As part of media and marketing in the Department of Genetics, special environmental themed days were highlighted to encourage involvement and wellbeing among students. The first of these days was International Charity Day on 5 September, hosted by the Institute for Plant Biotechnology (IPB) in the Department of Genetics. The International Day of Charity was declared by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012 with the prime purpose of raising awareness and provide a common platform for charity related activities all over the world for individuals and volunteer organizations for their own purposes on the local, national and international level.

Although the initial initiative for the day was to collect care boxes for a women's shelter, the overwhelming response from various departments on campus to get involved and donate lead to donations for more than just the women in need. The spirit of giving among our peers was truly inspiring. Many thanks to everyone whose contributions helped to make a difference in the lives of women and men at the Stellenbosch night shelter, and to the girls of the Dorothea Special School in Cloetesville.

We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate everyone who assisted in making this donation drive a huge success!

As has been very evident from recent news from around the world, wildfires are becoming an increasingly widespread and devastating influence on our landscapes, ecosystems and economies. The effect of smoke on agricultural crops is thus receiving much more attention. The possible influence that compounds involved in a phenomenon known as 'smoke taint' in wine originating from grape exposure to smoke from bushfires was tackled in a recent article in the South African Journal of Enology and Viticulture, and also in a popular article written for the website Sciencetrends.com. Links are included below.

As part of this work, researchers in the Department of Viticulture and Oenology in the Faculty of AgriSciences at Stellenbosch University, led by Dr Marianne McKay and Dr Astrid Buica tested twelve commercial red wines that were potentially smoke tainted based on the provenance (origin and harvest time) of the wines. Earlier this year, Dr McKay received her PhD in the Faculty of AgriSciences on the topic.

Wine aroma

Wine aroma is arguably the most important intrinsic factor used to judge wine quality.  The perception of wine aroma is the result of a complex interplay of factors including the composition of volatile compounds in the wine, the perceptual interactions between the volatiles, the physical and chemical effects of non-volatile components of the wine matrix, and the ability and experience of the person perceiving the aroma.

Aroma compounds (not all of them pleasant) can enter wine from different sources during the production process. For example, herbaceous-smelling methoxypyrazines are part of primary aroma, meaning that they are naturally present in some grape varieties, and are extracted from the grapes during winemaking. Other compounds including esters are released by yeast during fermentation and are considered part of the secondary (processing-related) aroma of the wine. Wine can also have tertiary aromas that develop later, for example, those deriving from oxidation compounds that form during long-term storage.

Problematic aromas

Wines can also exhibit unpleasant aromas that fall into the spectrum of off-odours or taints. When wine is made from smoke-affected grapes, smoke volatiles are transferred from the grapes during the winemaking process, and manifest in the wine as an unpleasant burnt, ashy aroma (smoke taint). Some of the main culprits causing this off-odour are volatile phenols (VPs). This group of compounds can also be derived from other sources including toasted oak barrels, microbial fermentations (specifically Brettanomyces spoilage), but they have become mostly associated with off-odours in wine made from smoke-affected grapes.

The usual way to deal with a problematic aroma compound is to quantify it by chemical/analytical means, and then compare the measured value to the compound's Odour Detection Threshold (ODT, the lowest concentration of a compound that is perceivable by smell). If the measured compound is present at concentrations above its ODT, it is considered to have an impact on the smell of the wine, and we should be able to smell it.

Like any other aroma compound, VPs can be quantified by analytical means. Previous research has established that, at higher levels, certain VPs contribute to a continuum of smoke taint related off-flavours including “burnt", “bretty", “smoky" and “ashy". At subthreshold levels, VPs are generally accepted as being benign to wine aroma.

The influence of smoke

As previously noted, increasing importance is being placed on understanding the effects of smoke on agricultural crops, and there are numerous articles available on the effects of smoke on grapes and wine. Most of these reports are the result of experimental conditions looking into replicating field conditions in a reproducible manner in small batches, including micro-vinifications. In contrast, research into the composition of commercial wines affected by naturally-occurring (i.e. not experimentally induced) smoke events is still rare. As such, we decided to investigate the impact of bushfires on the chemical (VP concentrations) and sensory profile of commercially produced red wines.

How was the study done?

Twelve wines were submitted by the industry as potentially smoke-tainted since the grapes had been exposed to bush fires close to harvest time. The Stellenbosch University research team investigated historical data concerning fire events in the regions from which the wines originated, and during the relevant vintages, using archives from fire-tracking satellite information systems to confirm whether fires had actually occurred.

The wines were chemically screened for a broad range of VPs using a specially developed GC-MS method. The wines were also sensorially characterized using Descriptive Analysis by a panel highly trained in smoke-taint evaluation. The results were compared statistically to see if the chemistry results did actually support the findings from the sensory evaluation. If this was the case, a relatively simple chemical screening of VPs would be enough to establish if a wine is smoke tainted or not.

Findings

The GC-MS results indicated the wines contained a variety of VPs and a wide range of VP concentrations. On the sensory side, it was notable that out of twelve wines, the four that were described with the most negative attributes, at significantly higher levels than the others, were all from regions that had experienced severe fire events prior to harvest. Certain attributes (“smoky," “ashtray") in some of the wines could be attributed simply to levels of specific or combinations of VPs at concentrations higher than their respective ODT.

Guaiacol (one of the compounds linked to smoke taint) was present in the majority of samples at or above ODT. As the wines had been submitted by industry for suspected smoke taint, this result was not surprising.

However, there were some unexpected findings. With regard to guaiacol, it was found that this compound did not cause the perception of “smoke" in any of the wines unless it was in combination with other phenols. Even more surprising, combinations of compounds (for example, cresols and xylenols) at subthreshold levels led to unexpected sensory effects (“earthy/dusty," “chemical," and “tar/burnt rubber").

Using the combined dataset (chemistry and sensory), the research team started to see that there were (sometimes unexpected) links between VPs and specific off-odours. Some of these links were previously demonstrated, others we could not predict based on existing knowledge. Wines with very low (sub-threshold) levels of VPs showed fruity and sweet-associated characteristics, and those with supra-threshold (above threshold) levels showed negative attributes. In some cases, sensory effects (“earthy/dusty/potato skin", “mouldy/musty" and “cooked vegetables") could not be attributed to a certain concentration of VPs based on their ODT, but may have been due to combinations of volatile phenols at subthreshold levels, possibly influenced by the presence of other compounds.

The idea of interactions with masking and synergistic effects is not conceptually new, and perceptual interaction phenomena between aroma compounds in red wines represent an important source of complexity. It has also been already demonstrated in studies on other compounds (thiols, esters, methoxypyrazines, terpenes, etc.) that sensory results do not always correlate well with predictions that are based on the chemistry of the solution.

However, the SU team's findings did highlight a number of issues. The aspect of “matrix effect" was significant in the context of our work, as the commercial wines were diverse, i.e. different chemical matrices as dictated by cultivar-related grape genetics, ripeness levels, winemaking procedures, and bottle storage. A significant gap exists in the literature with regards to matrix effects on VPs, specifically the effect of the VP composition on different cultivar aroma profiles.

Odour thresholds in any matrix other than the study matrix may be irrelevant. The literature review also revealed that studies in wine can use inappropriate ODTs for work carried out in a new wine matrix, and matrix effects are often ignored. More to the point, many VPs (as well as other compounds) have not yet been characterized in any wine matrix or assigned threshold values in any formal sensory study.

The study also highlighted the fact that that aroma compounds interact even at subthreshold levels and cause aromatic changes to wine, unpredictable from the effects of a single compound, and certainly not predictable from the many peri-threshold studies on aroma compounds. So even if the ODT is acc

urately determined in the wine matrix of choice, it is still possible to find sensory effects when the compound is present at concentrations below threshold, especially in the presence of certain other compounds.

This study emphasized the importance of understanding the effects of problematic compounds like VPs on wine and of increasing awareness of the interactions and synergies between them even at levels where they are usually considered benign. Crucially, low levels of VPs may cause or exaggerate negative odour attributes in red wines, which has implications for winemaking with smoke-affected grapes. This new knowledge should prove useful to wine (and other agricultural) industries world-wide that are increasingly being affected by smoke taint. Ultimately, the aim is to produce wines that satisfy the rigorous demands of the global market despite the escalation of wildfires globally.

• These findings were originally described in the article entitled Profiling Potentially Smoke Tainted Red Wines: Volatile Phenols and Aroma Attributes, recently published in the South African Journal of Enology and Viticulture. The above article is based on a popular article in Scienc​​​​e Trends, and republished with permission.
  

A recent two-day Post TB-symposium in Stellenbosch consisted of 14 lectures and seven workshops presented by specialists from a variety of disciplines, including clinicians, rehabilitation specialists, scientists, researchers, patient representatives, social scientists and healthcare advocates. There were 68 delegates from five continents who attended the symposium.

