Building Bidirectional Global Health Partnerships in South Africa with Hester Klopper, PhD

• In 2024, a new collaboration between Northwestern University and Stellenbosch University was announced, to establish the SUNU Hub. This initiative aims to promote innovation and solutions to complex global health challenges. The two universities have a longstanding relationship, working together for more than 15 years, and the Hub is a natural outgrowth of this international bidirectional partnership.
• Dr. Klopper’s leadership as Deputy-Vice Chancellor of Strategy, Global and Corporate Affairs at Stellenbosch University was critical to the success of the Hub’s launch. She recounts her rise to leadership from nursing and midwifery to pursuing academic opportunities and becoming a leader in global health and academia. Throughout her career she has focused on interdisciplinary education, leadership development, and strengthening health systems.
• In 2023, Stellenbosch University celebrated 30 years of internationalization, but under Klopper’s leadership the university has developed a comprehensive international strategy focused on deepening relationships with strategic partners, such as Northwestern University. This approach emphasizes collaborative programs, research, student and staff exchanges, and co-funding initiatives to enhance academic quality and global reputation of the university. She says bi-directional endeavors such as the SUNU Hub foster global citizenship and capacity building. 
• Stellenbosch University is already a known leader in medical education and biomedical research and recent contributions to global health include the university’s world-class Biomedical Research Institute and the identification of new COVID-19 variants.
• Research working/thematic groups have been established with faculty from both universities represented in the following focus areas: Global Primary Care, Biomedical Engineering, Health Professions Education, Infectious Diseases & Genomics and Climate, Health, Environmental Engineering. Northwestern University is providing each group catalyzer grants of $25,000 for a one year project with the opportunity for a second level of funding  called the Global Innovation Challenge Awards which are up to $250,000 for projects up to two years.
• The first Global Health Knowledge Hub joint conference will take place March 17 to 18, 2025, at Stellenbosch University. Students, faculty, community members and partners from all disciplines are welcome to participate and apply to take part.
• Dr. Klopper shares that she will continue her work in academia and building international partnerships in South Africa as the 15th Vice Chancellor and Principal of the University of Free State, a role she will begin in 2025.

[00:00:00] Dr. Rob Murphy: Welcome to the Explore Global Health Podcast. I'm Dr. Rob Murphy, Executive Director of the Havey Institute for Global Health here at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

[00:00:21] Rob Murphy, MD: Today we are talking about an exciting collaboration between Northwestern University and Stellenbosch University located in the western cape of South Africa specifically in Stellenbosch, the city, and Tygerberg, which is closer to Cape Town, where the medical center is. This collaboration promises to foster an international bi directional partnership that we think is essential to help solve complex challenges in global health. Dr. Hester Klopper from Stellenbosch University joins me to talk about Stellenbosch University and Northwestern University Global Health Knowledge Hub, this new collaboration which we just recently launched after many years of partnership between our two universities. Hester is the Deputy Vice Chancellor of Strategy, Global, and Corporate Affairs at Stellenbosch, and she is also passionate about global health, with a research interest in the role nurses play in policy influence and strengthening health systems. I welcome her today to talk about the evolution of this partnership between our universities, the vision for the hub, and the impact we hope it will have on both local and global communities. Welcome.

[00:01:24] Hester Klopper, PhD: Oh, thanks so much, Rob, and thanks for having me.

[00:01:26] Rob Murphy, MD: Before we dive into the details of this new partnership, let's hear more about you. You started your career in nursing in midwifery. Tell me about your path from nursing to become a huge academic global leader in higher education.

[00:01:39] Hester Klopper, PhD: Well, Rob, I started off studying nursing science and in South Africa it's an integrated program that leads to a professional qualification in both nursing science and midwifery. And that followed with postgraduate studies in community health nursing and also psychiatric nursing. Today we will talk about mental health. But that has really been one of the other clinical areas that has always been one of my interests and following the post grad studies, I then did a masters and PhD in health science education, and I was still a very young academic. I was fortunate to complete my PhD at the age of 30, so it goes back many years. And I think that provided me with the opportunity to then embark on an academic career. And as I engaged more, especially in health science education, in the interdisciplinary space working across different Professions that really became a focus of my work first within the education inter professional education space, but then later into more health systems, which was really grounded around looking at how do we create positive work environments for healthcare professionals. And that of course led to another development in my career, starting to focus on leadership development and capacity development of scientists. So it's really within that space that I've been working, say transdisciplinary, interdisciplinary space, both in education and in leadership and health systems.

