Centre offers academic programmes to address the HIV/Aids challenge

Towards the end of 2000, South Africa's presidency requested Stellenbosch University to develop a programme that takes HIV training, strategic human resources management and capacity building to the managers and labour leaders. This challenge sought to positively impact the epidemic by extending HIV programme and policy design, prevention and care to the world of work.

This, in turn, led to the design and development of a Postgraduate Diploma (PGDiP) in HIV/Aids Management (PGDip). After months of planning and carefully structuring the course, it was first presented in 2001 under the auspices of the Department of Industrial Psychology. Currently, the programme resides with the Africa Centre for HIV/Aids Management within the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences and has already produced more than 5000 graduates to date.

As a direct result of the success of the PGDip, the Africa Centre for HIV/Aids Management was established in January 2003, functioning as a fully-fledged unit for teaching and learning, research and community engagement with a primary focus on HIV/Aids management in the workplace.

"The importance of this Centre is to incorporate the strategic human resources management, research and community dimension to the world of work. The holistic wellness of human capital in the world of work is critically important for any society and institution," says Dr Munya Saruchera, Senior Lecturer and Acting Director at the Africa Centre for HIV/Aids Management at Stellenbosch University's main campus.

“The holistic wellness of human capital in the world of work is critically important for any society and institution."

- Dr Munya Saruchera

A Master's programme (MPhil) was also introduced in 2003, which builds and expands on the HIV-related skills of students who have completed the PGDip.?

More than 500 students have completed the MPhil programme, including medical doctors, nurses, teachers, labour union leaders, social activists, human resources managers, pastors, and other professionals from more than 40 countries.

The Centre launched a Doctoral programme (PhD) in 2020, with its first graduates expected in 2023.