For generations, indigenous knowledge holders have preserved African healing systems, cultural practices and ways of understanding the world without formal recognition. 

A partnership between the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) and three universities has now completed a pilot project aimed at changing that by formally recognising indigenous knowledge practitioners through the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) system.

The North-West University (NWU) continues to strengthen its leadership footprint across southern Africa. Prof. Daniel Metsileng, deputy director of the School of Economic Sciences, was elected as the new president of the Southern African Universities Staff Sports Association (SAUSSA).

South Africa’s children face increasing risks of abuse and neglect, while the professionals responsible for protecting them often work within systems that limit their ability to respond effectively.

This was the message delivered by North-West University (NWU) academic, Prof. Elmien Crofford from the Faculty of Health Sciences, during her inaugural lecture on 1 July 2026. 

• The Governing Body Foundation national report on the administrative load of public-school principals should force a national conversation about the administrative burden placed on schools and public institutions.
• When did paperwork become more important than educating children? 
• South Africa's principals are becoming administrators when they should be lead

A North-West University (NWU) researcher has joined a group of scientists recognised for shaping environmental science across the world.

Prof. Victor Wepener was named a recipient of the 2026 Society for Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) Fellow Award during a recent event in the Netherlands. The award recognises sustained contributions to environmental science, research leadership and societal impact.

Prof. Olubukola Oluranti Babalola from the North-West University (NWU) has been recognised among the world’s leading researchers in plant science and agronomy after being ranked 448th globally and fifth in South Africa in the 2026 edition of the Research.com rankings.

Prof. Babalola, who is based on the Mahikeng Campus, also received the 2026 Research.com Plant Science and Agronomy in South Africa Leader Award in recognition of her contribution to research in the field.

Michael Navi Radebe, an alumnus of the North-West University (NWU), has added his name to the list of 2026 Nedbank Cup winners after helping Durban City FC secure the title.

He says the victory carried personal significance because of his earlier connection with the Nedbank brand.

“I was part of the last Nedbank Ke Yona Team Search in 2019, so coming to win this competition feels like a full-circle moment,” he says.

When Dr Rassie Erasmus walked onto the stage at the North-West University (NWU) in 2024 to receive an honorary doctorate, it was not only recognition of a rugby coach. It was recognition of a leader who helped shape moments that united a country and reminded South Africans of what can still be achieved when belief, resilience and shared purpose come together.