On 28 and 29 August 2024, the University of Johannesburg (UJ) hosted Mr. Andrea Uccello, an external auditor from the International University Sport Federation (FISU), as he conducted an audit on the University’s Healthy Campus Programme. The purpose of the audit was to verify the information UJ submitted to FISU to achieve the Platinum Certification in July 2024.
The Healthy Campus Programme is a product of FISU, designed to encourage universities to foster a healthy lifestyle among campus communities. Since its formation, 155+ universities worldwide have registered to participate in the Healthy Campus Programme. UJ became a participant in the Programme since May 2020.
Dr. Mpoti Ralephata, UJ’s Acting Vice-Chancellor and Principal at the time of the audit, welcomed Mr. Uccello and highlighted the University’s dedication to empowering students and staff through various health-related programmes. “UJ’s commitment to creating a supportive and inclusive environment for all is evident in its diverse offerings and focus on addressing global challenges,” he said.
“The University is one of the largest residential higher education institutions in South Africa and offers a variety of valuable qualifications to students who come from both the less privileged and privileged backgrounds. Some of our students get to participate in sports that they may not have known while they were still in their villages, and they leave here empowered.
Dr. Ralephata said he was confident that the University would provide a comprehensive evidence-based library of documents to showcase its interventions and facilities that UJ has put in place to look after employees and students.
Present at the audit were coordinators, senior managers and senior directors from several UJ departments and divisions who contributed immensely to the success of the Healthy Campus Programme over the past years. They included, Senior Director of Sport, Ms Nomsa Mahlangu, Senior Director of Central Technical Services, Mr Greg James, and Specialist and Director of the Centre for Ecological Intelligence, Professor Michael Rudolph, among others.
On the opening day of the audit, Mr Uccello went through the three pillars of the Healthy Campus Programme, namely, Healthy Campus Management, Nutrition and the Environment, Sustainability and Social Responsibility. These domains include criteria that encourages the University community to lead healthy lifestyles through conscious eating, looking after the environment and synergies among internal stakeholders with external entities.
On the concluding day of the audit, health practitioners and managers presented evidence documents and elaborated on the University’s campaigns in the Disease Prevention, Risk Behavior, and Mental and Social Health as well as Physical Activity and Sport. The auditor concluded his audit with site visits to check the UJ infrastructure, including a visit to sport facilities, electric busses, on-campus solar power farms, waste management plant, and the smart gardens at the Auckland Park Kingsway, Bunting Road and Soweto Campuses.
FISU will share the audit outcomes with UJ when the audit process has been completed and reviewed by FISU management.
