The National University Teaching Awards (NUTA) recognise South Africa's most outstanding university educators and teaching teams for their innovation, scholarship, and impact on student success. Coordinated through South African University Teachers (SAUT), the awards honour excellence in teaching across the country's 26 public universities, highlighting the vital role of quality teaching in...

The South African University Teachers (SAUT), through its National Coordinating Committee, will host the National University Teaching Awards (NUTA) Ceremony - South Africa's pinnacle recognition for excellence in university teaching and learning. Implemented under the Department of Higher Education and Training's (DHET) National Framework for Enhancing Academics as University Teachers (NFfEAUT)...

The Labour Court has interdicted Higher Education Minister Buti Manamela from restarting the recruitment process for the National Skills Fund (NSF) CEO post. The court found that the Minister's directive appeared to exceed his legal powers, with the law assigning the appointment authority to the department's Director-General. Dr. Khathutshelo Sirovha was unanimously recommended for the position...

Higher Education Minister Buti Manamela is calling for South African universities to confront challenges around funding, student debt, institutional stability and transformation, warning that expanding access without strengthening institutions could undermine the sector. Manamela made the remarks while delivering a keynote address at a webinar on the intellectual directions of higher education in...

The University of Cape Town (UCT) has partnered with three institutions across BRICS nations. Together they have launched the BRICS BioDesign Centre and Programme. The initiative aims to strengthen medical device innovation, manufacturing and healthcare capacity across the Global South. UCT's partners are India's Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone (AMTZ), Sechenov University in Russia and the Brazilian...

THE situation across the UKZN campuses remains calm and is being monitored closely to safeguard the university community, property and the academic programme. This follows the disruption of lectures and acts of violence at its Westville Campus yesterday, Monday, October 12. It was reported that the protest followed student elections on October 8 and 9, in which the SA Students Congress (SASCO)...

Vodacom and the University of Johannesburg (UJ), in collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS), have extended their artificial intelligence (AI) partnership through the AI for Africa Hackathon Challenge. Held at Vodacom World in Johannesburg, the hackathon gave participating UJ students an opportunity to develop and showcase AI-driven solutions to real-world societal challenges across...

Researchers at Wits University have built what the university calls a "light-powered brain": an optical neural network that recognises information hidden in complex patterns of light without first taking a detailed picture of them. The potential payoff is faster, sturdier optical communications. Each light pattern can stand for a different symbol, and there is in principle no limit to how many...

Academics have supported Umalusi's call to scrap the public ranking of provinces through so-called "league tables" which are based on pupils' performance in the National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams. The Department of Basic Education announces the country's top province each year with much fanfare during the release of the matric exam results in January. KwaZulu-Natal was declared the...

The Department of Basic Education's recent rejection of renewed calls to scrap Mathematical Literacy has reignited a longstanding debate about whether the subject is serving learners and the country as intended. The department maintains that mathematical literacy has a legitimate purpose and has placed reform, stronger mathematical...

The National Gambling Board (NGB) has expressed concern over a growing number of students and social grant recipients using government-provided funds for gambling activities. Speaking with Sunday World after delivering a formal address at the launch of Sun International's Responsible Gambling Charter, acting NGB chief executive...

North-West University lecturer Nomsa Kubheka-Mohosho recently spoke at a primary school reading conference in Bloemfontein. She encouraged teachers to change how they test reading by moving away from checking if children pass or fail. Instead, she explained that assessment should be a useful tool to figure out what individual...

As artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes how students access information, read, write and think, lecturers are being challenged to rethink their teaching methods and protect the human experiences that make learning meaningful. The need to adapt was a key theme at the University of KwaZulu-Natal's (UKZN) fourth Innovations in the...

South Africa's mining future depends on more than its mineral wealth. The industry must address the environmental, social, skills and economic challenges inherited from generations of mining while building a more sustainable future. This challenge framed the Wits Mining Institute's (WMI) "From Legacy to Leadership: Shaping...

The computer training initiatives at the University of Pretoria's Mamelodi Campus represent a vital intersection between higher education and community empowerment. Although the Campus was historically designed to serve a township with limited access to technology, it has evolved into a digital sanctuary where residents of all ages...

CPUT's commitment to addressing real-world challenges has received national recognition, with two case studies highlighting how the institution's research is making a societal impact in South Africa and beyond selected for publication on the USAf website. In May 2026 Universities South Africa (USAf) launched an open call for impact...

The Central University of Technology, Free State (CUT), is celebrating an international achievement after Motsamai, an innovative smart robotic wheelchair, secured second place at the 2026 IROS Volting Cup Wheelchair Dance Competition, held during the IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS) in...

