News and Events

New Masters Program in HIV, STIs and Sexual Health (MHSSH)

The new Masters Program in HIV/STIs and Sexual Health (MHSSH) has just been approved by the University of Sydney and will shortly be run from the STI Research Centre of the Western Clinical School. It will be the largest, most professionally diverse postgraduate program of its kind in the world.

Built on a sound biomedical foundation, the course brings together clinical, laboratory, social and psychological aspects of HIV, STIs & Sexual Health treatment and prevention. The curriculum and learning methods have been structured using the latest adult learning theories and give students from a variety of professionals backgrounds (including physicians, counsellors, educators, public health personnel, nurses and laboratory workers) an interdisciplinary, inter-professional study environment. Streaming of learning pathways provides opportunities to develop generic competencies, as well as the flexibility of choice necessary for specific professional needs and specialisations. Students performing well in their coursework and who have an interest in research, will have opportunities to progress to research candidature via the MPhil and PhD components.

The use of the latest e-Learning technologies, including streamed videos and social media, allow geographically remote and time-poor professionals to access the state of the art teaching materials, complimented by short periods of on-campus intensive face to face teaching.
By widening the range of topics covered, including the addition of a number of new units of study such as Adult Sexual Assault, it is anticipated that the 2012 intake will be around 40 EFTSL. This will make it one of the largest Masters programs in the Sydney Medical School.

STIRC Researchers secure funding to further HIV education

The University of Sydney has been successful in attracting $790,000 from the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) to host 25 fellows nominated by the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), and academic institutes, government and non-government organisations in Botswana, South Africa and Zambia under the auspices of the Australian Leaderships Awards (ALA) Fellowships program. An additional $300,000 will be contributed by The University of Sydney and counterparts to the project.

The program, entitled “Short Intensive Professional Program in HIV“, is being led by Professor Adrian Mindel, A/Professor Richard Hillman and Dr Shailendra Sawleshwarkar from the Sexually Transmitted Infections Research Centre (STIRC), Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney in conjunction with Dr Marylouise Caldwell from the Discipline of Marketing at the University of Sydney Business School, Professor Elias Mpofu, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney and Kabo Matlho of The Millennium Institute, Westmead.

The program will commence in late August for a period of 3 months and includes intensive multidisciplinary training in the management and prevention of HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections, visits to Centres of Excellence, leadership workshops, attendance at the Australasian HIV/AIDS Conference and the award of the International Professional Certificate in HIV Infection (IPC-HIV) for those who successfully fulfil all requirements of the program.

Dr Caldwell has become passionately interested in HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention campaigns following her 5 year long written and video ethnographic study into how and why everyday citizens of Botswana, who are living with HIV/AIDS become celebrity endorsers of Positive Living, a government sponsored lifestyle, intended to substantively prolong the lives of people living with HIV and prevent others from becoming infected. She said: “We believe the AusAID grant represents an innovative example of collaboration between The University of Sydney Business School, Sydney Medical School and The Faculty of Health Sciences and people active in the public health sectors of India and Botswana, South Africa and Zambia. We believe that the program will lead to deeper and more co-operative relationships between all countries involved.

HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections present major public health challenges to both developing and developed countries, with millions of adults and children becoming infected and dying each year. The evolving epidemics have particularly affected resource-poor countries, leading to increased demand for both educational opportunities and research skills in these areas. As envisaged in the Joint Statement of both Prime Ministers in 2009, India and Australia are building a broad knowledge partnership, including developing collaborative projects in education and acknowledged that higher education institutions in both nations have an important role to play in such partnership, including cooperation in science and technology.

One of the strategies of the Indian National AIDS Control Program is strengthening human resources and the PHFI is a major contributor to this. The Australian Government’s proposed strategy document titled ‘Looking West: Australia’s strategic approach to aid to Africa’ stresses that Australia aims to help reduce poverty and achieve sustainable development in Africa by supporting progress intended to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. The document also states that the aid program will also continue to help to build African countries’ and institutions’ human resource capacity.

The University of Sydney regards the project as an opportunity for all participants to engage in the reciprocal exchange of skills, ideas and opinions that are likely to contribute to significant improvements to HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment programs in all five participating countries; namely Australia, Botswana, India, South Africa and Zambia.

STIRC awarded funds for Public Sector Linkages Program (PSLP)

The University of Sydney, in association with the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), has been successful in obtaining the Public Sector Linkages Program (PSLP) through AusAID.

AusAID has funded the Sexually Transmitted Infections Research Centre (STIRC) and PHFI to have the unique opportunity for two large institutions to start the process of developing linkages and build local capacity in the field of STIs and HIV education and research and work together to aim to achieve a reduction in the health impacts of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and HIV in India and extend and strengthen India’s response to STIs and HIV.

