The purpose of the programme is to address HIV/AIDS in Higher Education in a holistic and integrated manner. The immediate concern is to reduce the threat of HIV/AIDS in the higher education sector, but the programme extends beyond purely prevention initiatives.

The Draft Strategic Plan will give you a clear idea of the activities presently being undertaken by the programme. Click on the links below to explore other areas of the programme.

It is built around 6 coordinated interventions:

• Effective policy, leadership, advocacy, and management.
• Effective Prevention.
• Effective care and support.
• Teaching appropriate to HIV/AIDS era.
• Appropriate research/knowledge creation.
• Community Outreach.

Long term objectives of the programme are:

• To promote safer sexual and social behaviour amongst students and staff to curb the spread of HIV
• To protect their organisations and make them responsive to the needs of students and staff who are infected and affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic
• To build capacity to mitigate and manage the epidemic
• To develop a coordinated response to the epidemic within institutions and across the entire higher education sector
• To situate the HIV/AIDS debate – challenges and opportunities – at the centre of HE
• To situate HE institutions at the centre of constructive and successful HIV/AIDS interventions at a national level

Institutionalising the Response to HIV/AIDS in the South African University Sector, a SAUVCA analysis. This report documents responses to the HIV/AIDS epidemic by South African universities. It reflects on the dynamics behind these responses and focuses on the findings of an investigation by the South African Universities Vice Chancellors Association (SAUVCA). The investigation examined institutional responses in four areas: management, planning, programmes and policy. The report analyses key strategy issues including leadership, capacity, resources and the system-level impacts that HIV/AIDS will have on higher education. The findings were presented to a workshop with member institutions on 26 October 2000 and agreement was reached on the elements of a co-ordinated strategy for the near future. It argues for a sector-wide response to HIV/AIDS to strengthen a co-ordinated response. Click here for the rest of the document.