Interprofessional education has evolved over the last 20 years in the higher education sector. AS we share best practice, we are able to identify context specific models for our institutions as this is an important aspect that needs to be driven for sustainability. The aim of this paper is reflecting on interprofessional education in higher education institutions in Africa and highlight the barriers with the aim to provide possible solutions for the identified gaps. AS we move towards the 2030 SDG goals we as health professionals and health professional educators are tasked to find solution to promote goal 3 which focuses on improving health and wellbeing for all. The higher education sector also has to contribute to providing quality education to our students and thus we need to reflect on our interprofessional offerings to constantly improve so that we address the health of societies. As part of this presentation, the experiences of a resource constrained university are highlighted and the areas of influence highlighted to continue to sustain interprofessional education for 20 years

1. Interprofessional
education at higher
education institutions: an
exemplar for driving
SDGs
PROF JM Frantz
17 May 2022

2. Overview of my presentation
▰ Global influence on higher education institutions
▰ Interprofessional Education Globally
▰ Interprofessional Education in Africa
▰ Exemplar of IPE in South Africa
▰ Alignment of IPE and SDGs
▰ Way Forward

3. Global Perspective

4. Sustainable Development Goals

5. UNESCO 2022
This report thoroughly discusses the role of
higher education institutions in contributing to
the 2030 Agenda, through a focus on three
interrelated themes:
▰ 1. the need to move towards inter- and
transdisciplinary modes of producing and
circulating knowledge;
▰ 2. the imperative of becoming open
institutions, fostering epistemic dialogue
and integrating diverse ways of knowing;
and
▰ 3. the demand for a stronger presence in
society through proactive engagement
and partnering with other societal actors

6. HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

7. RECOMMENDATIONS: TEACHING

8. RECOMMENDATIONS: RESEARCH

9. RECOMMENDATION: OUTREACH AND COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT

10. SPECIFIC GENERAL RECOMMNEDATIONS

13. Interprofessional
Education GLOBALLY

15. Interprofessional
Education in AFRICA

17. The Africa Interprofessional Education Network
(AfrIPEN) is a consensus-based partnership
between various institutions and individuals with
the vision to establish interprofessional education
and collaborative practice (IPECP) as integral
part in training the health workforce and in the
effective functioning of systems for health in the
Africa region.
The African Forum for Research and Education in
Health (AFREhealth) is an interdisciplinary health
professional grouping that seeks to work with
ministries of health, training institutions and other
stakeholders to improve the quality of health care in
Africa through research, education and capacity
building. This forum was launched in Nairobi in
2016.
AMREF health Africa trains local
health workers and provide health
services to meet the continent’s
dynamic and critical health needs.
The Foundation for the Advancement of International
Medical Education and Research (FAIMER) promotes
excellence in international health professions education
through programmatic and research activities. By working
to advance health professions education in sub-Saharan
Africa, SAFRI supports FAIMER’s mission of improving
global health by improving education
The African Health OER Network: Advancing
health education in Africa through open
educational resources
The African Centre for Global Health and Social
Transformation (ACHEST) is an initiative promoted by a
network of African and international leaders in health and
development. It is an independent Think Tank and a
network.

18. Interprofessional
Education SOUTH
AFRICA

19. There are many documented examples of IPE being practised
among student health professionals in various institutions,
both in South Africa (SA) and internationally.
Institutions of higher education are encouraged to commit to
a person-centered comprehensive PHC model and review
curricula to focus on the priority actions required to address
countrywide inequities (Chopra et al., 2009; Frenk et al.,
2010; Letsekha, 2013).

20. WHO (2010) highlighted the following skills to
be obtained through interprofessional
education:
o Teamwork
o Roles and responsibilities
o Communication
o Learning and critical reflection
o Transferring interprofessional learning to the
work setting
o Ethical practice:
• Prioritising and decision-making (Williams et
al., 2011),
• Conflict management (Treadwell & Havenga,
2013),
• Establish specialised knowledge and skills for
collaboration (Burch, 2014)
• Prevent stereotyping and professional
arrogance (Burch, 2014)
• Create mutual respect and understanding
(Burch, 2014)

21. Research on IPE in South Africa

22. Example of University
of the Western Cape

23. SENSEMAKING

24. SENSEMAKING

25. 2015 -2020 2021-2025
“Together we can make a difference
through interprofessional health and
social care”.
Using knowledge and
research to impact society

27. GUIDING PRINCIPLES TO DRIVE IPE AT UWC
• Leadership support to drive IPE and
IPP
• Across discipline buy-in
• Capacity development for IPE
• Collective community engagement
• Building networks in developing IPE –
intrauniversity and interuniversity

28. ALIGNMENT

29. UWC ALIGNMENT

30. ALIGNMENT: IPE AFRICA

31. ALIGNMENT: IPE GLOBAL

36. WAY FORWARD
▰ In order for us to make progress we need co-designed
and co-produced knowledge but we need to understand
our own context
▰ Universities can be the vehicle to drive cross-sectoral
knowledge
▰ We realise that co-production does not necessarily
equate to equity
▰ We need to speak of equity as it recognises that each
person has a different reality and different circumstances
and we need to meet people at their point of need
▰ We need to have INFLUENTIAL CONVERSATIONS
within the context of diversity and equity as we look at the
SDGs through different lenses

37. WAY FORWARD: questions?
▰ 1. Can we incorporate more leadership
modules into our curriculum that equips
graduates to be global citizens that understand
local and global context?
▰ 2. How do we more strongly align our IPE
initiatives to SDGs or do we want to?
▰ 3. How do we in Africa align our IPE initiatives
to Agenda 2063?
▰ 4. How can we promote, encourage and
support equitable interdisciplinary research
related to IPE in Africa and globally?

38. THANK YOU