Former Walter Sisulu All Blacks captain and assistant coach Phumlani Blaauw has been appointed Border Under-15 coach recently, bringing his experience at university level to the development of young rugby talent in the Eastern Cape. Blaauw, who was born in Port Elizabeth, now Gqeberha, and grew up in KwaMaqoma, began playing rugby...

In recognition of October Transport Month, the Durban University of Technology (DUT) hosted its inaugural Transport, Campus Safety and Smart Mobility Awareness Expo at the Fred Crookes Sport Centre on the Steve Biko Campus in Durban. Hosted in collaboration between the Logistical Services Unit (LSU) and the Protection Services Unit...

The University of Cape Town (UCT) will host The Faculty of Science's Distinguished Alumni Lecture on Thursday, 15 October, at 18:00 at the Hoerikwaggo Lecture Theatre 2, upper campus. Attendees will discover where a science degree can lead and will hear directly from alumni shaping their fields, including Dr Gareth Tate (senior...

The University of Zululand's Department of Information Studies recently hosted its 26th Annual Information Studies International Conference at Indaba Lodge under the theme "Rethinking Knowledge Infrastructure: AI, Justice, and Decolonial Futures in Digital Systems, Libraries and Archives". What began in 2000 as a small...

Carl Leshilo of Nelson Mandela University's Engagement Office, Student Hubs of Convergence (SHoC), recently completed a China-Aid training programme in Chengdu, China. Facilitated by China's Ministry of Commerce, The International Standardization Development of Service Trade for BRI Partner Countries programme was hosted at the...

Something big is coming to VUT, and it has a face. On 16 October 2026, the Vaal University of Technology (VUT) will unveil three exciting mascot concepts, giving students, staff and stakeholders the chance to help choose the University's very first official mascot. But this isn't just about picking a character. It's about choosing...

The Nazareth Tertiary Students' Association (NaTeSA) Durban University of Technology (DUT) Branch recently hosted a Health for All Programme, providing health education, basic health screenings and compassionate support to elderly residents at John Conradie House, near Addington Hospital in Durban. Established in 1998, NaTeSA is a...

A South African writer whose work travelled beyond the country's borders, yet whose name remains unfamiliar to many at home, is at the centre of a new book by Nelson Mandela University historian Dr Vusumuzi Kumalo and Professor Benjamin Lawrance of the University of Arizona. Original Apartheid Hustler: The Fiction and Fabrications...

The communities of Ratjespane and Makapanstad in Moretele in the Bojanala Platinum Municipality, North West, as well as small-scale farmers in the surrounding villages, have benefited from the services of the Production Animal Mobile (PAM) Clinic of the University of Pretoria's Faculty of Veterinary Science for many years. This...

Student leadership plays an important role in shaping the university experience and preparing students to lead with purpose, responsibility and confidence. The NWU Student Leadership Summit (SLS), first launched in 2023, provides a platform for student leaders to learn from one another, share ideas and develop skills that will help...

Staff members embraced the spirit of institutional unity by adding a touch of purple to their outfits and showcasing their creativity during the recent Purple for Pizza campaign. The initiative by the Marketing and Communication Department encouraged staff members to team up with their colleagues, dress in purple and create...

Students from the Department of Information Technology (IT) in the Faculty of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) at the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) have achieved a significant milestone by advancing to the top 10 in two major technology competitions. The students will represent TUT in the finals of the Centre...

From villages perched upon hills and riverbanks, from towns and cities, farms and hamlets across the length and breadth of our country, a million matriculants will take their seats in examination halls, large and small. This cohort constitutes the largest pipeline for the young bright minds that enter the South African university...

Visitors to Zandvlei Estuary can now discover the hidden importance of one of its most overlooked inhabitants through a series of educational signs developed by students and researchers from the University of Cape Town (UCT). Installed along a popular footpath, the public-facing infographics highlight the ecological role of...

Postgraduate research into gender-based violence (GBV) prevention in rural communities and the lasting effects of childhood trauma on adults has earned two University of Fort Hare (UFH) students top honours in the University's inaugural Three-Minute Thesis (3MT) competition. Aphiwe Mphompo, a doctoral candidate in Sociology...

The University of the Free State (UFS) is taking its Three-Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition to new heights. Following its first edition at the Qwaqwa Campus, the university is preparing to expand the initiative across the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region from 2027, creating new opportunities for postgraduate...

At the University of Johannesburg, diversity is more than the presence of students from different backgrounds. It is reflected in the languages spoken across campus, the traditions carried from home, the music that brings people together and the many cultural identities that shape the UJ student experience. This diversity will take...

The University of South Africa (Unisa), through Unisa Press, has brought renewed attention to Africa's liberation history and the international alliances that helped shape the continent's political future with the launch of From Cairo to Cape, a book by renowned Russian historian and scholar Prof Vladimir Shubin. Hosted in...