"This symposium was unique, as it was the first time ever that people have met at a stand-alone Symposium to discuss the problems that occur in patients after having completed tuberculosis therapy," according to Dr Brian Allwood, consultant pulmonologist in the Division of Pulmonology at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at the University of Stellenbosch. He also served on the managing committee for this conference.

"Most research is focused on the diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis, with very little attention being given to the countless numbers of people who have to continue life with scars of tuberculosis, both physical, psychological and social. This was also unique in that it was a truly multi-disciplinary international symposium addressing many aspects of life after tuberculosis," Allwood added.

This working symposium, which consisted of morning lectures and afternoon workshops, was aimed at gaining consensus among the delegates in defining the current state of knowledge and identifying research priorities in the field. It was also decided to limit the number of delegates in order to allow for meaningful discussion and interaction.

Delegates, were welcomed by Stellenbosch University Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Wim de Villiers. He mentioned that it was the first international symposium of its kind, and stressed the importance of international collaboration in the field of research.

"It is an important indicator of competitiveness, enhances the quality of research and improves both its efficiency and effectiveness," De Villiers said. "Stellenbosch University is striving to become Africa's leading research-intensive university, globally recognised as excellent, inclusive and innovative, where we advance knowledge in service of society". 

He mentioned the 150 bilateral agreements that Stellenbosch University has with universities across the world in 45 countries and the 120 collaborative partnerships the university has with 26 fellow African Universities.

He also thanked the funders who made the symposium possible. These included Stellenbosch University itself and also contributions from the IMPALA collaboration (headed by the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine), the UNION against Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases, and the Desmond Tutu TB Centre in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.

The opening address was delivered by Professor Eric Bateman, Professor of Pulmonary Medicine at the University of Cape Town.

Topics for the lectures and workshops ranged from the purely medical to the socio-economic to the treatment and management aspects relating to post-tuberculosis. There was a strong emphasis on preventative care and on ways in which the quality of TB care could be improved at various levels and in different healthcare settings. The last workshop also specifically looked at how post TB lung disease is currently managed and at which methodology future TB lung outcome investigations should include.

"At the symposium we were able to facilitate face-to-face meeting of experts in a number of different domains to discuss a number of difficulties in this topic, while at the same time beginning the much needed advocacy for people living after tuberculosis," according to Allwood.

At the end of the second day, there was a session in which feedback was given from the plenary workshop.

"We were also able to reach consensus on the term “Post-tuberculosis", which until now has not been uniformly embraced, and to plan a path forward in terms of priority needs, both in research and advocacy. Thus we were able to collectively draw up a road map for the next few years," added Allwood.

​Marsh, an insurance broker and risk management firm, has recently donated brand new laptops to Huis ten Bosch residents who lost their belongings in a fire that broke out at the Stellenbosch University (SU) women's residence in August.

The official handover of 15 computer laptops took place at Marsh's offices in Stellenbosch on 18 September. The Huis ten Bosch residents who attended the handover included Ntando Chamane, Yusrah Davids, Nicolle Janse van Rensburg, Abby Koeries, Nikita Köhler and Ella van Rensburg.

The roof above eight rooms on the third floor of the residence was destroyed due to the fire that broke out around 19:00 on 12 August 2019. All 164 residents of Huis ten Bosch were evacuated safely and have since been provided with alternative accommodation. No one was seriously injured - one student was treated for burn wounds to her hands, and another for smoke inhalation at the Stellenbosch Hospital.

Willem du Toit, branch manager and executive leader: Corporate Business, Marsh Western Cape, said their company has been operational in Stellenbosch for over 50 years and is an integral part of this community.

“We consider it a privilege to offer help where we can and we feel honoured to be in a position to provide a small measure of support by donating laptops to students who need them. It's our pleasure to hand over these laptops to the ladies of Huis ten Bosch," he said.

“We are extremely grateful that everyone was safely evacuated. Insurance can take care of the loss of material possessions, but life is priceless and we always value that with all of our clients," added Du Toit.

SU's Chief Operating Officer Prof Stan du Plessis, thanked Marsh for understanding the needs of the people they do business with. “We have been business partners of Marsh for many years and they immediately grasped the importance of helping our students get back on their feet after the fire. It was entirely their initiative to offer these laptops to our students and for that, the university is immensely grateful," he said.

Since the fire, SU management, staff, students, community members and alumni have shown tremendous support towards all 164 Huis ten Bosch residents. A donation page set up on the crowdfunding GivenGain platform by the University's Development and Alumni Relations Division, garnered donations of over R49 000.

​Davids thanked Marsh for the laptops on behalf of the Huis ten Bosch students. “After the fire, our worlds were turned upside down and we did not really know what to do. It is the generosity of people inside and outside the university, like Marsh, that carried us through. So thank you very much," she said.

The process of rebuilding Huis ten Bosch started earlier this month. It is envisaged that the facility will be completed and operational in early 2020. 

​​​Stellenbosch University is making inroads into global research. For the third consecutive year the international citations to its research across multi-disciplines have increased markedly according to the latest Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings for 2020 that was released on 11 September in Zurich during the THE World Summit.

SU improved in 2020 on the indicators of teaching, research, citations and international outlook compared to last year. The most important improvement was on the citation score, which is 13% up on the previous period. This is the third year in a row in which SU has improved on this indicator.

The University has improved its overall position in the Times Higher Education WUR from 301–350to 251–300, occupying the third spot among leading universities in South Africa – after University of Cape Town and University of the Witwatersrand. This places Stellenbosch University in the top 1% of universities globally.

“With our vision of being a leading research-intensive university, this is of particular importance for us. It also underscores one of Stellenbosch University's core strategic themes namely, Research for Impact," says Vice Chancellor and Rector, Prof Wim de Villiers.  

Prof Hester Klopper, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Strategy and Internationalisation at SU, says this result is a demonstration of the impact of SU's research world-wide and the recognition afforded to the calibre and stature of its researchers.

“At SU we are cognizant of the importance of rankings in the overall perceptions of an institution's academic and research standing. Our focus, though, is on academic and research excellence that will shape a better world for all. It is hugely gratifying when we gain international recognition in our quest to deliver solutions to societal problems through world class research and scientific programmes," says Prof Klopper.

​Most people find the sounds of steel creaking to be highly irritating. However, for mechanical engineer Prof Anriëtte “Annie" Bekker, that's what life is all about. She leads a research programme at Stellenbosch University that examines every vibration, movement and wave that hits South Africa's polar research ship, the SA Agulhas II.

Bekker will present a lecture on her research work to the Stellenbosch Forum on 26 September 2019, at the US Museum in Ryneveldt Street between 13:00 and 14:00.

Ship surveys

The SA Agulhas II regularly ferries researchers and technicians to South Africa's research bases in Antarctica and on islands in the Southern Ocean.

"Our work is to find out what impact ice and rough seas have on the ship's shafts and propellers, and how comfortable passengers are on board depending on the impact of waves slamming against the hull, the engine's vibrations and the movement of the ship," explains Prof Bekker, since 2012 director of the Sound and Vibration Group SU Department of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering. "Ultimately, we hope our research contributes to better ship designs and digital services for the SA Agulhas II and the shipping industry in general."

One of her students is currently working on a scale model of the vessel that can be evaluated in the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering's towing tank. Other students are developing the building blocks to create so-called “digital twin" models of passengers on board. This will hopefully give captains an informed idea of how passengers and crew experience specific weather and ice conditions encountered on route. Such a virtual tool will allow captains to know how uncomfortable or seasick their passengers possibly are, and whether they are capable of still performing their tasks under severe conditions. It will allow them to make informed decisions on whether they should change the speed or direction of the vessel, in an effort to ensure the comfort of the people on board and to ensure that the research objectives of each cruise can be carried out. According to Prof Bekker, the general shipping industry will be able to use such “digital twins" to help improve crew safety, and to better plan for comfortable voyages on cruise ships.

Anything that vibrates

Bekker's research group does not focus solely on ships. They have previously collaborated with the Ford Motor Company to select the most comfortable seat from a vibration perspective. Research has been done on the sound quality inside the cabin of electric cars, and how people experience the “symphony of new sounds" on these "quieter" vehicles.

Her research group has been working with mining companies to measure the extent to which drivers of heavy vehicles are exposed to vibration. The effect of such long-term exposure is researched, among other things, in the Faculty of Engineering's Structural Laboratory, where a vibrating platform is in place to perform man-rated tests.

"The constant vibration and shocks to which a driver of a giant construction vehicle is exposed can eventually lead to injury," explains Bekker.