The programme will contribute in developing International Professional Certificate in STIs/HIV. The course will be delivered to early career professionals pursuing a career in STIs & HIV at the Indian Institute of Public Health (IIPH) in New Delhi and expanded to regional North East India.

The first part of the program (year 1) will consist of course design - objectives, curriculum design and appropriate assessments including two in-country workshops with stakeholders. The jointly developed program will then be open to participants.

The program will be run in presence of STIRC staff in year 2 and 3. Surveys of course participants before and after completing the course will allow the evaluation of course contents, delivery methods, relevance and applicability. The information gathered from these surveys will be used to fine tune the course for subsequent years.

The final draft of the program for the certificate course will be ready in December 2011 to be delivered in the IIPH, New Delhi in 2012.

On completion of IPC-STIs/HIV, fellows will have a comprehensive understanding of STIs and HIV infection, including interactions between HIV and other STIs. This programme will help build capacity in the field of STIs and HIV in India and will empower participants to effectively coordinate responses to STIs and HIV via strengthening human resources and leading to enhanced workforce development. This may subsequently reduce the incidence and prevalence of STIs and HIV in India.

The long-term goal is to further expand the course to regional Institutes after project completion in 2013. It is anticipated that the activity will act as catalyst for improved prevention, control and management of STIs and HIV in India and, in turn, help the country achieve the MDGs in relation to HIV.

STIRC awarded funds for a Short Intensive Professional Program in HIV

The University of Sydney, in association with the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), has been successful in obtaining an Australian Leadership Awards – Fellowships (ALAF) for 10 public health professionals in India to build their capacity in research, health program management and policy development.

The award will fund a “Short Intensive Professional Program in HIV“, led by Professor Adrian Mindel, A/Professor Richard Hillman and Dr Shailendra Sawleshwarkar from the Sexually Transmitted Infections Research Centre (STIRC), Western Clinical School, University of Sydney and will commence in late August for a period of 3 months. The program includes specialist training, visits to Centres of Excellence, leadership workshops and the award of the International Professional Certificate in HIV Infection (IPC-HIV) for those who successfully complete the program.

HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) present major public health challenges to both developing and developed countries, with millions of adults and children becoming infected and dying each year. The evolving epidemics have particularly affected resource-poor countries, leading to increased demand for both educational opportunities and research skills in these areas. One of the strategies of Phase-III of the Indian National AIDS Control Programme is strengthening human resources and the PHFI is a major contributor to this. STIRC is an internationally renowned research and teaching centre within the University of Sydney. It provides excellent opportunities to achieve very high levels of knowledge and skills in the diagnosis, management and control of STIs & HIV.

HIV/AIDS significantly impacts on the developmental outcomes of countries such as India, where 2.5 million adults currently live with HIV. An adequately supplied and well-trained workforce is thus an essential component of the health care system. This Program complements Australia’s new international development strategy for HIV 'Intensifying the response: Halting the spread of HIV', with regard to the Millennium Development Goal Six - to combat HIV/AIDS and work towards universal access to HIV prevention, support, care and treatment by 2010.

The Short Intensive Professional Program in HIV provides a comprehensive overview of the prevention and management of HIV infection. The program also provides opportunities to enhance professional experience and develop networks, by attendance at the Australasian HIV conference, visits to centres of excellence, work placements and leadership development activities.

As envisaged in the Joint Statement of both Prime Ministers in 2009, India and Australia are building a broad knowledge partnership, including developing collaborative projects in education. The higher education institutions (universities and vocational training institutions) in both nations have an important role to play in such partnership, including cooperation in science and technology.

The Joint Ministerial Statement between the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations of the Government of Australia and the Ministry of Human Resource Development of the Government of India, released on 8th April 2010 called for an expansion of the existing exchange program agreement to include greater cooperation across all education sectors –schools, vocational education and training (VET) and higher education including technical and professional education through supporting the exchange of government officials and educationalists for continuous professional development. The University of Sydney’s ‘Short Intensive Professional Program in HIV’ is an excellent example of this Ministerial Statement in action.

At the end of the program, participants will be able to use their skills to build capacity in the prevention and treatment of HIV in India. This program will also provide Fellows with the opportunity to collaborate with Australian counterparts and to develop a network for ongoing advice, assistance and collaboration. It is thus highly likely to contribute to the growing collaborative relationship between the two countries.

About the ALA Fellowships

*The Australian Leadership Awards (ALA) Fellowships is an Australian Government initiative under the Australia Awards designed to promote knowledge, education links and enduring ties between Australia and the global community. ALA Fellowships are administered by AusAID with the aim to develop leadership, address priority regional development issues, and build partnerships and linkages between Australian organisations and partner organisations in developing countries in the Asia-Pacific region, Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa and the Middle East.