[00:03:13] Rob Murphy, MD: And where did you actually do your training?

[00:03:15] Hester Klopper, PhD: I completed my Master's and PhD, at University of Johannesburg. At that point in time, it was still called Front of Recon University. And then later I did an MBA in the uk.

[00:03:26] Rob Murphy, MD: You have a strong interest in global health. How has that evolved throughout your career?

[00:03:30] Hester Klopper, PhD: Well, If one engages in the work that we do, especially on the continent of Africa, and the development work, and here I, if I say development work, it's about the development of healthcare professionals. I became aware really, once one dive into global health, is around the social determinants of health, how that plays is, you know, really speaks about the improvement How do we speak to health So I became intensely aware of those challenges on our as I engaged in in capacity development and that capacity development uh working in different on the continent in developing health science education at a master's it's where I became aware of the space of global health. what we see lately is is really, it's changed so given the challenges that we have that continues in terms equity, equity challenges, access to health But then ultimately, uh, in 2020, what we've experienced the coronavirus I experiencing that across the but on the continent, and especially in South Africa, we've really been tackling the infectious over many many years, like HIV, AIDS, and TB, and um, and then lately now, the emerging threats that we've seen, like with The other part ties in for me, in terms of global health is the non communicable diseases. One should not ignore that on the Uh, We see the rise in terms of the cancer statistics I mean, cardiovascular disease, et One part most probably that I would like to highlight uh, through my work that I've of, uh, one of the very large uh, uh, SIGMA International. We ran a program for maternal and child health, and that was the other part that really tied our work into, as well, the global The moment one starts talking about maternal and child uh, then you start talking about how the accessibility within our systems and how do we strengthen our systems and the development around And then of course lately, climate human rights, social justice, you know, it's global health, it's just a dynamic space, where all of, of these comes, elements comes

[00:05:57] Rob Murphy, MD: Stellenbosch University's Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences is known as one of the leading medical schools in Africa. I believe it's one of the top three schools on the

continent.

[00:06:06] Hester Klopper, PhD: Exactly.

[00:06:07] Rob Murphy, MD: Give our listeners an idea of the research and education taking place there now.

[00:06:11] Hester Klopper, PhD: Well, our Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences is, As you hear, medicine on the one side, medical training, but then also looking at the training of nurses, of midwives, of physiotherapists, and all the other, what we would refer to the allied health professions. So a broad base. But our university is really known for cutting edge research and that speaks to, for example, around cancer. There's the Africa Center for Cancer Treatment uh, based at the, Tiger Bear campus. And so. The most recently is the launch that we had about two years ago of our Biomedical Research Institute, world class facility that really provides the opportunity for scientists now to do the genetic profiling, that's exactly the work that they led during COVID, team of our scientists, They're leading work in some of the other identification of some of the genetics of pathogens specifically on our continent, and building capacity. Building programs of scientists that does that work across the continent. Orthopedics, strong focus, it's really almost Any area that you speak in medicine and health we've got those experts. That's probably something that may be unique, I think, is our focus on rural health. We've got a very large, capacity at Tygerberg itself, but then also a campus, which is our Worcester campus, focusing on rural health. And I think that's a very unique dimension that you don't often find linked to, medicine and health sciences faculties. Typically The work that we do is also engaging primary healthcare. So you would also find a very strong focus around family medicine and the the training of, specialist in family medicine.

[00:07:58] Rob Murphy, MD: Well, I can certainly vouch for the scientific achievements at Stellenbosch University, which is one of the reasons that Northwestern was so happy to get more engaged together with Stellenbosch University. I mean, I believe it was your scientists there that uncovered the Omicron variant or in some of the other variants that emerged during COVID.

[00:08:17] Hester Klopper, PhD: That's exactly, professor Tullio Vera and the team, they did that leading work and that's the work that they continue now.

