The National Taiwan University’s (NTU) Africa Elite Talent Cultivation Programme has formed academic and research collaborations with three South African universities through its Interdisciplinary Nursing Alliance. One of these is Stellenbosch University, where NTU partners with the Africa Centre for Inclusive Health Management, part of the Economic and Management Sciences Faculty, which aims to build leadership and management capacity in health.
The collaboration seeks to foster long-term partnerships in health and nursing education, strengthen interdisciplinary exchange, and promote global health equity.
According to Prof Ya-Ling Yang of NTU’s School of Nursing, “the decision to collaborate with African partners is driven by the lessons from the continent’s community-driven and resource-optimised approaches to healthcare, coupled with its diversity and vitality. Combining these strengths with Taiwan’s experience in health education and system management provides a unique setting for collaboration.”
“Shared values create common ground for collaboration, while differences open opportunities for mutual learning,” she adds.
Taiwan’s health education system excels in interdisciplinary approaches and technology-enhanced learning, while Africa contributes holistic wellbeing perspectives, spirituality, and indigenous health research methodologies, notes Dr Munya Saruchera, director of the Africa Centre. “We can share Taiwan’s experience in equitable health financing and integrated care, while South Africa can offer valuable lessons in managing high-burden diseases, decentralised service delivery and culturally diverse health strategies,” Prof Yang said. Dr Saruchera added that Taiwan’s focus on healthy and traditional food and acceptance of indigenous health practices could inform South African approaches.
Inclusive health management underpins the partnership, promoting equitable access, efficient delivery, and social justice. Prof Yang stresses, “But there is work to be done to embed inclusivity into policy design, particularly with disparities among vulnerable populations.” Challenges include funding constraints, cultural and linguistic barriers, unequal resource distribution, workforce retention, and limited technology access.
The collaboration targets student and faculty exchanges, research on public health issues, leadership capacity building, and community-based projects in underserved areas. The Africa Centre’s engagement in events like the CREATE Conference, supporting 20 community health groups, exemplifies this approach.
Dr Saruchera highlights South-South collaboration: “Similarities in sustainable development goal struggles, dealing with a Western-centric global health system, and bearing the brunt of global pandemics serve as a rallying point and a basis for solidarity in the Global South.” Prof Yang adds, “It fosters solidarity and co-creation among countries facing similar systemic challenges, resulting in solutions that are both innovative and contextually appropriate.”