“We can technically research anything that vibrates. Mechanical systems, music, electrical stimuli and weather data all produce signals that oscillate. Vibration-based techniques basically enable us to gather important characteristics or features from oscillating data," explains Bekker, who has made the Mail & Guardian's list of top 200 young South Africans.

Academic path

Becker grew up in Benoni in a home of self-proclaimed car fanatics. She says her interest in engineering is a natural result of her love for math, creativity and problem solving.

She obtained the BEng degree in mechanical engineering from Stellenbosch University in 2001, and a MEng degree cum laude in 2004. Her doctorate followed at the University of Cape Town in 2008, with a study on how injuries can be reduced in vehicles operating in landmine areas.

She cut her teeth in the field of vibration and sound as member of South Africa's Optimal Energy team that designed the Joule electric vehicle. Five Joule prototypes were built, but the project ended due to budget cuts.

Icy adventures

Fortunately, that was not the end of Bekker's career. She joined SU in July 2011. Shortly thereafter, a Finnish contact reached out to hear if the University wanted to collaborate on a research project involving the SA Agulhas II. At the time, it was being built for the South African Department of Environmental Affairs to replace the outdated SA Agulhas I polar ship.

The first trials to ascertain the ship's ability as an icebreaker were scheduled for March 2012, in Bothnia Bay in the Baltic Sea near Finland.

There was only one problem with that: Bekker knew that she would be five months pregnant by the time the ice tests took place.

However, her sense of adventure prevailed over her need for comfort. With sensing equipment as part of her luggage, she travelled to Finland for five days of testing. Thus, Stellenbosch University, together with, among others, the University of Aalto in Finland, became important partners in the study of the SA Agulhas II as an ice-going ship.

"Once you get on board, and see the environment in which you work, it becomes a compelling and addictive environment," she explains why she is intrigued by the subject.

Many of her students have since made their way in the direction of Antarctica. A measurement system of 200 sensors (including 32 accelerometers), monitors the movement and bending of the ship structure during such voyages. Sound recordings are also done in a cabin with a doll named Mike, that has microphones in his “ears".

"We are very proud of the 32-sensor acceleration system that was developed at Stellenbosch University. It allows researchers to detect the displacement and deformation of the ship's structure as it travels through ice and massive waves," explains Bekker, who acknowledges that she can't do without the Latex program which creates written documents, and Matlab which plots graphs of the data collected.

When her students return to Stellenbosch from their icy adventures, she enjoys listening to their stories, and hearing what insights about themselves they have discovered in the process.

At the end of last year, Bekker turned off her computer, packed enough food in the freezer and left her young family at home to board the SA Agulhas II again and to experience Antarctica for the first time. She was part of an international research team that travelled to the infamous Weddell Sea of Ernest Shackleton-and-the-Endurance fame. They were the first to do so since 2002. In the process she experienced first hand how traveling through stormy, polar waters can make a person's stomach turn.

“Nothing can prepare you for the immense experience of Antarctica. Except for the sounds of the ship's machinery, everything is quiet. There is tranquillity and peace, and even the shadows that the clouds make create features on the white landscape. Because it never really got dark when I was there, I even lost my sense of night or day. It is an environment where prestige does not count, and where the lack of the internet and an existing culture tests you in who and what you are. There's no place to hide. The result was a surprising sense of freedom, even exuberance, that I had never experienced before."

Energy

Thanks to their studies about the SA Agulhas II, two of Bekker's students have already obtained their doctorates, and six their master's degrees in engineering. Two students now work for space agencies - one in Germany and the other in Pakistan. A third student is involved in vibration testing and design in the German automotive industry.

Bekker cherishes the days on which her students defend their theses: "I stand amazed at how students develop and how their ingenuity amidst challenges often exceeds your expectations."

“The best part of my job is to open doors for students who are inquisitive and have potential. It's inspiring to see how they leave you full of life and with the will to succeed," she explains. “It energizes me to watch how purposefully, resourcefully and creatively they defeat challenging problems."

​An article published by two colleagues at the Centre for Health Professions Education (CHPE) in the Medical Education, earned them the Henry Walton Award.

That means that the particular article was só popular that during 2018 it was the most downloaded article on a monthly basis in this journal's two categories.

Twice a year the Medical Educator allows shorter articles to be loaded in the addendum “Really Good Stuff: lessons learned from innovation in Medical Education". The news that Dr Elize Archer and Ms Ilse Meyer's article was the most downloaded one in this category over a one-year period, was officially announced at the beginning of July at the annual congress of the Association for the Study of Medical Education in Glasgow, Scotland.

“Even though international educators are ahead of us in certain fields, this award shows us that our work in South Africa is sufficiently innovative to attract a large number of readers. This is a major accolade for us," said Archer, head of the Simulation and Clinical Skills Unit (SCSU) at the CHPE.

Archer and Meyer, a research assistant at the CHPE, based the article Teaching empathy to undergraduate medical students: 'One glove does not fit all' on the findings of their research study among third-year medical students at the Tygerberg Campus. This was aimed at a teaching intervention that was made possible thanks to a fellowship which the Centre for Teaching and Learning at the Stellenbosch University awarded Archer for the period 2017-2019.

This intervention forms part of the medical students' clinical skills curriculum and has the development of empathetic communication skills as its goal – something medical schools strive for worldwide, as there are indications that empathy levels become reduced as medical students progress with their studies.

“In light of the debate about whether it is at all possible to teach people how to have empathy, it was already a challenge," says Archer. “It took a lot of effort to determine what the components were of what we thought students could learn in this regard."

She explains that with clinical empathy they differentiate between the emotional or affective component and the cognitive component. The cognitive component consists of skills that can be taught to anyone. “By means of an investigation of the broad literature we managed to identify several learning activities which would serve as an intervention during the clinical rotation of the third year students."

It takes place in small groups in the SCSU and attention is paid to listening skills, awareness and interaction with a simulated patient. There is also a learning activity which students must complete online on SUNLEARN in their own time.

For the research study students were asked how they experienced these learning sessions.

Many students said they had found the vulnerability, an essential component of empathy, disturbing. They nevertheless said that they found the focused attention, which accompanies working in small groups, valuable, as they did the individual feedback they received."

“We could not really determine which of the range of activities was good and which bad," says Archer. “The one student would prefer XYZ, but another one's experience would be exactly the opposite.

“From the feedback we received, our chief conclusion was that this was not a one-size-fits-all. It is true that people are different, not just patients, but also lecturers and students. And because the feedback from the students on the different activities was so different, we realised that it was important to use a range of learning and teaching strategies when such initiatives were implemented."

Caption: Ms Ilse Meyer​ and Dr Elize Archer.

​This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the full article here.

Midlevel health workers can play an important role in addressing shortages of health professionals and improving access to care. This is especially true in low and middle-income countries. These workers fill a niche between community health workers, the most basic of workers in the health system, and highly trained professionals.

They include clinical officers, health officers, medical assistants, técnicos de medicina (medical technicians) and técnicos de cirugia (surgical technicians), and clinical associates. Nurse practitioners or primary healthcare nurses, who take on tasks such as making diagnoses, initiating treatment or performing anaesthesia, are also considered midlevel health workers.

Midlevel health workers were introduced in Africa in the mid-20th century to address doctor shortages during the colonial and post-colonial periods. These training programmes were based on the medical model of education at that time.

The United States started training midlevel medical workers in the 1960s to deal with the shortage of physicians in primary health care. Similar programmes have now been established in Europe, Australia and Canada.

In sub-Saharan Africa, midlevel health workers exist in 25 out of 47 countries. They have a valuable role to play, but aren't always given the credit they deserve – or sufficiently trained and supported, as our review of the training and curricula for midlevel health workers in Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and Uganda found.

Our review showed that the training programmes were similar across the four countries. Midlevel health workers wanted their training to be more aligned to the challenges they faced every day. They further wanted to be better equipped to deal with emerging diseases.

Benefits of midlevel health workers

Most countries find it difficult to persuade highly trained health workers to stay in rural areas because of poor living conditions. Midlevel health workers are more likely to be retained in such communities.

Training courses for midlevel health workers are shorter than those for more advanced professionals. This means they can be deployed more quickly than highly trained doctors. They are also less dependent on expensive technology to make diagnoses and decide on treatment. This is because they are trained to follow standard guidelines in their practice, in resource-limited settings, and to refer more difficult problems on to doctors. But some African countries don't include midlevel health workers in health workforce planning. Where they are available, their funding and training is often limited.

Midlevel health workers carry out diagnostic and treatment functions traditionally thought of as the responsibility of doctors. This allows doctors to focus on more complex cases.

Midlevel health workers continue to play a key role in African countries. But their training programmes have failed to keep up with the times.

There have been several calls to review and update these programmes to ensure that these workers have the competencies necessary to make a significant impact in addressing twenty-first century needs. These include HIV and AIDS, chronic illnesses, and other problems of lifestyle, accidents and trauma.

