The World Health Organisation's Global Patient Safety Action Plan envisions a future where no patient suffers harm during hospitalisation by the year 2030. A crucial element in achieving this objective is the establishment of hospital settings where discussions about errors are both easy and accepted among healthcare professionals.

Medical errors represent significant challenges within healthcare systems, and Dr Sabelile Tenza from the North-West University (NWU) advocates for environments that encourage the reporting of such errors.

The North-West University (NWU) is dedicated to playing an impactful role on the African continent in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

A prime example of this is the African Nutrition Leadership Programme (ANLP) of the Centre of Excellence in Nutrition (CEN) at the NWU that has for 22 years been making meaningful contributions towards achieving zero hunger (Goal 2), good health and well-being (Goal 3), and quality education (Goal 4).

Douwleen Conradie, a first-year pharmacy student at the North-West University (NWU) is making the most of her talents and has her eye firmly set on making her mark in the pharmaceutical profession.,

She has been serving as student exchange officer on the South African Pharmaceutical Students Federation’s (SAPSF’s) Presidential Committee this year.

The pursuit of greatness without boundaries by the North-West University (NWU) has just had an innovative technological boost with the launch of its virtual reality (VR) simulation laboratory at the Faculty of Health Sciences on 23 August.

Prof Hans de Ridder, director of the School of Human Movement Sciences at the North-West University (NWU), was recently acknowledged with the President’s award at the biannual International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry (ISAK) conference on 7 August in London, England.

This award is in recognition of his unwavering commitment to contributing to a field that blends science, health and sport, while impacting lives positively. Prof De Ridder is among the only two individuals honored with this distinction in the history of ISAK.

Dr Sabelile Tenza, a distinguished Senior lecturer and researcher from the School of Nursing Science and NUMIQ Research Entity at the North-West University, took the stage as an invited speaker at the prestigious Quality Improvement and Patient Safety Leadership Forum that took place from 18 to 19 July in Nairobi, Kenya.

The School of Pharmacy has launched a cutting-edge simulation facility on the Potchefstroom Campus of the North-West University (NWU). 

The simulation laboratory for the production of solid oral dosage forms (SODFs), or tablets, was officially launched on 1 August. It will enhance and enrich the education experience of Pharmacy students by giving them hands-on exposure to general pharmaceutical manufacturing processes.  

Prof Chris Vorster, a chemical pathologist from the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Centre for Human Metabolomics, delivered a compelling presentation at the 21st Annual Symposium on Diseases Relevant to South Africa. 

The South African Nursing Council (SANC) recently visited the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Mahikeng Campus to conduct a re-accreditation review of the university's nursing programme, which was initiated in 2020.

Dr Rorisang Machailo, deputy director of the School of Nursing, explained that the visit was part of the SANC's ongoing monitoring and evaluation process.

"The SANC's mandate includes inspecting and investigating nursing education institutions and health establishments to ensure compliance with the Nursing Act 33 of 2005 and the standards set by the Council."

Dr Marelize Vergottini, a senior lecturer in social work and researcher in the Community Psychosocial Research (COMPRES) niche area at the North-West University (NWU), is a key figure in the Social Work Association for Wellness and Training’s (SWAWT’s) organising and management team.