[00:08:25] Rob Murphy, MD: Yeah, it's very impressive and uh, has really elevated the stature of Stellenbosch University worldwide. How critical are international partnerships with Stellenbosch and other universities around the world? Maybe you could tell us how many you have? I know a lot of schools want to work with you. And we are very happy and proud that we can develop our relationship even further. But we understand we all work with multiple institutions. How big is your international portfolio?

[00:08:53] Hester Klopper, PhD: Internationalization at Stellenbosch was celebrated in 2023, 30 years of internationalization. So Stellenbosch University was the first international office established. So there's a long history. However, over the past around 8 to 10 years, we have deliberately developed an international strategy that brings together what we call a comprehensive portfolio. And what that implies is really looking at working with partners where we can. I think it's really important that we build not as many partners, uh, bilaterals, but rather deepening that relationships. And that, those relationships is around both, offering of programs, it's research, it's student exchanges, staff exchanges, co funding. So it's really the full portfolio around internationalization. So much for having me here today to say that, and to ask me the questions: how important is it for Stellenbosch? it has been one of our key strategic focus areas over the past 10 years, and the intent for us is really about building our academic quality, because you know that the more we work with people and diverse scientists and, and research around the world, the better the output, This also provides us with the opportunity to expose our students into those environments, and that has really led us to develop quite a number of joint, doctoral degrees. We've now around with our key partners from around the world, we've had more than 60 of those that we are running, our intent is to really grow in that area. But I think it speaks to building that. Global accreditation, building the global reputation of an institution. And it's not just around the institution's name. For me, it's ultimately about the quality of the qualification a student gets. I mean, the better your reputation, the more value is to your degree. Linked to our partnerships is really the promotion of research and innovation and providing collaborative research opportunities for both our staff and students. And the spinoff of that has been through these collaborations, through the joint programs, that has led to increased funding opportunities where these teams will have joint funding applications. It's opened doors for us in terms of those collaborations. The other part that has been very supportive in the work that we do and that we see as it's really been a benefit for Stellenbosch University is that you start sharing infrastructure. You know, it's where, for example, postdocs can do work in different laboratories and they get that exposure. And also lately, I mean, it's having access to data from around the world and working in different spaces. It really supports the development of our students.

[00:11:44] Rob Murphy, MD: Educational exchange programs and research collaborations have been part of the history between our two universities for over two decades. We have hosted bi directional exchange of medical students with students spending four to eight weeks living in Stellenbosch in Chicago. Your students rotate at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and ours at Tygerberg Hospital in areas such as infectious diseases, primary care, pediatric surgery, and more. How would you describe the success of this exchange program?

[00:12:12] Hester Klopper, PhD: The success of this program has really been critical in driving our international agenda because it provides, and the success is the opportunity it provides to access a different experience and a global experience. So through this exchange programs and the collaboration, I would want to coin it as the opportunity to build global citizenship, I think has really been the success of this program. Because the interactions with international Peers really prepares both our youngest staff but also students to thrive in this multicultural and interconnected world. And I see that as the essence of the success of our program.

[00:12:53] Rob Murphy, MD: We're now entering a new phase of this relationship and our continued growth in our bi directional partnership with the SUNU Global Health Knowledge Hub, which is designed to promote innovation and global health through collaborative activities in the areas of education, research, and community engagement. What excites you about this hub and its efforts?

[00:13:14] Hester Klopper, PhD: Well, and to be honest, I'm really excited about this new development. I've been since we started talking about it. You know, so why am I excited? I'm excited because I think it provides us the opportunity to collectively look at how we address some global challenges. All those challenges that we referred to earlier around global health. It's an opportune time facing issues around global health, but looking at the interconnectedness between energy challenges, water challenges, infectious diseases, universal access to healthcare, all of that, it brings it together within this hub. And the other part that excites me is that, and specifically from our university's perspective, is the opportunity for our faculties, not just one department or one faculty, but departments and faculties getting together in this space, where it's really about interdisciplinary exchanges and working together, addressing these major challenges.

