The Desmond Tutu School of Medicine's Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) programme received accreditation from the Council on Higher Education’s Quality Committee. The council confirmed the accreditation in correspondence dated Friday, 21 August.

The six-year, 940-credit MBChB programme will be offered through contact learning at NWU’s Potchefstroom Campus, bringing the university closer to welcoming its first medical students in 2028. The accreditation process required the university to provide detailed evidence on the programme’s curriculum, governance, clinical training arrangements, staffing, finances, infrastructure, assessment practices, and exit-level outcomes.

The council has confirmed the programme’s full accreditation and that all stipulated conditions have been met. The university has now started the process of registering the qualification with the South African Qualifications Authority on the National Qualifications Framework. The next major milestone will be professional accreditation by the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA), which is essential before graduates can enter professional practice.

“The accreditation of our MBChB programme by the Council on Higher Education is a major milestone in the development of the programme,” said Desmond Tutu School of Medicine inaugural chief director Prof. Binu Luke. “More than excitement, there is a sense of relief because accreditation by the CHE is a crucial step in our progress towards establishing the school.”

“This is the result of extensive hours of planning, organisation and implementation across our five workstreams, covering the North-West doctor, clinical training, human resources, infrastructure, governance and curriculum development.

“The next major milestone is accreditation by the HPCSA, which is essential for our graduates to ultimately enter professional practice. We have planned the accreditation visit for February 2027. From now on, there is no going back. We must continue the work and deliver the fully developed school in January 2028.”

The university will also finalise agreements with the University of the Witwatersrand and the National Health Laboratory Service to support the academic, clinical and laboratory components of the programme. The school will become South Africa’s 11th medical school and the sixth school within NWU’s Faculty of Health Sciences. The school is expected to accommodate 50 first-year students in 2028, with the number increasing to 100 annually after four years.

OFM News/Zenande Mpame dg

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