21 August 2026
Volume: 14
Issue: 26
Mr Matthew Wilkinson in the field after verifying bird presence at King Shaka International Airport and (right) The Robin Radar Systems MAX bird detection radar at King Shaka International Airport.

UKZN Researchers Help Pioneer Bird Radar Programme at King Shaka International Airport

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The University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) researchers are playing a vital role in an innovative aviation safety and conservation initiative aimed at protecting bird species, including millions of migratory Barn Swallows, at King Shaka International Airport (KSIA).

Ms Makwena Melita Sebone.

Genetics PhD Candidate Named Finalist in National Women in Science Awards

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University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) PhD candidate in Biological Sciences Ms Makwena Melita Sebone is a finalist in the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation’s (DSTI) South African Women in Science Awards (SAWiSA), an initiative aimed at advancing gender equity and empowering women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

Dr Shaaista Moosa.

Masculinity, Care and Childhood: How Do They Intersect Within the South African Education System?

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University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) academic Dr Shaaista Moosa recently published a book that examines the often-overlooked presence and absence of men in the Foundation Phase of schooling in South Africa, challenging traditional assumptions about masculinity, care and teaching young children.

Ms Sithandiwe Hadebe and Mr Mlondolozi Mazibuko.

UKZN Medical Students Gain Global Surgical Experience Through Exchange Programme in Austria

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Two final-year Medical students from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) have returned from a two-month exchange programme at the Medical University of Graz (MUG) in Austria, having gained clinical knowledge and international experience.

Ms Suveera Singh.

Doctoral Student Presents Research at Leading Global Maritime Economics Conference

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The University of KwaZulu-Natal’s (UKZN) School of Commerce doctoral student Ms Suveera Singh presented a paper titled ‘Credentialed but Excluded: Technological Change, Precarity and Mental Health among Unemployed South African Seafarers’ at the International Association of Maritime Economists (IAME) 2026 Conference - one of the world’s leading conferences in the field of maritime economics.

Scenes from the CGSO 2025/2026 Annual Report Launch.

UKZN and Consumer Goods and Services Ombud Launch Annual Report

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The University of KwaZulu-Natal’s (UKZN) School of Law in partnership with the Consumer Goods and Services Ombud (CGSO), hosted the launch of the CGSO’s 2025/2026 Annual Report at the MH Joosub Hall on the University’s Westville campus.

Dr Jenasha Tooray, lecturer in the Discipline of Marketing and Supply Chain Management in the School of Commerce.

From Global Research Recognition to Cultivating Sustainable Futures: UKZN’s ‘PedagoGardener’ Plants Seeds of Change

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The University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) academic Dr Jenasha Tooray is developing a growing body of research that connects social marketing, sustainable consumption and behavioural change with the need to build healthier and more environmentally responsible societies.

Highlights from the Bake to Heal initiative.

Bake to Heal - New Men’s Initiative for Positive Mental Health

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Ready, steady, bake! The Discipline of Psychiatry at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) has introduced an innovative ‘Bake to Heal’ initiative to promote positive mental health among men in KwaZulu-Natal.

Learners from 10 high schools gathered to test their bridge designs at the South African Institution of Civil Engineering Pietermaritzburg Branch’s Bridge Building competition.

School Bridge-Building Competition Puts Young Engineering Skills to the Test

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On Saturday, 25 July, the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) hosted the South African Institution of Civil Engineering (SAICE) Pietermaritzburg Branch’s ‘Bridge Building’ competition on its Pietermaritzburg campus.

UKZN Commerce academics serving as reviewers for the KHULA Kids MBA Programme in the Anglo-Zulu Battlefields region of Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift.

Commerce Academics Mentor Rural Learners Through KHULA Kids MBA Programme

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For a group of Grade 7 learners from rural KwaZulu-Natal, entrepreneurship is becoming more than a classroom concept – it is opening their minds to new possibilities for themselves, their families and their communities.
The UKZN Science Centre at the launch of National Science Month 2026.

UKZN Science Centre Showcases Inclusive Science at National Science Month Launch

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The University of KwaZulu-Natal’s (UKZN) Science Centre, based in the College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science, participated in the launch of National Science Month 2026 at the Vaal University of Technology’s Southern Gauteng Science and Technology Park in Sebokeng, Vereeniging.

Scenes from the WCRC awareness initiative as students marched through Westville campus, standing together against gender-based violence.

WCRC Raises Awareness of Gender-Based Violence at UKZN

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The Westville Campus Representative Council (WCRC) recently hosted a Gender-Based Violence (GBV) awareness initiative at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), calling on students and staff to help create a safer, more respectful and inclusive campus environment.

Ms Thandolwethu Ngwadla (left) and Ms Brooklyn Frederick.

UKZN Medical Students Gain Global Perspective Through UCLA Exchange Programme

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Two final-year Medical students from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) have returned from a three-week exchange programme at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), having gained clinical experience and greater insight into patient-centred healthcare.

Dean and Head of the School of Arts, Professor Nobuhle Hlongwa and DIFF Manager, Mr Sakhile Gumede at the opening.

University of KwaZulu-Natal Continues to Support the Durban International Film Festival

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The University of KwaZulu-Natal’s (UKZN) Centre for Creative Arts (CCA) recently hosted the 47th Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) from 23 July to 2 August at Suncoast Cinema.

Judges and contestants at the EDHE Absa InnoVarsity Internal Round at the Edgewood campus.

Student Entrepreneurs Secure Regional Spots at EDHE Absa InnoVarsity Internal Round

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The University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), through its Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, hosted the Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) Absa InnoVarsity Internal Round at the Edgewood campus.

UKZN Goalball Teams: Men’s Team (standing) and Women’s Team (crouching).

UKZN Goalball Teams Make Competitive Debut at KwaMashu Tournament

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For the newly formed University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) goalball teams, the KwaMashu tournament was about much more than the final scores. It marked the start of their competitive journey.

Highlights of the UKZN SAICA Accounting Business Games, sponsored by BDO South Africa.

SAICA-UKZN Accounting Business Games Inspire Future Business Leaders

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The annual SAICA-UKZN Accounting Business Games provide high school learners with a practical and engaging introduction to accounting, business and entrepreneurship, while encouraging them to consider careers in the Accounting profession.

School learners visit Merck’s Curiosity Cube and Biological Sciences facilities on UKZN’s Pietermaritzburg campus.

STEM Outreach Amplified Through Merck’s Curiosity Cube

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The University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) hosted Merck’s Curiosity Cube on its Pietermaritzburg campus for the mobile science laboratory’s first visit to KwaZulu-Natal.

From left: Ms Scarlett Stromer, Professor Colleen Downs, Ms Mary Dagg and Ms Simangele Myeni at the screening of The Woman Who Loves Giraffes.

Film Screening Highlights Pioneering Giraffe Expert’s Contributions to Science

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The School of Agriculture and Science at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) in Pietermaritzburg hosted a screening of The Woman Who Loves Giraffes, a critically acclaimed 2018 documentary covering the life and work of Dr Anne Innis Dagg, the ‘Jane Goodall of giraffes’.

UKZN Supply Chain Management academics, standing from left: Dr Roger Hans Salisbury, Dr Eric Ncube, Dr Jayrusha Ramasamy Gurayah, Professor Micheline Naude and Dr Mandla Mvubu; and seated from right: Professor Thokozani Mbhele with Inchainge Director Ms Tracy Cheetham.

UKZN Explores Experiential Learning in Supply Chain Education

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The University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) is strengthening international engagement in its Supply Chain Management (SCM) Discipline and exploring new approaches to preparing students for careers in the field.