The research

Clinical officers provide a wide range of primary and community hospital level services in Uganda and Kenya, where they are long established midlevel health workers. The first training started in Kenya in 1928.

In Nigeria, community health officers and community health extension workers are responsible for most primary care service delivery. In South Africa, the training of clinical associates started in 2008 with a focus on working with doctors in district hospitals. Their numbers are still small because of a lack of funding and leadership from the national health department.

We found that the training programmes across the four countries had much in common. They all focused on basic diagnosis and medical treatment.

Older programmes tended to be more didactic in their approach and were often lacking in resources. There were concerns about skills gaps and the quality of training, but most midlevel health workers that we interviewed felt their basic training was adequate for the work they do.

Midlevel health workers and their managers indicated that training methods needed updating to include additional skills relating to the common diseases they encounter. These diseases varied across countries and included health problems of mothers and children, and infectious diseases such as tuberculosis. These workers also wanted their training to include more problem-solving approaches and practical procedures that could be life-saving.

In Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda midlevel health workers have been working for a long time. They're seen as essential frontline workers in health services, and not just a stop-gap. But there are significant deficiencies in training programme content and educational methodologies in these countries, such as didactic teaching methods, out-of-date trainers and supervisors, poor training facilities, lack of hands-on clinical practice during training, and lack of alignment to health care priorities.

In South Africa, clinical associates appear to have benefited from their more recent origin. Their training programmes are aligned to current thinking in medical education, such as early contact with patients, service-based and team learning, integrated approaches, evidence-based reasoning, quality improvement and reflection on practice.

Way forward

Midlevel health worker training programmes in Africa offer an important avenue for scaling up human resources. Such programmes can produce clinicians who are able to provide diagnostic and therapeutic services with lower entry qualification requirements and shorter training periods than doctors. This makes them more cost-effective.

Increasing midlevel health workers' contribution to health care requires significant new investments in their training, including trainers and facilities.

The World Health Organisation has called for the transformation and scaling up of health professionals' education through greater alignment between training institutions and health systems. This includes adapting curricula to evolving healthcare needs. This means that education systems must continuously review and adapt programmes to ensure they meet the needs of the populations their graduates serve.

About the author: Ian Couper is the Director of the Ukwanda Centre for Rural Health and Professor of Rural Health, Department of Global Health, Stellenbosch University

Photo credit: PIXABAY

Justice Edwin Cameron, academic, jurist, author and recently retired Constitutional Court judge, was elected to the office of Chancellor of Stellenbosch University (SU) today (25 September 2019).

An electoral college comprising members of Council, members of the Executive Committee of Senate as well as the president and vice-president of the SU Convocation gathered this morning to elect the institution's 15^th Chancellor.

An SU alumnus and a recipient of an honorary doctorate from the institution in 2015, Justice Cameron was elected by an overwhelming majority.

“I am honoured and humbled to have this chance to serve SU and its communities, and look forward to my new tasks," Justice Cameron said.    

Prof Wim de Villiers, Rector and Vice-Chancellor, and chairperson of the electoral college, said: “It is a privilege to have someone of the stature of Judge Edwin Cameron as Chancellor of the University. He is a champion for human rights and boasts a distinguished legal career. I look forward to working with him. We also thank our current Chancellor, Dr Johann Rupert, for his hard work and assistance during his term, which ends on 31 December."

Mr George Steyn, SU Council chair, too welcomed Justice Cameron's election, while Ms Carli van Wyk, outgoing Students' Representative Council (SRC) chair and Council member, described the announcement as very good news and highlighted the fact that Justice Cameron had served on the SRC during his student days at SU.

In 2015, SU conferred an honorary doctorate on Justice Cameron in acknowledgement of his “unstinting professional and personal advocacy for the recognition of every person's dignity, freedom and equality – foundational values he has helped entrenched in our legal system and beyond". He has helped develop South African law so as to truly reflect the fundamental values of the Constitution. Moreover, his role in securing the inclusion of sexual orientation as a prohibited ground of discrimination in the Bill of Rights, as well as his advocacy for persons with HIV/Aids, has made him a key player in South African and international law.

Justice Cameron studied at the universities of Stellenbosch, Oxford and South Africa. He started out his career at, among others, the University of the Witwatersrand's Centre for Applied Legal Studies before he was appointed as senior counsel (SC) in 1994, and as an acting judge of the high court by President Nelson Mandela later that same year. He was appointed a judge of the high court in 1995, judge of the Supreme Court of Appeal in 2001, and justice of the Constitutional Court in 2009.

As the first South African in a high-profile public office speaking openly about his HIV status and experience taking antiretroviral drugs (ARVs), Justice Cameron has made a credible and crucial contribution to more accessible ARV treatment for all HIV-positive South Africans.

His international impact as top jurist with nearly 200 judgments against his name, acclaimed author and popular speaker is evident from the numerous awards he has received. These range from recognition by the Bar of England and Wales for his contribution to international jurisprudence and the protection of human rights, to the prestigious Grand Prix du Conseil Québécois des Gais et Lesbiennes award bestowed on him in Montreal.

Justice Cameron is the recipient of various honorary doctorates and a patron to children's homes, clinics and associations.​

Prof Wim de Villiers has been appointed for a second five-year term as Rector and Vice-Chancellor of Stellenbosch University (SU) – from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2025.

It was a unanimous decision by the SU Council at its third scheduled meeting of the year on Wednesday, 25 September 2019. The Institutional Forum and Senate, statutory bodies of SU, earlier recommended the reappointment of Prof De Villiers.

“We are very pleased with the accomplishments of Prof De Villiers to date," Council chair Mr George Steyn said. “With him at the helm, SU has excelled in key areas. He has also proposed a compelling vision and set of priorities for his second term, which will help the University address major challenges."

Prof De Villiers said his reappointment was a great honour for him and expressed his appreciation for the confidence shown in him. “We have major challenges ahead, but also wonderful opportunities. It is a privilege to be able to lead SU on our new journey into the future."

SU achievements during Prof De Villiers's first term include the University's Centenary project in 2018, and the development of a new vision and strategic framework for the foreseeable future, which took effect earlier this year.

Further highlights include the establishment of SU's School for Data Science and Computational Thinking, and the review of the SU Statute. Prof De Villiers also initiated a bursary fund for descendants of residents of Die Vlakte, a Stellenbosch residential area adjacent to and overlapping with the University's campus which fell victim to forced removals in the 1960s.

Moreover, access to SU has been broadened, record numbers of qualifications have been conferred, and high levels of student success and research outputs have been maintained. Internationalisation has increased and the institution's social impact is also growing ever stronger. In addition, financial aid for students has been extended, campus renewal has made steady progress, and SU continues to excel in sports and culture.

“Our staff and students also deserve credit for their hard work and dedication that has brought us this far. My appreciation to each and every one who has been helping to build a strong institution," Prof De Villiers said.

The VC's own vision for his second term is aligned with the University's Vision 2040, namely to turn SU into Africa's leading research-intensive university, globally recognised as excellent, inclusive and innovative, where we advance knowledge in service of society. He also supports the mission and strategic themes of the University and identifies with the institutional values of excellence, compassion, accountability, respect and equity. “These are values we should all live by," he says.

With his list of priorities for his second term, Prof De Villiers aims to see the University thrive. These include:

• further strengthening SU as a research-intensive institution;
• increased digitalisation (for example by expanding hybrid learning and teaching, as well as new computer systems for finance and student administration);

• continued campus renewal; and
• enhanced internationalisation.

“Yet my top priority remains our people – our students and our staff. Without them, there is no University. That is why I will continue to promote their success and development," the VC said.

He also thanked alumni, funders and donors of the University for their loyal support of the University.

Does Prof De Villiers, who turns 60 on 26 September 2019, plan on continuing his personal efforts to raise bursary funds for students? Among others, he completed the Cape Town Marathon, the Cape Town Cycle Tour (twice) and a cycling trip from London to Brighton in aid of this deserving cause during his first term. “I have lots of energy left to tackle all our challenges and make the most of our opportunities," he says with a smile.

Prof De Villiers is asking friends, colleagues, staff and alumni not to give him birthday gifts, but to instead make a donation to the Die Vlakte Bursary Fund (follow this link for more information https://www.givengain.com/cc/no-gifts-please).

* In November 2016, Prof De Villiers received an honorary doctorate from Coventry University in the United Kingdom. The next year, his outstanding higher education leadership was recognised with an award from the Crossley Foundation. He is deputy chairperson of Universities South Africa (USAf), chairperson of Higher Health – a sector body focusing on student health and wellness at South African universities and technical vocational education and training (TVET) colleges – and also serves on the council of the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf). In addition, he is a council member of the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU), the Association of African Universities (AAU) and the African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA).

