Neighbours share more than fences, and neighbouring countries more than borders. This is especially true for the relationship between South Africa and Botswana. In the theatre of southern African politics, South Africa and Botswana share more than just a 2 000 km border: they share intertwined fates.

“You are not too young to invent. You are not too rural to innovate. And you are certainly not too poor to dream big.” These were the words of North-West University (NWU) vice-chancellor Prof. Bismark Tyobeka as he addressed learners, educators and community members during the third annual Vice-Chancellor’s Science Day in Kuruman on 6 August 2025.

Home to the legendary All Blacks and a global reputation for sporting brilliance, New Zealand recently connected with the North-West University (NWU) over a shared drive to push the limits in high-performance sport and sports science.

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).

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.

He is known for setting the highest standards for himself, and now Prof Bismark Tyobeka, principal and vice-chancellor of the North-West University (NWU), has been entrusted with doing the same for the country. As the newly appointed member and chairperson of the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS), he will steer an institution that plays a critical role in setting and upholding South Africa’s national standards.

The future of the North-West University’s (NWU) Desmond Tutu School of Medicine was further consolidated on Tuesday, 24 June 2025, with the signing of a memorandum of agreement (MoA) between the NWU and the North West Department of Health (NWDoH) on the university’s Potchefstroom Campus.

“It is a privilege to be able to celebrate another milestone in the establishment of our medical school,” said Prof Awie Kotzé, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences.

The North-West University (NWU) delegation’s visit to the Universidad Tecnológica del Perú (UTP) on 17 June began with a warm and culturally rich welcome that set the tone for an inspiring day of academic exchange and collaboration.

On 10 June 2025, Prof Bismark Tyobeka, principal and vice-chancellor of the North-West University (NWU), arrived in Curitiba, Brazil, alongside a delegation of senior academic staff to formalise a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the NWU and the Universidade Federal do Paraná (UFPR).

The agreement aims to strengthen collaboration in research, staff development, and the exploration of new academic fields, while also advancing initiatives related to student and staff exchange programmes.

Comrades Marathon superstar Tete Dijana went supernova on Sunday 8 June when he won his third Comrades Marathon, following back-to-back victories in 2022 and 2023.

Dijana is an employee of Mi7, which is an external security service provider to the North-West University (NWU), and his reassuring presence on the Mahikeng Campus has made him a beloved member of the NWU family.

It was a stellar performance from Dijana who completed the 98.98 km distance from Pietermaritzburg to Durban in a time of five hours, 25 minutes and 28 seconds.