Nursing Department benefits from Atlantic Philanthropies funding

The Nursing Department in the Mafikeng Campus of the North-West University is reaping the fruits of the funding from Atlantic Philanthropies.

This funding, which was to the tune of R18.5 million, was granted to the Department of Nursing Science (DNS) in 2009 for staff development in problem-based learning.

The funding was initiated by the then Dean of the Faculty of Agric, Science and Technology, Prof Mashudu Davhana-Maselesele who is now the Campus Rector. The funding was used to train Masters, Doctoral and Post Doctoral students and also to improve on their research skills. "To date, five staff members from DNS have successfully completed their Masters, and one Phd Graduate benefited through this grant," said Dr Hunadi Rakhudu, head of the DNS. "The purpose of this grant was for staff development on problem-based learning and enhancing acquisition of senior degrees. This was part of succession planning as well as growing own timber. DNS experienced a shortage of staff with senior degrees and challenges in recruiting senior personnel to join academia, which was aggravated by the ageing population of nursing personnel," added Dr Rakhudu. The Atlantic Philanthropies (AP) is a private foundation created in 1982 by US businessman Charles F. "Chuck" Feeney.

The Atlantic Philanthropies' grant-making supports health and social projects in Australia, Bermuda, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United States and Vietnam. It is among the largest foreign charitable donors in each of the countries in which it operates, and is the single largest funder of ageing and of comprehensive immigration reform in the United States. Since 2007, Atlantic Philanthropies has been focused increasingly on social justice grant-making.