An alumnus of Stellenbosch University and the Faculty of AgriSciences, Sheila Storey, was among those whose outstanding contribution to the sector was honoured at the 44th annual gala evening of the South African deciduous fruit industry. She received an award in the Innovation category. The agricultural magazine Landbouweekblad received the Izethelo Media Award. Chris Burgess, an alumnus of the SU Department of Journalism, is currently its editor.

According to a press release by the deciduous fruit industry, Storey is recognised as a world-class specialist in the fields of soil life, plant performance and nematode control. She received the Fruit Industry Innovation Award for her longstanding technical and scientific contribution to the deciduous fruit industry.

Storey started the commercial nematode analytical laboratory, Nemlab, in 1987, two years after receiving her Masters degree in Agriculture from Stellenbosch University. Nemlab has since grown to become the largest private operation of its kind in South Africa.

NemaBio (Pty) was launched in 2014. Its focus is on the commercialization of entomopathogenic nematodes for the biological control of insect pests in crops. As a strong force in the discipline of soil science, she also founded the Soil Health Centre in 2015, and has developed nematode control programmes and guidelines for a variety of crop production systems all over the country.

The development of know how in support of the industry is of importance to Storey. She has supervised 13 students, and often employ students. 

• Photo: Sheila Storey ​with her award.

Seven Maties, of whom two students of the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, were under the Top 100 GradStars who gathered in Johannesburg last week for two days of learning and recognition as part of the 2019 GradStar Awards. A rigorous judging process culminated in a day of workshops hosted by potential employers.

GradStar, a programme operated by BlackBark Productions, recognizes the Top 100 students across the country based on leadership qualities and readiness for the workplace.

Liana Maheso, a postgraduate student in Transport and Logistics, and Danielle Kruger, a BCom (International Business) student, as well as five students from the Faculty of Engineering at Stellenbosch University were identified as under the top 100 most employable students.

At the celebratory gala dinner on Thursday (19 September 2019), the names of the Top 10 were announced. SU's Travis Defty, an engineering student, was one of the Top 10.

According to Ms Laura Barker, Managing Director of BlackBark Productions, “We receive over 3 500 entries, which are then narrowed down to the top 100, and eventually to 10 of the finest."

She said all 100 top students are connected with a successful business mentor to further ready them for the workplace. They also receive the opportunity to attend a leadership conference the following day.

“Many of the Top 100 recognized students have received job offers from major employers as a result of being recognized through this programme," Ms Barker said.

​An Economic Management and Sciences Faculty member's knack for using photo novels (fotonovelas) to address key health issues has been recognised by the Western Cape Department of Health who commissioned him to develop a storybook to create awareness about diabetes.

Fotonovelas portray a dramatic story using posed photographs and text bubbles or captions and are usually set in everyday life.

Dr Burt Davis, a senior lecturer at the Africa Centre for HIV/Aids Management, previously developed the photo novel “Spyt kom te laat" (“Better safe than sorry") as a tool to address the tik problem in the Western Cape.

He said a research talk that he presented at Stellenbosch University's 9th Annual Rural Health Research Day in Worcester about his tik photo novel led to him meeting Dr Lizette Phillips, director: Western Cape Government Health in the Cape Winelands District, who was instrumental in getting the Department to commission him for a similar project about diabetes.

Diabetes is the second most common cause of death in the country, according to a Statistics South Africa report on mortality and causes of death. The costs associated with diabetes are also alarming. These include hospital and medication costs and disability grants, as well as indirect costs, such as work absenteeism, time spent caring for sick relatives and reduced productivity.

The aim of the diabetes photo novel is to provide a narrative to help those patients with diabetes accept their diagnoses and also to dispel the myths associated with the disease.

Davis said the Department wants the booklet to target younger Coloured females in their early 40s because this is the category of people they have identified in the Winelands area who have problems coming to terms with their diagnosis.

“The reason why the Department also wants to focus on younger people is that they want to dispel the myth that diabetes just affects old people. Research from the International Diabetes Federation shows that 60 to 80% of diabetes-related deaths in South Africa occur in people younger than 60 years – the most economically active age group of the population," said Davis.

He is now conducting empirical research for the project which will be officially launched at the end of January 2020.

The photo book will be used by Department staff in the course of providing counselling in clinics and hospitals in the Winelands district. The booklet will be made available in Afrikaans, English and isiXhosa.

Davis says although the use of photo novels to address health issues is new in South Africa, it has the potential to positively influence awareness and prevention campaigns in schools and health clinics.

• Besides the Western Cape Department of Health, which will also assist with printing and translating costs, the SU's Division of Social Impact made it possible for Davis to attract the interest of the Department by providing him with an initial grant to develop and publish his tik photo novel.
• Photo: Dr Burt Davis
  
  

​​Paralympians “push the envelope" as hard as any elite athlete, but they have additional medical challenges that SU researchers are helping them overcome.

The Institute of Sport and Exercise Medicine (ISEM) at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS) is involved in several studies investigating injury and illness in Paralympic athletes. ISEM's director, Prof Wayne Derman, who has served as an official doctor for the South African Paralympic team, is well placed to discuss some of the issues and the range of solutions that his team is developing.

“How is the quintessential Olympic athlete – Usain Bolt – different to a Paralympic star like sprinter Jonnie Peacock?" asks Derman. “Both are exercising at peak performance, under extreme cardiovascular stress. But there's another layer of complexity for para-athletes that may not be immediately apparent."

People with disabilities are, in general, at higher risk for health problems. For instance, common conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and chronic pulmonary disease are more prevalent among wheelchair users, who are forced to be sedentary. There may be additional medical issues: People with spinal cord injuries, for example, are prone to urinary tract and skin infections, possibly due to altered immune function. Not surprisingly, more injuries and illnesses are reported during the Paralympic Games than the Olympics.

Doctors face this extra “layer of complexity" when approaching diagnosis in the young field of disability sports medicine. “For instance, how do you apply standard tests to tell if someone in a wheelchair has suffered a concussion? You can't use the standing balance test. In the case of a runner with a prosthesis, how do you compare the different sides? We have to adapt, to understand that the sound leg takes an extra load, so that's where problems are likely to occur."

Derman and his colleagues have put together a web-based solution to monitor injuries and illnesses during the Games. This allows doctors to input data in real time, forming a picture of where the issues lie. Once problems are identified, the researchers determine the cause and mechanism of the injury, using tools such as video and biomechanical analysis.

Preventative measures are put in place and evaluated with follow-up studies. Sometimes problems are fairly easily rectified. “For instance, we were seeing horrendous knee injuries in ice-sledge hockey," Derman recalls. “After analysing the video footage, the medical team recommended adding rails to the sleds – and the knee injuries went away. In five-a-side football, blind players are meant to shout 'Voy!' ('I'm going!') as they run towards the ball. But they often don't, preferring stealth, which can lead to concussions. We're hoping to see this risk addressed through better rule adherence and protective headgear at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Paralympics."

*The article appears in the latest edition of the Stellenbosch University Research Publication. Click here to read more. 

Photograph: Stock image - Unsplash

​​

In support of Heart Awareness Month, members of the Stellenbosch University (SU) community participated in the #MyHeartYourHeart fun run/walk from Helshoogte Road to Coetzenburg athletics stadium on Wednesday 25 September. The event was arranged by Campus Health Services (CHS).

Joining the SU participants were a group of staff from the University of the Free State (UFS), who embarked on a run from the UFS Bloemfontein campus to Stellenbosch on 20 September to raise awareness of mental health. The UFS staff took on the 1 075 km between Bloemfontein and Stellenbosch with each runner completing a relay race of 9 km per day. The final 4,2 km of their journey coincided with SU's #MyHeartYourHeart event.

According to Dr Jo-Anne Kirby, a medical doctor at CHS and heart awareness campaign coordinator, the aim of #MyHeartYourHeart was to motivate staff to lead more active lives. “Although UFS ran for mental health awareness and SU for heart awareness, the two are actually linked. People suffering from mental illness are more likely to develop heart disease, and those with heart disease are more likely to develop mental illness. One effective treatment for both is exercise. Physical activity counters the risk factors for heart disease and treats symptoms of depression and anxiety. So, exercise is medicine," says Kirby.

#MyHeartYourHeart also served as a launching pad for SU's Be Active campaign in response to a second UFS challenge following the recent “pedometer" initiative, in which UFS, SU and another two universities took part. For the pedometer challenge, 640 staff members from the participating institutions covered a combined distance of 192 000 km in eight weeks.

The Be Active challenge will be an eight-week event from 30 September to 25 November to determine which university is the fittest. Using data from smartphones or sport watches, points will be logged for running, cycling, swimming, gym workouts and daily steps.

