The greatest age of discovery is still ahead of us

Prof. Jeffrey Mphahlele, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research & Innovation, Community Engagement, Postgraduate Studies with assigned function of the Vanderbijlpark Campus

Prof. Jeffrey Mphahlele, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research & Innovation, Community Engagement, Postgraduate Studies with assigned function of the Vanderbijlpark Campus
- South Africa’s schools have not collapsed — but “not collapsed” must never become our standard for success.
- A child who cannot read for meaning by Grade 4 is not merely behind at school; that child faces a narrowed future.
- A country cannot build an innovation economy when hundreds of its schools do not even offer Mathematics.
By Prof. Bismark Tyobeka, principal and vice-chancellor of the North-West University (NWU)
Mount Fuji’s famous peak is hidden behind a blanket of clouds today. It is a wondrous sight, and there is a serenity to it. It feels as though Japan, and specifically Tokyo, where I am, has been transported from the future to the present. The country is a technological marvel of automation and innovation, yet I also find myself carried into the past, to terrible moments more than 80 years ago.
According to the Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Andries Nel, the legal profession is a public service and a calling rather than simply a career.
Addressing law students at a career expo held as part of the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Mandela Day programme, he emphasised the importance of purpose and integrity when pursuing a career in law.
Against the backdrop of South Africa's persistent youth unemployment crisis, the North-West University (NWU) hosted its Economic Update under the theme Umuntu Omusha – "Education for Jobs in Our Economy", challenging students to rethink their role in the economy by becoming adaptable graduates, innovative entrepreneurs and ethical leaders capable of shaping South Africa's future.
The North-West University (NWU) welcomed a high-level delegation from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Department of Electricity and Energy (DEE) to its Potchefstroom Campus on Wednesday, 1 July 2026, for a strategic engagement aimed at strengthening collaboration in nuclear science, research and human capital development.
There are people who pass through institutions, and then there are people who become part of them woven into the very fabric of what an organisation stands for. Bert Sorgdrager belongs to the latter.
By Prof.Twice I was there when South Africa was the centre of the universe. The last decade of the 20th century heralded the arrival of a nation poised to lead through moral example, as we pledged never again to repeat our tainted history. Today, many citizens threaten violence against foreigners, and once again we face becoming one of the world's pariahs.
The future of the North-West University (NWU) was reimagined in powerful terms at the Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Indaba held at Pont de Val in Parys, where the principal and vice-chancellor, Prof. Bismark Tyobeka delivered a compelling call for the institution to position itself as a driver of innovation, job creation and economic transformation.