​Recently, the University of Johannesburg’s (UJ) Faculty of Health Sciences signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Zambia’s Evelyn Hone College to aide academic appointments, develop Master’s and Doctoral programmes, student exchanges, and share teaching and learning strategies, among other academic agreements.

UJ’s Health Sciences academics will offer assistance to Evelyn Hone College staff to obtain higher qualifications, develop programmes such as Emergency Medical Care, and Sport and Movement Studies. The MoU also harnesses collaborations between the two institutions’ departments of Environmental Health, Human Anatomy and Physiology, Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences / Radiography, and Biomedical Technology.

“The initial proposition of the MoU to collaborate with Evelyn Hone College (EHC) in Zambia happened in November 2017. Subsequent to follow-up engagements, the Faculty of Health Sciences finalised the MoU which culminated to this signing event. Possible areas of collaboration will include UJ sharing the principles of the staff qualifications project, and student exchanges (student enrichment programmes and summer schools),” says Mr Sibusiso Mdletshe, Head of Department: Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences Department (MIRS), UJ.

The MoU will be effective for three years, with a possible renewal for another three years unless one party expresses otherwise.

At UJ, the partnership will benefit to a large extent staff and students in the Faculty of Health Sciences, specifically the Departments of Biomedical Sciences, Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences, Environmental Health – and later Human Anatomy and Physiology, Sport and Movement Studies and Emergency Medical Care.

“This is an exciting agreement for the Faculty of Health Sciences and for the University of Johannesburg,” adds Mr Mdletshe.