Higher Education: Are we turning the tide towards the new NSP 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, , South Africa, 2011 Policy Framework for HIV and AIDS in Higher Education (2008) HIV Prevalence and related factors, Higher Education Sector Study, South Africa, 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: 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 Leadership Internal University Community Prevention, care and support Prepare Graduates: Professionally Personally Develop Student Leadership External Society Research and Generating new knowledge Community Engagement

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 Visible leadership Advocacy role Lead by Example Tranformational Agenda

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?