Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences
Department of Global Health
Division of Rural Health (Ukwanda)
Professor/Associate Professor: Rural Health and Head of the Division: Rural Health (Ukwanda)
(Tygerberg and Worcester Campuses)
Ref. TGB16/188/0726
The incumbent will work on both the Worcester and Tygerberg campuses. Engagement with a widely distributed training platform will also be required.
The Division of Rural Health (Ukwanda) seeks to advance rural health as an academic discipline in order to address the key issue of health equity, which is central to the mission of the Department of Global Health and the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS). As an academic division of Stellenbosch University (SU), Ukwanda aims to be a champion for advancing rural health, locally and globally. Its activities are centred on making a difference to rural healthcare through service, training and research, with the goal of optimising the health of rural communities.
The primary focus of this position is to provide strategic leadership in the academic discipline of rural health and in the ongoing development, implementation and delivery of programmes, activities, projects and research of the Division of Rural Health (Ukwanda). The position is at the academic rank of Professor/Associate Professor.
Duties:
- Developing and managing the Division’s activities to achieve excellence in research and health professions education in rural health.
- Ensuring sustainable growth of rural health professions training under the Division.
- Providing academic leadership, including the development of specific postgraduate programmes and courses in rural health and development.
- Encouraging and supporting rural health research at Stellenbosch University, and developing an active research programme focusing on questions relevant to rural health and health professions education, working closely with other academic entities (internal and external), and community partners.
- Providing leadership to rural training programmes in the FMHS, including contributions to teaching excellence from curriculum development through to delivery to undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) students, and working closely with other Divisions to ensure a coherent strategy for rural training.
- Developing recruitment, selection, support and retention strategies for rural origin students.
- Developing and sustaining partnerships with health facilities, service providers and communities in rural areas where students are being or could be trained.
- Partnering with other Faculties to strengthen the rural footprint of SU.
- Managing the staff in the Division.
Requirements:
- Doctoral degree in a health or education field.
- Undergraduate and/or postgraduate qualification in a health-related field.
- Five years’ experience in the health and higher education sectors.
- Five years’ academic experience in undergraduate and/or postgraduate training, including distributed training.
- Management experience in the university sector.
- Experience in a rural context as a healthcare or related professional.
- Demonstrable understanding of the health system and experience of working with Department of Health stakeholders.
- Experience in postgraduate supervision at master’s and doctoral level.
- Experience in establishing new projects and programmes and of leading multi-professional teams.
- A track record of securing external grants.
- Experience in international engagement, especially in Africa, with ongoing connections.
- Skills in project management, grant writing and fundraising.
- Established research profile, with publications in peer-reviewed journals commensurate with the academic level of the position.
- Excellent computer skills, as well as experience of using an online learning management system.
- A valid driver’s licence.
Recommendations:
- Knowledge of more than one official South African language.
- A track record of setting up and sustaining collaborative projects and partnerships.
- Experience in developing academic modules/curricula in rural health.
- Experience in implementing rural interprofessional education and collaboration.
Commencement of duties:
01 January 2027
Closing date:
31 July 2026
Enquiries about this post: Prof Peter Nyasulu on 021 938 9973, or at [email protected]
Enquiries about remuneration/benefits and technical assistance with the electronic application process: Human Resources Client Services Centre, on 021 808 2753 (Stellenbosch), or 021 938 9636 (Tygerberg), or at [email protected]
The University is committed to employment equity (EE), and appointments will be made in line with the institutional EE Plan.
Stellenbosch University reserves the right not to make an appointment.
Your application, comprising a comprehensive curriculum vitae (including the names and email addresses of at least three references), must reach the University before or on the closing date in the advertisement.
Apply online at https://www.su.ac.za/en/careers-su by clicking “Apply now” at the top to the right of the page for the specific vacancy.
The University reserves the right to investigate qualifications and conduct background checks on all candidates.
If you have received no feedback from the University after four to six weeks of the closing date, kindly accept that your application was unsuccessful.