[00:14:14] Rob Murphy, MD: Believe me I'm as excited as you are and it's been such a pleasure working with you over these years together to pull this off and we're very excited too. So there's many opportunities for faculty and trainees trainees that you know may be considering a career in global health in particular and we have developed a series of working groups between our To further the continuation of global health research and collaboration between the institutions, including global primary care, like you mentioned, biomedical engineering, which is probably our longest running program at Stellenbosch, the Infectious Diseases and Genomics Working Group, health profession education, and our new one, climate, health, and environmental engineering we expect that grants will be open to both Northwestern and Stellenbosch faculty, sharing resources and faculty expertise while furthering pivotal study as well. Let's briefly talk about these working groups.

[00:15:09] Hester Klopper, PhD: How we've structured it is that there will be a lead from Northwest University and a lead from Stellenbosch University, and these colleagues have already started meeting. And how we, between us, hope to, to really get this going is, as you said, today to make sure that we provide the seed funding, and we believe that will really be dedicated catalyzers. We would give some awards in terms of the project, and as work progresses, we will build in other award systems to support our researchers to do this collaborative work and ultimately to build their teams on both sides, engage, and then to really go for some large international funding. And I think that really is just such an ideal opportunity to grow global health. Our partnership, the interdisciplinary space, and uh, of course to provide students of the future, opportunities to embark on career opportunities within the global health space.

[00:16:08] Rob Murphy, MD: And we provide these, what we call catalyzer grants, 25, 000 for a one year project just to get people together. People like Bob Mash at Stellenbosch, and Lisa Hirshhorn at Northwestern, Matt Glucksberg in engineering here, and Christiane Schreve at Stellenbosch uh, Ashti Dubey Persad at Northwestern, and Susan Van Schalwick from the health professional education component. In the Infectious Diseases and Genomics Working Group, which includes Tulio de Oliveira from Stellenbosch University, Frank Tanzer, also from Stellenbosch, Claudia Hawkins, and Egon Ozer from Northwestern. And our newest and really exciting uh, Climate, Health, and Environmental Engineering group, led by Professor Christina Trois and Kim Gray at Northwestern. So these are really great things to go and we're happy to give this starter money, but we have a second level of that and it's called our Global Innovation Challenge Awards, and those are up to 250, 000 for projects up to uh, two years. I really look I look forward to getting this thing off the ground in a really big way using the infrastructure that we have, and I'm so happy to be able to have the collaboration of your faculty.

[00:17:19] Hester Klopper, PhD: I must say, we really need to thank Northwestern University and the Global Health Institute for the support that you've given to Stellenbosch University in this partnership. I honestly believe this is going to be a game changer. And I think it also ties into some of the plans we have for next year, where we will be bringing together these thematic groups. We will have a launch and a joint conference that is scheduled for 17 and 18 March. Next year we will have the thematic groups. They will be presenting some of their initial work and then also to invite broader, uh, possible uh, possible members , from different So different areas, actually come and listen and see if they want to join some of these projects. So it is really this official hub that we're putting in place. It's a physical space, collaboration between our faculty of medicine and health science and faculty of engineering with some interlinks with other faculties. Launching the hub will take place next year in March and I believe this day will take off and, and will grow

[00:18:23] Rob Murphy, MD: And maybe you could comment on two of those programs, two of the new ones. One is the Stellenbosch University Public Health in Africa Study Abroad Program. And the other one is the Biomedical Engineering in Africa Study Abroad Program.

[00:18:36] Hester Klopper, PhD: The intent to take these two programs and expand it and open it up. So this is not a collaboration focusing only on health. It's not only at Stellenbosch University, but it's using Stellenbosch and Northwestern collaboration to unlock opportunities also for partners across the continent, and pulling partners and collaborators from across the region first and then later at other, East and West African universities. And the intent is really to build the capacity of young scientists and to provide them with opportunities to first link into research groups, but then also to build capacity in their universities. And that's really what we need is this capacity for science. That's a large focus and intent of these groups.And my take would be although these two are starting off. My take would be that the others will also do similar work in reaching out to partners across the continent and really building this hub of knowledge that we can share across different parts of the African continent.

