Welcome to the Executive Dean of Health Sciences

Welcome to the Faculty of Health Sciences at Nelson Mandela University, a space where purpose meets potential and possibility, where a new generation of health and social care professionals is shaped through care, compassion, scholarship, and innovation. We are called to develop professionals who are not only equipped with knowledge and skills, but who are grounded in values that honour the dignity of all people, and who are prepared to respond to the complexities of our time with courage and care. We are grounded in scientific knowledge balanced with our commitment to the values of Ubuntu.

We are a dynamic academic community, home to three distinctive Schools: the School of Behavioural and Lifestyle Sciences, the School of Clinical Care and Medicinal Sciences, and the Medical School; supported by two Directorates focused on Research, Learning and Teaching, with the common thread of transformative engagement woven throughout to ensure authentic relationships with the communities we serve. Together, we are united by a shared goal: to be an inclusive, people-centred African faculty where excellence, critical scholarship, and innovation come together in the service of society.

Here, students are not only educated, but they are also seen, supported, and challenged to become professionals who care deeply and lead boldly. We prioritise student health and well-being as essential to academic success and personal growth. Our commitment to student-centred learning extends beyond classrooms and campuses. Through immersive work-integrated experiences across the region, we ensure our graduates are grounded in real-world understanding and equipped to respond with relevance, empathy, and skill.

Our programmes are designed with the current health challenges in mind and solutions that are grounded in reality, while also anticipating the future trajectory of healthcare and innovation. Digital fluency, inter-professional collaboration, and socially responsive practice are no longer optional, but essential. We also nurture spaces for curiosity, critical thinking, and creative exploration, where ideas can be tested, stretched, and brought to life. We believe in scholarship that guides towards enhanced self-knowledge, self-care and care of others, skills that champion evidence based practices, research that matters, and partnerships that shift the dial towards equity and justice in health and social systems.

To you, dear student, who is seeking a faculty that develops compassionate, capable professionals, we invite you to come, explore, and discover your potential with us.

If you are an academic or researcher looking for a meaningful home where your knowledge and commitment can serve communities with care, we welcome your passion, your voice, and your leadership.

We are the Faculty of Health Sciences. We don’t just prepare graduates. We nurture changemakers. Come and be part of something transformative. Let us partner and change the world together.