From the 2024 Global Conference, held in Thessaloniki, Greece
Author: Dr. Rehana Kader
Currently, South Africa has only two universities in the country that offer a formal post graduate diploma in addictions care. The South African Chapter of ICUDDR’s aim is to engage more universities in the country to develop and implement academic curricula in addiction science. The development and implementation of academic curricula is a very complex, challenging, and often difficult and complicated process. To ensure the success and sustainability of such an endeavor, it is important to follow a systematic process. Hence, the South African ICUDDR undertook the first phase of conducting a formal needs assessment of universities throughout the country to identify the needs of universities regarding addiction science training and curriculum development. This needs analysis to take an inventory of the addiction science education and training landscape and looking at gaps or absence of addiction programs. The data obtained from the needs assessment will allow the South African ICUDDR to propose recommendations and provide support to assist these universities with the next phase of curriculum development and adoption of addiction programs as well as developing academic staff competencies in the addiction field.