As 2025 draws to a close, we would like to share the many moments that have made this year special for Wits University - including fascinating stories of extraordinary Witsies and friends around the world who continue to excel and do us proud on the global stage. Your enduring connection to Wits and your belief in what we stand for inspires all that we do. Thank you for helping to keep Wits a place of hope, excellence and innovation. With graduation season upon us, and the Great Hall once again filled with the excitement of future possibilities, we pause to celebrate a year marked by academic achievement, meaningful social impact, a strong sense of belonging and ongoing efforts to secure a sustainable future for our university - and indeed our world. We extend our heartfelt thanks to every member of the Wits community. We wish you a holiday season filled with rest, joy and reflection. Finally, to our generous donors and friends, a special thank you for your steadfast support - your commitment ensures that Wits' excellence continues to thrive. Together, we remain Wits. For Good. Enjoy the snapshots of Wits excellence below!
Breakthrough Quantum research will have revolutionary impact “Beam me up, Scotty!” A brave new South African-led study aims to exactly solve the quantum physics challenge that the fictional starship Enterprise's transporter system is designed to overcome. Unfortunately, we're not looking to dematerialise people and put them together again somewhere else, which certainly would be very exciting. Professor Andrew Forbes, a Distinguished Professor in the Structured Light Laboratory at Wits University explains: “We're going to show people the future – and unlock South Africa's development potential.” To make the nascent field of harnessing quantum entanglement viable, Forbes and a vibrant, young team of South African researchers and select international partners, including leading scientists from China's Huzhou University, France's Sorbonne University and Australia's Monash University – aim to practically demonstrate an entirely novel way to manage quantum information. Quantum computing will be exponentially more powerful than current technology, allowing us to be able to quickly solve very difficult problems in fields such as chemistry, pharmacology, logistics, finance and others. Wits' quantum physics research, which stands to offer manifest benefits for humanity, is generously funded in part by R2.5-million from the Oppenheimer Memorial Trust through its annual Harry Oppenheimer Fellowship Award, of which Professor Forbes is a 2024 corecipient. Forbes also won the Special Annual Theme Award: Quantum Science and Technology, at the 2025 NSTF-South32 Awards, recognising his efforts to drive the strategy of developing a new generation of quantum scientists – with some 90 young researchers supported and supervised across South Africa – and for creating a lasting and far-reaching impact in quantum science and technology in South Africa.