Higher Education: Are we turning the tide towards the

new NSP 2012-2016

Critical considerations:

Mobilising leadership within the HE sector towards

HIV & AIDS

By: Teolene Foster

Sandile Phakathi

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

• National Strategic Plan for HIV, STIs and TB, 2012-2016, South Africa,

2011

• Policy Framework for HIV and AIDS in Higher Education (2008)

• HIV Prevalence and related factors, Higher Education Sector Study,

South Africa, 2008-2009

• Norms and standards for HIV and AIDS prevention, treatment, care and

support, Higher Education Sector Study, South Africa, 2010

• Graduate Competency for Managing HIV/AIDS in the Workplace, Higher

Education Study, South Africa, 2010

NSP FOR HIV, STIs AND TB:2012-2016

Direct reference to HE:

Strategic Objective 1: Address social and structural drivers

of HIV and TB Prevention, Care and Impact

Strategic Objective 2: Prevent new HIV, STI and TB

Infections

Strategic Objective 4: Ensure protection of Human Rights

and Increased Access to Justice

Indirect reference to HE:

• Strategic Objective 3: Sustain Health and Wellness

Strategic Enablers : Research and Effective

Communication

HE LEADERSHIP

• Why should HE take the lead?

Competitive edge in human resource development and

sustainability development

Uniqueness of our core functions of teaching and learning

Research and Community Engagement places us in a

strategic position to work across sectors and spheres of

society to mobilise the necessary capacity and evidence

towards an integrated response

HIGHER EDUCATION LEADERSHIP ROLE IN ADDRESSING HIV AND AIDS

CRITICAL COMPONENTS AND DIRECTIONS: HIV SERO-PREVALENCE AND KAPB SURVEY

CRITICAL COMPONENTS AND DIRECTIONS:HIV SERO-PREVALENCE AND KAPB SURVEY

Prevention, care and support

• Diversified and customised approach in accordance with risk profile

• Adhere to norms and standards for HIV and AIDS prevention, treatment,

care and support for HE in South Africa in accordance with risk profile

• Mitigate contextual risks that increases HIV, STIs and TB vulnerability

and susceptibility : transactional sex, alcohol abuse, women, residence

programmes, bridging programmes

• Strategy to address Risky behaviour

• Workplace and Employee Assistance Programmes for HIV and AIDS to

adhere to the Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993 and the Code of Good

Practice for HIV and AIDS in the Workplace (TB and STIs to be

included)

• Resourcing a major constraint facing the sector

CRITICAL COMPONENTS AND DIRECTIONS:PREPARE GRADUATES

• No formal agreements between HEIs and the Public and Private Sectors

w.r.t HIV and AIDS competencies

• Numerous HIV and AIDS HE policies and programmes, but few

international, regional or national initiatives that equip emerging

graduates with the competencies needed

• Universities education : Preparing students for citizenship or the

workplace?

• HIV and AIDS addressed in extra-curricular activities and not formally

• AIDS Fatigue

• Students almost unanimously argued for a compulsory HIV and AIDS

course.

• Community Engagement and Service Learning : social accountability

and responsiblity

CRITICAL COMPONENTS: AND DIRECTIONS PREPARE GRADUATES

• Business agrees that students are not adequately prepared to address

HIV and AIDS in the workplace

Universities are implementing (or will shortly start to

implement) what they refer to as “life skills” or

“citizenship” education.

CRITICAL COMPONENTS AND DIRECTIONS:STUDENT LEADERSHIP

CRITICAL COMPONENTS AND DIRECTIONS:STUDENT LEADERSHIP

• Address social behaviour that puts students at risk of HIV,

STI infection and reinforce norms and behaviours that

are protective

Sector response needed from Student leadership,

including Student Affairs Management Structures

MOBILISATION OF STUDENT LEADERS

Who are the Student Leaders?

• SRC

• Political student formations

• House and Faculty Committees

• Sports Unions

WHY STUDENT LEADERS?

• They command respect and have tremendous influence on

students

• They have the ability to mobilise students behind and

around popular campaigns

• They hold regular meetings at House, Faculty and Campus

levels

• They have the most recent understanding of how students

interpret their conditions

• Political formations can ensure that HIV and AIDS

awareness is tackled regardless of ideological convictions

EXISTING CAMPAIGNS

• Graduate Alive Campaign

• Anti Substance Abuse Campaign

• First things First Campaign

PARTNERSHIPS

• The specific role of Sports Unions

Each campus and each university has regular fixture games

Fixtures also include games between and among separate Universities

Such fixture start at a residence level

National SASSU Games taking place annually

All these events involve big numbers of spectators

• Strategic Partnerships

Banners to be placed at playing fields during big tournaments

All Sports Unions and to be encouraged to imprint red ribbons on their

official outfit for all sporting codes

Formal agreement with SASSU on how the campaign should be

broadened

CRITICAL COMPONENTS AND DIRECTIONS:RESEARCH AND KNOWLEDGE GENERATION

• Sector research to be steered towards National Agenda:

Linked to the country’s specific needs related to HIV, STIs

and TB

Aligned with the four strategic goals of the NSP

• Key Role Players

Biomedical research: Medical Schools, Health Sciences

Faculties, Science Faculties, Schools of Public Health

Social, Behavioural and Economic Research to ensure that

implementation of biomedical implementation is sensitive to

community needs, preferences and perceptions: Faculty of

Humanities, Faculty of Management;

CRITICAL COMPONENTS AND DIRECTIONS:RESEARCH AND KNOWLEDGE GENERATION

• Sectoral expert involvement within relevant SANAC

structures:

Regular interaction between researchers, policymakers and

leaders of public health programmes

Result in a coordinated national research agenda

• “Repository” for research within HE related to HIV and AIDS

• Facilitate the development of a research agenda aligned

with NSP Research agenda within the sector

• Prioritise Inter-disciplinary research across diciplines

FUNDING NEEDED FOR RESEARCH

QUESTIONS TO ENGAGE WITH AS A SECTOR

How do we move towards a leadership that portrays a

collective conscious rather than an individual or group

of individuals?

What constitutes “graduateness” and “social citizenry”

within the social context of South Africa and where

does HIV and AIDS fit into this?

Are we listening to the voices of society within our

sector? Is this evident in our curricula, research and

community engagement programmes?