As part of the Be Active initiative, UFS has also challenged SU to get the University of Cape Town (UCT) involved by running from Stellenbosch campus to UCT's campus in Cape Town, says Kirby. “I hope fellow SU members will join me in running and completing this challenge so that we can motivate more people to 'Be Active'."

To raise further awareness of a healthy lifestyle, CHS will be offering staff free medical screenings on the Rooiplein on Stellenbosch campus from 12:00 to 14:00 on Friday 27 September.

For more information on the Be Active challenge, contact Dr Jo-Anne Kirby on 021 808 3290 or jkirby@sun.ac.za. 

Photos by Stefan Els.

Prof Anneke Hesseling keeps a painting by Sir Luke Fildes called The Doctor above her desk. The image of the Victorian-era general practitioner observing the “crisis of illness" in a child in those (pre-antibiotic) days is an enduring one – a record of the status of the physician at a particular time in history.

It's an image she grew up looking at often as it used to hang in dad, Peter Hesseling's, study for years. He is a renowned paediatric oncologist based at Stellenbosch University (SU), and Anneke's maternal grandmother, Emma Terblanche, was a psychiatrist who trained at the University of Witwatersrand in the 1920's. “I actually wanted to study music, but medicine is something I kind of fell into. I'm really glad I did!"

Appointed as the Director of the Desmond Tutu Tuberculosis Centre (DTTC) based at SU's Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS) in 2016, Hesseling says she has an “urgent responsibility" to address efforts to prevent tuberculosis (TB) both locally and internationally. After HIV/Aids, this ancient disease is the leading infectious killer on earth. This toll continues despite a known cure existing for nearly a century. Large-scale efforts to ensure the prevention of TB are thus the modern imperative.

Children are her focus

Hesseling is especially concerned with the effects of TB on children, as its rampant spread still affects one in ten South African children. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that at least 1 million children under the age of 15 currently suffer from TB worldwide and the yearly death toll is some 250 000.

“For centuries there were just these finite ways to treat a disease like TB which, coupled with HIV, causes further complexity. Minors do not get to choose their circumstances or what they are exposed to. They are passive recipients of everything that happens to them and that is why I've decided to make this specific focus my passion," Hesseling explains.

Her many accolades include being awarded the first research chair in paediatric TB in South Africa a few years ago. With nearly twenty years' experience in paediatric TB research in South Africa; she has carved a career path which was virtually unheard of when she completed her medical studies at SU in the 1990s. “At the time, public health wasn't this awe-inspiring thing to look into, but then I worked and studied abroad, first in Amsterdam in 2001 and then in the USA in 2003. Spending time and obtaining training in epidemiology and public health in the USA offered me a global (health) perspective of South Africa and its response to TB and HIV/Aids specifically. That was a transformative experience and it set the course for what would eventually become my career."

Consultative approach

Through continued edification and leadership of mentors and the people who came before her, she has come to understand the value of a working environment which fosters collaborative learning in an effort to find the answers to some of the most pressing questions in the field. “The (DTTC) environment has always consisted of this wonderful group of researchers who led from the front and have left us with a rich legacy. I count professors Nulda Beyers (the former and founding DTTC director), Mark Cotton, Simon Schaaf, Peter Donald and Robert Gie as real pioneers in this respect. We also have a wonderfully rich and research-supportive academic department here in Paediatrics and Child Health, with a strong legacy of clinical research."

She has chosen to lead the DTTC, which was established in 2003, in a systematic but consultative way, entrenching paediatric TB alongside operational research and health systems strengthening and HIV prevention as key strategies in a bid to achieve the centre's objectives. “Our current vision and strategy is to be the global leader in paediatric translational TB research, to become a leader in other key research areas within the next five years, as well as to lead in other domains globally in terms of implementation and health systems strengthening. It is the only way to approach pandemics of this nature.

“We have strong collaborations internally, nationally and internationally to support the design, implementation and analysis of our research programme and we are working very hard at building capacity in our own ranks," Hesseling says. “I have increasingly started to realise what role social behavioural research plays in our work, which is why we prefer to work consultatively. When you are looking for solutions, you have to realise that everything is connected, including social determinants of health. TB and HIV affect families and communities."

Hesseling is a strong proponent of evidence-based strategies and therefore focuses on motivation for good research infrastructure as far as possible. “The DTTC is uniquely positioned in this university in that we're working off a phenomenal research base. This is not necessarily a given everywhere. The DTTC is furthermore geared towards pooling collective knowledge in a consultative and pragmatic way as a means to build capacity for the future and foster the next generation of researchers." These strong collaborative efforts have resulted in what she calls a “breeding ground for great research", which facilitates translational work. “For example, where we've developed an intervention that is relevant for adults, we will ask which strategies (of that intervention) children will like, and what works in the context of families and communities."

Leaders in clinical research

Her work is furthermore concerned with finding ways to translate the very granular findings of scientific research into policy. In mid-2018, Hesseling co-authored a large international systematic review, which was published in the weekly medical journal PLoS Medicine. The review showed that tuberculosis treatment is successful in children with multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and informed the WHO's guidelines on the treatment of MDR-TB in children in 2017.

According to Hesseling an estimated 32 000 children develop MDR-TB each year. Treatment for MDR-TB is longer and requires more toxic drugs. “These regimens are frequently hard to tolerate, particularly in children. Very little is currently known about the optimal treatment for these children and this review therefore provides vitally important information about potential outcomes and some very good news for the TB field.

“We are now leading clinical research on novel drugs like bedaquiline and delamanid in children, and plan on evaluating a six months orally administered regimen for MDR-TB treatment, which will be a major breakthrough for children in South Africa and globally.

“We are also leading work on better ways to treat and prevent TB in children, ending decades of historical neglect in this area," Hesseling concludes.

Photo credit: Damien Schumann

The therapeutic benefits of gardening and spending time in a green space are well-known, and now the Bishop Lavis Rehabilitation Centre, a student-driven primary care facility on the Cape Flats, is starting to reap the rewards of its own vegetable garden that was established early this year.

“A lot of our patients either garden as a leisure activity or as an occupation and we needed a garden to use in therapy with these patients," says Maatje Kloppers, senior occupational therapist and joint manager at the Bishop Lavis Rehabilitation Centre.

The rehab centre offers occupational therapy, physiotherapy, and speech-language and hearing therapy, as well as dietetics and primary health care in collaboration with the Bishop Lavis Community Day Centre, and the majority of these services is provided by students from Stellenbosch University's Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, with supervision from staff.

According to Kloppers, the vegetable garden was started by two male volunteers, who are former patients of the Bishop Lavis Rehab Centre. “John Jackson and Adam Solomon are avid gardeners and initially tried to set up a garden on the outside of the rehab centre with grey water during the Cape drought. Their efforts were thwarted, though, when most of their produce was stolen before they could harvest. So, as soon as there was some relief from the drought, we started setting up a container garden in the quad of the rehab centre in January this year," Klopper recalls.

Jackson and Solomon use pallet wood to build planting containers in different sizes and heights (to accommodate patients in wheelchairs and patients that cannot bend down) and are very proud of their harvests.

 “Gardening has many benefits for patients with disabilities," says Jackson. “Together with Adam, I enjoy showing the patients all the skills that they can perform using their hands. I am grateful that I can live out my passion for gardening and at the same time help others at the rehab centre."

Kloppers explains that the garden is used for individual patient treatment. “The occupational therapy students teach the patients adapted ways of gardening after a disability. The engagement of our patients, once they see that it is a real garden, and their spontaneous ideas of how they can make adaptions at home is how we know we have a good thing going," she says. “What is good to see is that the students also learn from the patients, who often have a wealth of knowledge on gardening. This results in a true team effort to gain more independence for the patient."

Kloppers adds that gardening has been included in the occupational therapy (OT) curriculum as part of activity study for the first-year OT students. “We are collaborating with the Ukwanda Rural Clinical School in Worcester where their gardener presents a morning lecture to the class and they come and garden in Bishop Lavis in smaller practical groups. Half of the class has had the experience so far and their response was amazing – they are so engaged with the activity and enjoy the interaction with the gardeners with disabilities, as part of the experience."

Besides providing a green therapy space, the garden also offers fresh produce that is used to make soup for patients during winter. “Producing our own veggies saves us from having to fundraise for the ingredients," says Kloppers. "It is our dream that the garden produces enough food to feed all of our patients when they attend an appointment at the centre."

Kloppers hopes that the garden can be used for all professions at the rehab centre in the future, either as a treatment space or as an activity to improve patients' skill in gardening.

"We also envision starting a garden club with community members interested in gardening – a group led by Adam and John to exchange ideas, seeds and veggies, and to encourage community members to produce veggies themselves and strive towards food security," she adds.

Photo caption: Students, personnel and pasients work together on the garden at Bishop Lavis Rehabilitation Centre.

