The School of Nursing within the Faculty of Community and Health Sciences pulled all the stops and hospitality services when they hosted the first in-person FUNDISA meeting since 2020. The meeting was held from 23-24 February 2023 at the CHS Bellville campus.
The FUNDISA network is a collaboration platform between 21 universities in South Africa that offer nursing programmes. Each university is represented by either the Director of the School or Heads of Nursing Departments and other senior academics from their respective department or school.
Upon arrival, the FUNDISA delegates received a warm welcome from final year Bachelor of Nursing students and they were escorted and orientated about CHS’ presence in the Bellville CBD as well as the CHS state-of-the-art facility. The meeting was held virtually during the Covid-19 pandemic and this opportunity to meet in-person brought about great excitement amongst delegates. The event was opened with much enthusiasm and anticipation by FUNDISA Chief Executive Officer Dr. Elizabeth Mokoka, who gave an opportunity for CHS School of Nursing Director, Prof Penelope Martin to welcome the delegates to the CHS Bellville campus and CBD. “I wish you and your departments a blessed 2023. May everything planned ahead come to fruition" said the current Chairperson, Prof. Portia Jordan from Stellenbosch University.
As soon as the meeting started delegates were each given an opportunity to share their respective operational matters regarding their teaching and learning, such as programme accreditation status, South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) accreditation and registration matters, South African Nursing Council (SANC) issues, promotions as well as opportunities and challenges they have experienced in the previous academic year.
Furthermore, on day one, the meeting touched on matters such as the Research Conference report, research matters, POPI Act, CHE-FUNDISA meeting, Legacy qualifications, capacity building programmes, publication supplement. In the afternoon the FUNDISA Chairperson, CEO and Treasurer delivered their reports. The School of Nursing took a moment and gave the delegates an opportunity to tour the facility including SON’s remarkable and state-of-the-art Skills laboratories. The delegates were impressed with the facility and what it delivers in terms of teaching and learning through simulation of the hospital environment in various areas of specialisation such as midwifery and intensive care. The delegates were given an opportunity to report back on their experience of the skills laboratory tour. Some commented that they could only dream of such a facility; that the students are privileged to have such great resources; that they loved the enthusiasm of the clinical supervisors who did the orientation in the various skills laboratories. There were many messages of congratulations to UWC for the excellent clinical simulation facilities and statements that they wished that SANC could visit the facility to appreciate the quality of resources and opportunities in the nursing programmes.
On day two, the focus was on portfolio committee reports, reporting on matters such as Education, Practice, Research and Student Engagement.
The meeting concluded with a presentation from Prof Gwen Sherwood, of the Chapel Hill School of Nursing, at the University of North Carolina. The next FUNDISA meeting will be hosted at the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) on 25 - 26 May, the third meeting will be hosted by North West University, Potchefstroom campus on 24-25 August 2023 followed by the University of Free State in October 2023, hosting on 19 - 20 October. Forty five 45 delegates from 21 universities from all over South Africa attended the meeting hosted by UWC on 23-24 February. These included the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), Durban University of Technology (DUT), Nelson Mandela University (NMU), North-West University (NWU), Sefako Makgatho University (SMU), Stellenbosch University (SU), Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), University of Cape Town (UCT), University of Fort Hare (UFH), University of the Free State (UFS), University of Johannesburg (UJ), University of Limpopo (UL), University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), University of South Africa (UNISA), University of Venda (UV), University of Zululand (UniZulu), University of Pretoria (UP), University of the Western Cape (UWC), Vaal University of Technology (VUT), University of Witwatersrand (Wits) and Walter Sisulu University (WSU). FUNDISA is an academic and professional platform for collaboration, networking as well as creating developmental opportunities for the various departments and schools at participating universities.
The FUNDISA network is a collaboration platform between 21 universities in South Africa that offer nursing programmes. Each university is represented by either the Director of the School or Heads of Nursing Departments and other senior academics from their respective department or school.
Upon arrival, the FUNDISA delegates received a warm welcome from final year Bachelor of Nursing students and they were escorted and orientated about CHS’ presence in the Bellville CBD as well as the CHS state-of-the-art facility. The meeting was held virtually during the Covid-19 pandemic and this opportunity to meet in-person brought about great excitement amongst delegates. The event was opened with much enthusiasm and anticipation by FUNDISA Chief Executive Officer Dr. Elizabeth Mokoka, who gave an opportunity for CHS School of Nursing Director, Prof Penelope Martin to welcome the delegates to the CHS Bellville campus and CBD. “I wish you and your departments a blessed 2023. May everything planned ahead come to fruition" said the current Chairperson, Prof. Portia Jordan from Stellenbosch University.
As soon as the meeting started delegates were each given an opportunity to share their respective operational matters regarding their teaching and learning, such as programme accreditation status, South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) accreditation and registration matters, South African Nursing Council (SANC) issues, promotions as well as opportunities and challenges they have experienced in the previous academic year.
Furthermore, on day one, the meeting touched on matters such as the Research Conference report, research matters, POPI Act, CHE-FUNDISA meeting, Legacy qualifications, capacity building programmes, publication supplement. In the afternoon the FUNDISA Chairperson, CEO and Treasurer delivered their reports. The School of Nursing took a moment and gave the delegates an opportunity to tour the facility including SON’s remarkable and state-of-the-art Skills laboratories. The delegates were impressed with the facility and what it delivers in terms of teaching and learning through simulation of the hospital environment in various areas of specialisation such as midwifery and intensive care. The delegates were given an opportunity to report back on their experience of the skills laboratory tour. Some commented that they could only dream of such a facility; that the students are privileged to have such great resources; that they loved the enthusiasm of the clinical supervisors who did the orientation in the various skills laboratories. There were many messages of congratulations to UWC for the excellent clinical simulation facilities and statements that they wished that SANC could visit the facility to appreciate the quality of resources and opportunities in the nursing programmes.
On day two, the focus was on portfolio committee reports, reporting on matters such as Education, Practice, Research and Student Engagement.
The meeting concluded with a presentation from Prof Gwen Sherwood, of the Chapel Hill School of Nursing, at the University of North Carolina. The next FUNDISA meeting will be hosted at the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) on 25 - 26 May, the third meeting will be hosted by North West University, Potchefstroom campus on 24-25 August 2023 followed by the University of Free State in October 2023, hosting on 19 - 20 October. Forty five 45 delegates from 21 universities from all over South Africa attended the meeting hosted by UWC on 23-24 February. These included the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), Durban University of Technology (DUT), Nelson Mandela University (NMU), North-West University (NWU), Sefako Makgatho University (SMU), Stellenbosch University (SU), Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), University of Cape Town (UCT), University of Fort Hare (UFH), University of the Free State (UFS), University of Johannesburg (UJ), University of Limpopo (UL), University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), University of South Africa (UNISA), University of Venda (UV), University of Zululand (UniZulu), University of Pretoria (UP), University of the Western Cape (UWC), Vaal University of Technology (VUT), University of Witwatersrand (Wits) and Walter Sisulu University (WSU). FUNDISA is an academic and professional platform for collaboration, networking as well as creating developmental opportunities for the various departments and schools at participating universities.
