UKZN’s Professor Ntombifikile Mtshali Named 2024 Top Scholar in Nursing Education

BY: .

Click here for isiZulu version

Professor Ntombifikile (Fikile) Mtshali, an Associate Professor at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) and the Registrar and CEO of the South African Nursing Council (SANC), has been named a 2024 Top Scholar by ScholarGPS, placing her in the top 0.5% of scholars globally in the field of Nursing education.

This recognition is a testament to Mtshali’s outstanding academic contributions and leadership in Nursing education over the course of her career. ScholarGPS, a global platform that evaluates scholarly output across more than 30 million academic profiles and 120 000 institutions, honours researchers who demonstrate exceptional impact and sustained scholarly excellence.

Professor Mtshali received Top Scholar designations in two categories:

•    Top Scholar - Lifetime: Ranked 137th globally in Nurse Education

•    Top Scholar - Past 5 Years: Ranked 22nd globally in Nurse Education

These accolades reflect her extensive publication record, the influence of her research, and her ongoing commitment to strengthening nursing and midwifery education across Africa and beyond.

With over 90 journal articles published - including approximately 76 in Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET)-accredited journals - 15 book chapters, and contributions to 11 World Health Organization (WHO) nursing and midwifery reports, Mtshali has made a lasting contribution to the field. Notably, several articles co-authored with her PhD students have been cited in key global policy documents, including The State of the World’s Nursing Reports (2020 and 2025) and The Nursing and Midwifery Workforce in the Africa Region 2022 report.

She has supervised 21 PhD students and 34 master’s students from across the African region, further demonstrating her commitment to academic mentorship and capacity building.

In her former roles at UKZN, Mtshali served as the Dean of Teaching and Learning in the College of Health Sciences, Head of the Nursing Department, and Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Nursing and Midwifery. She also managed the Nursing Education Partnership Initiative (NEPI) under the International Center for AIDS Care and Treatment Programs (ICAP) at Columbia University.

Her expertise has supported WHO regional task teams and governments across the continent - including in Congo-Brazzaville, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Lesotho, Rwanda, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, and Tanzania - in strengthening policy and practice in nursing and midwifery education. She has also worked as a visiting professor in these countries, helping institutions implement competency-based education.

Mtshali is a respected member and fellow of several professional bodies, including the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, the Academy of Nursing in South Africa, and the Southern Africa Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER) Institute.

On behalf of the College of Health Sciences, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Head of the College, Professor Busi Ncama extends heartfelt congratulations to Professor Mtshali on this international recognition. “Her dedication, scholarly excellence, and leadership continue to elevate the Nursing profession and improve healthcare education across Africa.”

Words: Nombuso Dlamini

Photograph: Supplied