Photo credit: Wilma Stassen

The Council of Stellenbosch University (SU) held its third scheduled meeting of the year on Wednesday 25 September 2019. A new Chancellor was elected by an electoral college that met prior to the Council meeting, and thereafter Council reappointed the Rector and Vice-Chancellor.

Council members strongly condemned gender-based violence and welcomed the ongoing engagement between management and students in this regard. Council also expressed concern at alcohol and substance abuse among students and requested all stakeholders to do more to combat this problem.

A Policy on Quality Assurance and Promotion for the University was approved. In addition, Council also received reports from the Rector and Vice-Chancellor, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Strategy and Internationalisation as well as the Chief Operating Officer.

Please read on for more information.

Kind regards

George Steyn
Chair: SU Council

New Chancellor elected

An electoral college comprising Council, the Executive Committee of Senate as well as the president and vice-president of the SU Convocation gathered prior to the Council meeting to elect the University's 15^th Chancellor. Justice Edwin Cameron – academic, jurist, author and recently retired Constitutional Court judge – was elected by an overwhelming majority. He will be succeeding Dr Johann Rupert, whose term expires at the end of the year.

Council thanked Dr Rupert for his service to the University since he became Chancellor in 2010 and congratulated Justice Cameron on his election. Cameron is an SU alumnus who received an honorary doctorate from his alma mater in 2015, and was nominated for the office of Chancellor by members of the Convocation. Click here for a full news article.

Second term for Rector

Council unanimously appointed Prof Wim de Villiers for a second five-year term as SU Rector and Vice-Chancellor – from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2025. The Institutional Forum and Senate had earlier recommended Prof De Villiers's reappointment.

The chair expressed Council's appreciation for the fact that SU was performing outstandingly with the Rector at the helm, and said that Prof De Villiers had tabled a compelling vision for his second term.

The Rector said that SU's students and staff remained his top priority, as there would be no University without them. Therefore, he will continue to promote their success and development. Click here for a full news report.

School for Data Science and Computational Thinking

Council welcomed the news that SU had established a School for Data Science and Computational Thinking, as reported by the Rector and Vice-Chancellor (click here for his Management Report). This standalone entity, which was officially launched on 29 July, is not located in any single faculty, but collaborates across faculty boundaries. Click here for a full news article.

Article on race and cognition

Council noted that three Senate committees had recommended that SU officially adopt the Global Code of Conduct for Research in Resource-Poor Settings (www.globalcodeofconduct.org) at its next Senate meeting in November 2019. This follows the controversy earlier this year surrounding an article on race and cognition published by SU researchers.

Council also took note of efforts to establish in what way all students could be exposed to learning material on gender and critical race studies, as well as of a survey to determine the extent to which research and teaching on these subjects were already occurring at SU.

Meanwhile, the inquiry into the publication of the article continues. Prof Eugene Cloete, Vice-Rector: Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Studies, undertook to provide further feedback on the matter at the next Council meeting.

Midyear financial report

Council approved SU's midyear financial report for submission to the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET). The report covers the University's financial results for the period 1 January to 30 June 2019.

According to the report, the 2019 budget was responsibly managed over this period. The University is financially sound, despite predominantly weak market conditions and investment performance. As in 2018, private donations again showed higher-than-anticipated growth.

Nevertheless, certain risks need to be taken into account, such as the impact of global and local economic prospects, potential cuts in state funding, and the as-yet unknown effect of the expected regulation of student fees.

Council noted the University's continued commitment to sound financial planning and management in order to ensure the institution's long-term financial sustainability.

Fundraising at SU

SU managed to raise more income from donations and awards than any other institution participating in the 2018 survey on higher education philanthropy (ASPIHE). The survey has revealed that, at an operational level, SU is at the leading edge of fundraising in South Africa. The institution's fundraising efforts for undergraduate and postgraduate bursaries, for instance, yielded R107 million in 2018 against R58,8 million in 2015. Moreover, SU's Development and Alumni Relations Division spent only 6c for every rand raised compared to the survey average of 18c.

Policy on Quality Assurance and Promotion

Council approved a Policy on Quality Assurance and Promotion for SU. The policy provides for cyclical reviews of academic departments and professional administrative support services, and for the periodic review and renewal of faculties, organisational structures, as well as academic programmes and qualifications. The aim is to continuously enhance the quality of all functions at the University.

The Vice-Rector: Learning and Teaching is responsible for implementing the policy. The final version will be published on SU's homepage, in the newly created central repository for key governance and management documents (click here for access).

SU ascends in global rankings

Council welcomed the news that SU had further improved its position among the world's leading universities in the latest edition of the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings. SU is now ranked in the 251–300 bracket as opposed to the 301–350 bracket last year. This puts SU among the top 1% of universities worldwide.

This time, SU improved its performance in relation to teaching, research, citations and international outlook. The most significant improvement was in citations, which had grown by 13% since last year. This is the third consecutive year that SU has improved in terms of this indicator.

Enrolments and qualifications

According to the annual June census, SU now has a total of 31 681 students, which is 0,3% fewer than last year. Postgraduate enrolments still account for approximately a third of the student body. A total of 52,5% of qualifications conferred in the 2018 academic year were at the postgraduate level.

Revised Statute commences

SU's new Statute has taken effect after it was published in the Government Gazette on 16 August 2019 (click here to view). It was adopted by Council in November 2018 and signed by the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology on 10 July 2019.

Interim measures to give effect to the new Statute are currently being planned. The University has 24 months to align the composition of statutory bodies with the new Statute. The revised Statute is available on the University's official webpage for policies and regulations.

Report of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Strategy and Internationalisation

Council received an annual report (click here for her full report, and here for her slide presentation) from the Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Strategy and Internationalisation, Prof Hester Klopper, covering the divisions of Strategic Initiatives, SU International, Information Governance and Corporate Communication. Highlights from the report include the following:

Strategic Initiatives (SI)

The Rectorate approved revised regulations for SU's Strategic Fund in April. The Fund focuses exclusively on initiatives that, although aligned with the vision, mission and core strategic themes of the University as outlined in Vision 2040 and Strategic Framework 2019-2024, are not accommodated in the University's main operational budget. Three application categories are now provided for, namely strategic initiatives, strategic high-rise and public-square projects, and strategic appointments. This year, 27 projects reached the second round, and the decision on final awards will be taken on 31 October.

Internationalisation

The Rectorate approved an Internationalisation Strategy for SU in August. It intends to consolidate the University's standing as a reliable global role-player and a preferred partner in Africa. The strategy offers a framework to incorporate an international dimension into all relevant institutional processes. It also brings greater focus to the existing wide range of internationalisation activities at SU and informs the institution's efforts to unlock new, emerging opportunities.

Information Governance

A range of strategic management indicators (SMIs) to measure SU's progress in delivering on its six core strategic themes were tabled to Council. The SMIs had been compiled and refined by a core working group during six intensive workshops that extended over a few weeks in August, and were then submitted to and further amended by the Rectorate. Council also noted that a final dashboard with strategic business indicators (SBIs) would serve at the Council meeting in December.

Corporate Communication

An SU brand perception audit has revealed that at least 170 sub-brands, visual identities and logos are being used across various SU environments – often without any obvious link to the University. This clearly weakens the University's brand. After careful consideration, the Rectorate has decided that SU will migrate from its current, fragmented “house of brands and logos" to a unified, monolithic brand architecture. A review of SU's visual identity will now be launched. In the meantime, the existing, Centenary-linked visual identity remains in use.

Report of the Chief Operating Officer

Council received an annual report (click here for his full report, and here for his slide presentation) from from the Chief Operating Officer, Prof Stan du Plessis. He oversees the Operations and Finance responsibility centre, which comprises the divisions of Finance, Facilities Management, Information Technology (IT), Innovus and Maties Sport. Highlights from his report include the following:

Finance

The main focus of SU's Finance Division for the next two years will be the roll-out and successful implementation of SUNFin (Oracle Cloud Financials) to support SU's strategic theme of a thriving SU. This will include the refinement of underlying processes and policies to optimise financial procedures, while still maintaining and adhering to good corporate governance principles. It will also entail reviewing the relevance of all sub-systems concerned/affected, as well as digitising current processes and procedures. This systems renewal project is seen as an opportunity to enhance processes with a view to both good governance and an optimal end-user experience, and to make the financial system an enabler of excellence. Change management and training will also be a major focus to ensure a satisfying experience for clients.

Facilities Management

The Facilities Management Division manages the buildings, infrastructure, sports fields and associated services across all SU campuses. SU has 490 buildings with 820 810 m² of usable space on 576 ha of land. Altogether 147 capital projects with a total value of R2,155 billion are currently under way at the University. Thanks to saving measures, the University's electricity consumption dropped to 2008 levels last year, and water consumption was 51% lower than the 2015 baseline.