A research project inspired by the ancient limestone formations of South Africa's Cango Caves has earned international recognition, highlighting how nature-inspired chemistry could help address climate change while creating valuable resources for society. Dr Itani Madiba, a Cape Town-based senior researcher and scientist associated...

A qualification may open a door. What ultimately matters is whether graduates are ready to walk through it. That challenge was at the heart of the Discover Your Future with Unemployed Graduate Reskilling and Integration Programme (U-GRIP) hosted by the University in partnership with its Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL) and...

In today's digital age, we live in a world overflowing with information. A quick scroll through your phone can bring up a news story, a social media post, a video, or even an answer written entirely by artificial intelligence. This was the focus of the International Literacy Day 2026 event held at the Vanderbijlpark Campus on 15...

Africa is by no means "at the kiddies' table" when it comes to contributing to engineering advancements in artificial intelligence, according to two professors who have made it their mission to support budding technology researchers on the continent.When computer scientist Benjamin Rosman, who was "born and bred" in Johannesburg...

Pre-registration and re-registration for the 2026-2027 academic year have been open since October 9 in Benin on etudiant.bj, which is now common to all four public universities. The Ministry of Higher Education announced this system in a statement signed on October 12, aimed at both new graduates and students continuing their...

The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has directed all public universities to reopen their campuses for the 2026/2027 academic year by Friday, October 16, despite any earlier decisions to postpone reopening. In a letter dated October 13, 2026, and signed by Deputy Director-General Prof. Augustine Ocloo on behalf of the...

The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has asked the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) to allocate GH¢100 million to St Paul's Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) School at Kukurantumi in the Eastern Region to produce beds for senior high schools. The proposal forms part of plans to address the shortage of...

More than 700,000 students in public universities are bearing the cost of the lecturers' strike, now in its second week, after negotiations collapsed yesterday, prolonging the disruption of learning. Students have lost valuable learning time and fear their upkeep money will run out before teaching resumes. Some face a choice...

Bong County University (BCU) has provided 40 computers and four air conditioners to its College of Information Technology, paving the way for the expansion of its computer laboratories from two to six. The equipment was provided following a request from the college's Dean, Ridwan Mansaray, as part of efforts to strengthen practical...

The National Universities Commission (NUC) has sanctioned two universities for violating its guidelines on the conferment of honorary doctorate degrees, eight months after warning institutions against the indiscriminate award and misuse of the titles. The Executive Secretary of the commission, Prof. Abdullahi Ribadu, disclosed this...

The Nigerian Government has urged universities to strengthen governance, accountability and regulatory compliance while adopting artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies to improve education quality and global competitiveness. The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, made the call at the 2026 retreat...

The University of Seychelles (UniSey) has been elected to lead a regional higher education body bringing together universities and research institutions from nine countries in Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean. The election gives the island nation a greater role in promoting academic cooperation, research and student exchanges...

Student protesters hurled bricks and concrete blocks at Albania's Education Ministry in Tirana on Tuesday ​and police fired tear gas and water cannons ‌in response, as a nationwide demonstration over education and social issues turned violent. Police officers detained several protesters. Student organisers said ​the protest was...

Data has shifted former minister Alannah MacTiernan's perspective on merging Western Australia's three universities. MacTiernan told 6PR Drive host Jamie Burnett that WA must concentrate its resources to scale up and compete nationally. "Why on earth shouldn't we have one of the best universities in the country? We shouldn't be...

The J&K Higher Education Department (HED) has sought details of audited accounts for the preceding five years, including funds generated and utilised and payments made to individuals not directly involved in the functioning of universities as educational institutions. The move comes in the wake of the Supreme Court's proceedings...

The number of foreign researchers in Sweden has doubled since 2012, and now make up around half of all new hires in university research, a new report from Statistics Sweden revealed. A total of 1,030 new foreign researchers were hired by Swedish universities in 2025, according to Statistics Sweden. Since 2012, foreign nationals...

University of Pittsburgh is among nine higher education institutions under federal investigation for alleged visa fraud, according to Vice President J.D. Vance. The schools, he said, have been overusing America's J-1 visa program, opting to hire workers from other countries and paying them lower wages than they would provide...

More than 130 colleges and universities in New York State are waiving application fees for high school seniors this fall. For the fourth straight year, students can apply for free to SUNY, CUNY, and more than 45 participating private colleges. This year, the application period has been extended into November. The free application...

On the afternoon of October 13, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung attended and delivered a speech at the 2026 opening ceremony of the Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCM), organized under the theme "VNU-HCM with the aspiration for strategic technological self-reliance through Vietnamese talent". The program was attended...

Vietnam has nearly 22,000 international students, but officials lack a breakdown by study level, making it harder to gauge the country's appeal as a higher education destination. During the 2025-2026 academic year, approximately 22,000 international students were studying at educational institutions across Vietnam. Of these, around...