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Five doctoral students from Walter Sisulu University (WSU) received a Sustained Academic Research and Training Program (SACERT) Track B full scholarship to attend a two-day international research methods training workshop held this July in Cape Town.
SACERT Programme is a research programme dedicated to training and advancing research in Chronic Stress and Mental Disorders. Hosted primarily at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in the USA, the initiative receives five-year funding support from the Fogarty International Center, an entity of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH).
This program is an international collaboration between UCLA and 12 South African universities and research entities. The training faculties are from the University of Cape Town, Stellenbosch University, the Human Sciences Research Council Walter Sisulu University and other Universities where SACERT scholars are registered for their doctoral studies.
Prof. Mashudu Davhana-Maselesele, Deputy Vice-Chancellor; Academic Affairs and Research (DVCAAR) is one of the Country's Principal Investigators for the programme. Within Walter Sisulu University (WSU), the SACERT faculty mentors include Prof. Simon Kangethe, from the Department of Social Work and Psychology; and Prof. Olanrewaju Oladimeji, from the Department of Public Health.
A pivotal component of the SACERT Track B initiative was the intensive two-day workshop, spotlighting research methodologies in mental disorders, PTSD, and substance abuse.
“The workshop fostered connections with experts from varied domains, refined my research prowess, and informed how I structure my future presentations, said. Khuthala Sigovana, a participant in the workshop.
‘’The exposure to the community intervention approach, statingthat it emphasised the necessity of integrating and valuing the community for impactful interventions, creating solutions rooted in a thorough situational analysis and a precise understanding of community challenges, with recognising racism's multi-generational detrimental impact on mental health. We were motivated by believing that the curse must stop with us’’, added . Thomas Dlamini, another participant.
In anticipation, the application SACERT Track A scholarship call for 2024 will be out in September, offers scholars a two-year support to improve their research acumen, particularly in chronic stress and mental disorders. Scholars will receive invaluable mentorship, build robust relationships with a dynamic network of peers and mentors, and develop skills in sharing their research findings to be scientifically visible in their research focus areas. Furthermore, SACERT Track A scholars will be equipped with skills in workload management, academic writing, grant proposal drafting, and holistic self-care.
Over the two-year mentoring duration, scholars will be entitled to a stipend, all-inclusive local workshop experiences, and a unique three-months internship opportunity at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in the USA.
