In an era in which the identity and sustainability of higher education and the identity of staff are under threat, a renowned industrial psychologist from the North-West University (NWU), Prof Sebastiaan (Ian) Rothmann, together with co-authors Dr Lara Roll and Prof Hans de Witte, has not only raised their voices – they have amplified a global call to action. Through a landmark international publication, the NWU is helping to reshape the future of academia, one research breakthrough at a time.

In October, South Africans celebrate Transport Month, or should we rather say that South Africans acknowledge it? Our indispensable, but ailing transport infrastructure should be the veins through which our economy flows and grows, but these veins have been clocked by corruption, maladministration and neglect. Is our transport infrastructure in danger of causing cardiac arrest to our country?

Staff members, students and stakeholders of the North-West University (NWU) gathered on the Potchefstroom Campus on 2 October to celebrate the launch of the second edition of the book Community Psychology: Global Crisis, Local Realities, and Action Global Crises.  

By Phenyo Mokgothu and Gofaone Motsamai

Veteran broadcaster Tim Modise returned to Mahikeng, where his media career began, to deliver a public lecture on the evolving role of broadcast media in shaping South Africa’s cultural identity.

By Gofaone Motsamai

The decolonisation of higher education curricula will not happen overnight. In the words of the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Prof Mpho Chaka, it is a “continuous multifaceted journey that involves questioning colonialism’s deep-rooted impacts on the way knowledge is produced and shared”.

Prof Chaka, deputy dean for teaching and learning in the Faculty of Humanities, was speaking at the faculty’s 2025 Teaching and Learning Colloquium, held at the Royal Marang Hotel in Rustenburg from 9 to 11 September.

Soft notes floated through the afternoon air like a gentle breeze across lavender fields. The scent of sunflowers and the glow of golden light transformed Prof Paul Smit’s home into a small corner of Provence, carrying guests on a journey of music, memory and quiet celebration.

On Saturday, 13 September, Prof Smit, associate professor in the School for Industrial Psychology and Human Resource Management at the North-West University (NWU), hosted the second house concert in memory of his late wife, Elmain.

By Jalize Fourie

The Faculty of Humanities at North-West University (NWU) took a bold step into the future of research and innovation with the official launch of its Centre for Digital Humanities (CDH) on Friday, 19 September, at the Riverside Sun Hotel in Vanderbijlpark.

On 19 August 2025, the university hosted a transformative sustainability workshop aimed at strengthening pathways for female students into impactful careers. With support from the British Council South Africa, the event created an inspiring platform for students to engage with practitioners, explore career options, and build the skills required to drive meaningful change.

“Do your little bit of good where you are; it's those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.” Desmond Tutu.

Community engagement is about people meeting people and sharing knowledge. It is done to touch lives, strengthen human connections, and remind us that learning has its deepest meaning when it serves others. Helping others is not just an act; it is a gift of compassion and a quiet way to leave the world better than we found it.

One of South Africa’s most experienced news broadcasters, Tim Modise, returns to the place where his career started, Mahikeng, to deliver a public lecture on how the media have shaped cultural identify in democratic South Africa.

The lecture on 6 October is a collaboration between the Journalism Sub-programme of the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Indigenous Language Media in Africa (ILMA) research niche area and the Tim Modise Foundation.