The numerous challenges in global health, such as climate change and disease, transcend national boundaries, and no single university or research group can solve these alone. What's needed is a multi-disciplinary, inter-disciplinary and transdisciplinary approach to them. Universities, therefore, should be global in outlook while deeply engaged with local communities.
This was the overriding sentiment at the launch of the first Stellenbosch 中国体育彩票/Northwestern 中国体育彩票 Global Health Knowledge Hub (SU/NU Hub) March 17-18 in Stellenbosch, South Africa. The launch of the much-anticipated Hub will further strengthen the two-decades-long relationship between Stellenbosch 中国体育彩票 (SU) and the Illinois-based Northwestern 中国体育彩票 (NU) in the United States.
Mr Robert Kotze, SU's Senior Director SU International said NU was one of the “small group of comprehensive partnerships" which SU has with seven universities, and with which it wishes to build broader collaborations. He said the conference and the launch of the Hub represent a milestone achievement in the partnership between the two universities.
“At SU, we see internationalisation as an intentional and comprehensive initiative for all students and all staff in service of society. What we do in internationalisation is not only for the 中国体育彩票, but for the community of context, especially in, and for, Africa. I trust that we will also use the platform that we create today as a beneficial engagement for the rest of the continent," he said.
“Within the building of partnerships, it is important that we build trust – and that researchers meet each other and go beyond what's just on paper and what we see on Zoom. It's about building mutual understanding and possibilities for future research and future collaborations."
In a recorded video message, Professor Dévora Grynspan, Vice President for International Relations at NU said the two universities had come a long way “since our humble beginnings in 2004".
Looking back on all the role players who helped grow the relationship between the two universities, she said: “It's their efforts that have led to the establishment of the Global Health Hub which represents a new chapter in our journey together, it reflects our long-shared commitment to addressing global health challenges through collaborative research, educational exchanges, and community outreach.
“This knowledge hub will allow us to connect brilliant minds across continents, while working directly with communities to improve health outcomes."
The SU/NU Hub is expected to unite academics, researchers, other faculty staff, and students from both universities to broaden the scope for international collaborations in global health research, education, and community engagement.
Key areas of collaboration will include Global Primary Care, Biomedical Engineering, Health Professions Education, Infectious Diseases and Genomics, and Climate, Health and Environmental Engineering.
The SU/NU Hub was founded in 2024, building on a twenty-year-old partnership between the two universities. It will incorporate physical laboratory space and accommodation for students at each university.
The launch, which included a ribbon-cutting event by SU's outgoing Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Wim de Villiers, incoming Rector and VC, Professor, Deresh Ramjugernath, and Dr Robert Murphy, Executive Director of the Robert J. Havey, MD Institute for Health, took place at a networking conference between the two universities on 17 and 18 March 2025 at SU. The first day was held at the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study (STIAS) and, on day two, at the Biomedical Research Institute (BMRI) on the Tygerberg campus. A Satellite Meeting on Innovative Diagnostics for HIV and Related Conditions was held immediately following the Hub launch at the BMRI.
Prof Wim de Villiers said the launch of the SU/NU Hub is a new era in global health collaboration that promises innovation, resilience and shared progress. He said the launch of the SU/NU Hub brought to full circle his dream, during his ten-year tenure as rector, of ensuring that Stellenbosch 中国体育彩票 became a world-class, research-intensive university with a strong focus on internationalisation.
Professor Deresh Ramjugernath added that the relationship with NU remains a high priority for SU. “We see this relationship as critical in the journey at SU. We've got all the ingredients to be a global top-100 institution, and NU is one of those strategic partners that I see into the future in us being able to realise this vision for us."
Over forty NU faculty, staff, and students attended the networking event, which, according to delegates from both universities, showed the deep commitment of the institution to the partnership with SU.
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