[00:19:38] Rob Murphy, MD: One very special aspect of this new hub is the physical spaces on both the Stellenbosch campus and the Tigerberg campus, which is the medical campus. And you have committed in a very big way dedicated space for this hub to work on both of those campuses. Why is this so important?

[00:19:55] Hester Klopper, PhD: You know, most probably this goes back a couple of years when I started, uh, really working in the international space. I once met with a, he was at that point in time, he was a CEO of a very large international company based here in South Africa, but they were spreading their wings onto the continent. And I had a discussion with him to understand if universities want to expand on the continent, what is the one piece of advice that he would give me? His reply was that make sure that you are visible that your brand is there, and even if it's in a three by three meter space, if somebody walks in Nairobi, they want to know that is the little office that belongs to you. that brand. And that lesson for me was, and I've seen it over many years, is that the moment there is a space that people see the brand, that they see the collaboration, it becomes real. And this is really the intent for us. So it is a place that both Stellenbosch and Northwestern University students can call their own in this hub, where they can collaborate, where they can do their work, where they can engage in groups. But it's also open. It's not exclusively for only those involved in these programs and working groups. We open it up for other Stellenbosch University students and come and see what's happening there. So it's a creative space where there's engagement with science, sharing of information. But I think the other part that is, especially in the biomedical engineering group, where they embark on the development of devices that can support work in primary health care. I mean, that's so unique. It's addressing an issue that we have here in country it's critical to health care. So it's it's addressing real time, real life issues. And I think that's the uniqueness of this. So committing space, committing infrastructure really shows our commitment of moving forward with this partnership.

[00:21:58] Rob Murphy, MD: Our inaugural conference is March 17th and 18th. We have a nice group coming over to get the thing off the ground, and we have our annual meeting of our big biomedical engineering grant at the same time. We have multiple things going on. I can't wait. Now, I understand your career is pivoting in the very near future and you have taken a position as vice chancellor at another university in South Africa. This is a huge promotion and congratulations to you, but I want you to tell us about it.

[00:22:35] Hester Klopper, PhD: Oh, thanks, Rob. One thinks of what opportunities exist to really make a contribution in country. Honestly, given the reality of our country, poverty, the lack of jobs, even, you know, our graduates that are without jobs. One can use universities to unlock the potential for the future. In the process of making that contribution, it's been on my mind to see, okay, so what next? And an opportunity presented itself and, I've been successful and has been appointed as the 15th Vice Chancellor and Principal of the University of Free State. This is a university in the central part of South Africa, in Bloemfontein. I'm very excited to be here. joined the university. It is a university with around 40, 000 students, three campuses, also have a large medical faculty, and a very very long standing history. University is 120 years in existence this year.

[00:23:34] Rob Murphy, MD: It sounds so exciting and I'm so happy for you and congratulations. I mean, Vice Chancellor is the highest position in the university in many parts of the world. So, congratulations to you . And I have just one final question for you, what advice do you have for a young person in the medical field who is just now embarking or wanting to embark on a career in global health?

[00:23:57] Hester Klopper, PhD: Well, I would first say, actually look at all opportunities because there's not just one path to work in in global health. Find a path for yourself. The second is to really go and seek for opportunities. There are so many opportunities to get yourself linked into the global health space. And this could be through ensuring food security. It could be water. It could be climate change. It could be the health component. But it's about thinking how can we impact the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. through global health? It's all of these different areas and spaces that can bring us and link us into global health. Use the opportunities that exist. If a door opens, use it. My last point would be, don't be scared to reach out, even if it's a professor that you think is in a high position. If you reach out to them, they would be more than willing to share their work, to speak to you, to give advice. Go and seek it. And ask them, take me with, show me how to do it. And you will find those professors that will mean to you.

[00:25:01] Rob Murphy, MD: That's great advice, Hester. Well, thank you so much again. Congratulations on your new position. I look forward to seeing you in March at our inauguration of the hub and seeing that grow and developing a new relationship at your new university.

Thank you very much.

[00:25:16] Hester Klopper, PhD: Thanks so much, Rob.

[00:25:17] Dr. Rob Murphy: Follow us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts, to hear the latest episodes and join our community that is dedicated to making a lasting positive impact on global health.