Campus Security

Although security on all SU campuses remains a risk, the number of reported crime incidents is at its lowest since 2005. From 1 370 incidents in 2016, it dropped to 813 last year. Internal factors contributing to this trend include continuous assessment and mitigation of security risks, the procurement and appointment of a new security services partner, increasing the number of security officers on patrol, utilisation of improved communication security systems, and prioritising support and training for security staff. While these have all contributed to a decline in reported crime incidents, Campus Security is cognisant of the reality that external factors could easily destabilise the situation.

Innovus

Innovus is responsible for SU's intellectual property and trademark portfolio, and supports SU researchers, staff and students to commercialise their expertise and research to generate benefits for the University as well as society. Innovus has received 22 interesting new invention disclosures this year to date, including:

• a “skin printer";
• fractioning, or the process of turning insects into food;
• a method for sound-based differential diagnosis of lung disease;
• a natural gas storage system;
• calibration services for concentrating solar power (CSP) plants, using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs, or drones); and
•  a bio-compostable wine bottle.

Information Technology

SU's Information Technology (IT) Division is firmly on course to reshape its service delivery model into a structure that is geared for excellent ICT support services delivery, in collaboration with all partners both within and outside the University. One of the major opportunities to achieve this was the Service Delivery Model Review, which has just been concluded. This entailed a thorough review of operational processes in order to standardise and formalise IT's service offering. A new service engagement model has been proposed and is currently being developed for implementation.

Maties Sport

Sport has strategic value for SU. One of Maties Sport's many recent achievements was Maties Rugby's double Varsity Cup triumph for the second consecutive year. As in 2018, both the Maties Varsity Cup and the Maties Young Guns teams won their respective finals in the Varsity Cup tournament. SU hosted the 2019 USSA (University Sports South Africa) Games in July. Maties won two gold medals (men's cycling and women's surfing), six silver and two bronze medals. Equally praiseworthy was the 85% first-year throughput rate attained by Maties Sport's high-performance student athletes in 2018, which was in line with the SU average.

External review of Human Resources

Following the finalisation of the terms of reference for an external review of the Human Resources (HR) Division, a closed tender process was initiated and a consultancy firm appointed as service provider. The review commenced on 19 August. All HR's processes, procedures, policies, practices, staff members, staff competencies, workloads and staff placements will be examined.

Council members and structures

Council welcomed Ms Nadine Moodie as a new member. She is an SU alumna and former student leader who now works as a management and strategy consultant. Her term will be from 18 June 2019 until 17 June 2023. She is one of two Council members appointed by Council itself.

Mr Charl Cillié was appointed as chair of Council's Social and Business Ethics Committee, and Dr Minka Woermann from the Department of Philosophy as a member of that committee. Dr Woermann heads up the Business Ethics and Public Integrity Unit in SU's Centre for Applied Ethics.

Next meeting

The next Council meeting, which will be the final one for the year, is scheduled for Monday 2 December 2019.

PICTURE BY STEFAN ELS:

SU Council members at the meeting on September 25, 2019, from left (back), Messrs Wayde Davidse, Hubert Brody and Charl Cillié, Adv Gesie van Deventer, Profs Hester Klopper and Nico Koopman, Ms Nadine Moodie, Profs Johan Fourie and Eugene Cloete, Mr Ainsley Moos, Prof André Coetzee, Dr Tsakani Ngomane, Profs Aslam Fataar and Amanda Gouws, Adv Jean Meiring, Ms Carli van Wyk, Prof Usuf Chikte, Mr Paulu Joubert and Prof André Keet; (front) Profs Arnold Schoonwinkel, Joan Hambidge, Stan du Plessis and Wim de Villiers, Mr George Steyn (chair), Dr Ronel Retief (registrar), Ms Gwen Ngwenya and Ms Sindi Lingela.

Lecturers of the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences have bagged three of the 12 SU awards in the recent Teaching Excellence Awards competition.

These annual awards acknowledge lecturers in two categories, 'Distinguished Teacher' or 'Developing Teacher', based on their experience and leadership in the scholarship of teaching and learning.

Applicants had to submit a portfolio that demonstrated their reflection on and evidence of four main components: context, students, knowledge and professional growth. They also had to indicate the lessons they had learnt on their journey to becoming excellent teachers.

Dr Sharon Malan, Programme Leader: Extended degree programme, Mrs Carla Morris and Mr Alwyn Visser, both lecturers of the School of Accountancy, were awarded Teaching Excellence Awards in the category 'Developing Teacher'.

According to Prof Ronel du Preez, Vice-dean: Teaching and Learning, the awards are an opportunity to value excellent teaching.

“This is a great achievement," she said. "Congratulations to our excellent teachers of 2019! They have made us proud."​

Prof Tania Ajam, professor in Public Policy, Economics and Finance at the School of Public Leadership at Stellenbosch University, is one of the members of President Cyril Ramphosa's new Presidential Economic Advisory Council.

President Ramaphosa, who announced the 18 members on Friday, hopes the council will help spur inclusive growth.

An economist with broad experience in the design, analysis and implementation of fiscal policy, intergovernmental fiscal relations and government-wide monitoring and evaluation systems, Prof Ajam holds a M. Bus.Sc. (University of Cape Town) and a PhD in Public Management (University of Pretoria). She served on the Financial and Fiscal Commission, and on the Board of the Reserve Bank of South Africa.  She is also a member of the Davis Tax Review Committee.

• The following article with the title Ramaphosa unveils 18-person economic brain trust​ by Jan Cronje and Lameez Omarjee, was published on fin24 on 27 September 2019:

President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday announced the members of his new Presidential Economic Advisory Council, an academic-heavy brain trust that he hopes will help spur inclusive growth.

The council, a non-statutory and independent body, will be chaired by Ramaphosa. Its 18 members – from South Africa and abroad - are appointed to serve three-year terms. They are not paid, but compensated for subsistence and travel.

The president first announced the idea for an economic advisory council 18 months ago during his maiden State of the Nation Address. At the time he said the council would work to "greater coherence and consistency in the implementation of economic policy".  

On Friday, Ramaphosa said the council would serve as a forum for "in-depth and structured discussions on emerging global and domestic developments". It will meet quarterly at first, before deciding on a timetable for meetings.

"The Council will also be instrumental in building a knowledge base of policy and implementation lessons, best practices and field-tested success stories," he said.

“These competent intellectuals have the potential to help guide South Africa to a new and more inclusive path of economic development that will foster economic growth and improve the living standards for all people."

Professor Adam Habib,the vice-chancellor and principal of Wits university, said the council was "one way in which universities can impact positively on society – through sharing and applying their skills and knowledge to benefit the public good."  Four academics from the university have been appointed to the advisory body. 

The 18 members of the council are: 

• Prof Benno Ndulu: Former governor of the Bank of Tanzania from 2008 until 2018.  
• Prof Mzukisi Qobo: Professor of International Business at the University if the Witwatersrand.
• Prof Dani Rodrik: Professor of International Political Economy at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.
• Prof Mariana Mazzucato: Professor in the Economics of Innovation and Public Value, and founding director of the Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose at the University College London.
• Mamello Matikinca-Ngwenya: First National Bank Chief Economist.
• Dr Renosi Mokate: Former Executive and Dean, University of South Africa Graduate School of Business Leadership (SBL), and former Deputy Governor of the South African Reserve Bank.
• Dr Kenneth Creamer: Professor of Macroeconomics at Wits.
• Prof Alan Hirsch: Professor and founding director of the Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance (formerly the Graduate School of Development Policy and Practice) at the University of Cape Town.
• Prof Tania Ajam: Teaches public financial management at the University of Stellenbosch School of Public Leadership.
• Dr Grové Steyn: Infrastructure and regulatory economist.
• Mr Wandile Sihlobo: Agricultural Economist and Head of Agribusiness Research at the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa.
• Dr Liberty Mncube: Former Chief Economist at the Competition Commission and current scholar at Wits University.
• Prof Fiona Tregenna: Professor in the Department of Economics and Econometrics at the University of Johannesburg.
• Prof Haroon Bhorat: Professor of Economics and Director of the Development Policy Research Unit, University of Cape Town.
• Mr Ayabonga Cawe: Development economist and former Economic Justice Manager at Oxfam South Africa.
• Prof Vusi Gumede: Former chief policy analyst in the Presidency's Policy Coordination and Advisory Service, and founding director of the Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute at the University of South Africa.
• Dr Thabi Leoka: An economist who has worked for various organisations in the financial sector.
• Prof Imraan Valodia: Economist and Dean of the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management at the University of Witwatersrand.

Ramaphosa said the presidency is in the process of finalising the appointment of a "seasoned economist and leader from West Africa" who has accepted an invitation for her to serve as a member of the Council.​​