University Of Fort Hare Health Sciences, It is a pleasure to welcome you to the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Fort Hare. The vision of the Faculty of Health Sciences is to be a vibrant, competent, committed and be a globally recognized faculty through the provision of excellence in teaching, learning, research and community engagement. The outstanding programs in the faculty provide students the opportunity to explore basic and applied sciences and health care careers. The academic staff are student-focused and dedicated to providing high quality educational experiences that expand student’s knowledge beyond the classroom into practical occupations that spur lifelong learning and a spirit of inquiry and reflection.

With the National Department of Health’s move to health reform evidenced by reengineering Primary Health Care; the environment, and the ever-growing need to understand the world around us, the time could not be better to explore a career in the health science’s fields. These are areas of strong and consistent demand in the nation’s workforce with outstanding opportunities.Students who choose Nursing, Rehabilitative Studies, Public Health, Human Movement and Natural Sciences courses can pursue careers in public and private hospitals, private laboratories and research facilities as academics and can open their own private practices. Our High Fidelity Simulation Laboratories are in the process of restructuring. Students in the health profession programs graduate with knowledge and skills for careers in hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities, private practice and health care organisations. The programs in Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Audiology, Speech and Language Therapy, Pharmacy and Human Movement provide truly transformational experiences for all of our students.

Our dedicated faculty, cutting edge educational technology, active learning classrooms and innovative curricula at basic and post basic levels using Problem Based Learning, Case Based Teaching and Community Based Education methodologies and these incorporate real world experiences. These methodologies position the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Fort Hare in place for the students to gain an education that will provide a future that defines and enriches their lives.

The faculty of Health Sciences has grown from a small academic initiative to a diverse multi-disciplinary faculty with a national and international reputation. Its research output has increased from national to international accredited journals. As you navigate through the various program pages, please take a look at our Faculty of Health Sciences and videos that highlights learning opportunities within both local and global communities. I hope you will be excited about what you see and will pursue your interests by contacting us with any questions you may have. Best wishes as you explore extraordinary possibilities for your future. I hope to meet you on campus.

VISION & MISSION

Vision:

The Faculty of Health Sciences endeavours to be competent, committed, vibrant and globally recognised through the provision of excellence in teaching, learning, research and community engagement.

Mission:

The vision of the Faculty will be achieved through:

Discovering a wealth of knowledge within the domain of Health Sciences through rigorous scientific learning and research which is socially and ethically relevant.
Preparing future skilled health professionals for service and life-long learning through innovative curricula and individualised quality education experiences.
Strengthening health services to improve the health of people living in South Africa and the international community.
Generating financial and material resources to enhance its sustainability.

Our transformative values:

Excellence
Equity
Innovation
Professionalism

E-LEARNING

E-learning, through the use of Blackboard in the Faculty of Health Sciences is an important tool in our programmes.

Thus, the training of staff members of the Departments Public Health – ASELPH lecturers, Natural Sciences, Nursing, Human Movement and Rehabilitative Studies, which started in 2016, will continue throughout this year. I am proud to say that almost all the lecturers who were trained are consistently posting notes, making announcements and placing assignments and lecture notes on Blackboard. Using Blackboard this year, had quite a number of advantages to both staff members and students, specifically to provide access to content and assignments for students. E-learning provided a platform for communication and continuous teaching using Blackboard. Some of the lecturers also used the Test Section as part of their formative assessment. In other modules, the students uploaded their assignments through Blackboard where the lecturers could easily access their assignments and grade them. This negated the need for printing from the students’ side.

Students who registered for a Master in Public Health (MPH) are also using Blackboard as their E-learning platform. Lecturers are submitting their notes and presentations on Blackboard. This is a vital resource to these students, as most of them are off-campus and part-time students. They attend classes one week per month, so having all their study material in advance, assist them to prepare for the classes. They are also able upload their assignments from home, where the lecturer can access, grade them and provide feedback to the students.

There is much positive feedback from lecturers in using e-learning as a tool and I am proud to be part of the team!

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Engaging a community with students increases everyone’s level of awareness, allows individuals to advocate for their ideas, and offers a format to gather advice or guidance based on the community’s expertise, experiences and needs.

“Community engagement describes the collaboration between institutions of higher education and their larger communities to the mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and resources in a context of partnership and reciprocity” (Carnegie 2006).

Community engagement is needed to guide the development of the project agenda by expanding or redefining the focus of the initiative, identifying unexposed information, and creating a network for revenue sources and funding partners. Stakeholders are educated on the issue and invited to contribute to the process thereby expanding access to available knowledge and skills. When communities are engaged at the beginning and throughout the project, people appear to

a) be more receptive to the outcome,

b) have the capacity to implement change, and

c) maintain long-term partnerships improves.