graduating thousands of students each year. Yet, despite this intellectual productivity, graduate unemployment remains high, critical skills shortages persist and a divide remains between what graduates know and what they are able to do.

A recent study, co-authored by Dr Mandla Dlamini, researcher from the Unit of Environmental Management and Sciences (UESM) at the North-West University (NWU), emphasises that floodplain wetland management and disaster risk reduction efforts are unlikely to succeed without the active participation of affected communities.

The research found that while conservation and flood-control frameworks exist in many regions, people living near wetlands often experience these policies differently from how they were intended.

In communities across the country, frustration is quietly building. What begins as a missed service or delayed response often grows into something deeper, a sense that the system meant to serve the people is no longer working for them. The failures of local government are no longer distant policy concerns or abstract debates. They are lived, daily realities, and for many, it is not just about the lack of services but about a loss of trust.

From campus sport to top-flight football, Lulutho Jizana has joined the medical team at Orbit College FC with a focus on player care and injury management.

Lulutho, a former first aider at North-West University (NWU), joined Orbit, a club competing in the DStv Premiership, in March.

He studied sport coaching and human movement science at the NWU and gained experience across multiple sporting codes and match environments while working with NWU rugby and the Soccer Institute.