Academic and Student Perceptions on the Integration of HIV and AIDS education in an Electrical Engineering Curriculum at a South African University of Technology

Abstract

South Africa has the largest number of people living with HIV and AIDS in the world. A concerted effort is needed to address this epidemic, lest a socioeconomic crisis may cripple the country. Education may be the most powerful weapon in this regard, with universities playing a critical role in addressing this concern. In 2015, a funding program was initiated by Universities South Africa to facilitate this integration. Subsequently, the Department of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering at a South African University of Technology set out to re-design their curricula to include vital aspects relating to HIV and AIDS. A responsive driven curriculum design was adopted whereby the perceptions and expectations of facilitators and students in this department towards HIV and AIDS education were sought. An online open-ended questionnaire was used to gather both qualitative and quantitative results. This paper presents the initial findings of this study. A key recommendation of this study is to develop a digital online module addressing advanced HIV and AIDS education with special focus on its application in the workplace.