12 May 2024
Venue : Postdom Site
Time : 09h00 – 16h00
Prof Ramneek Ahluwalia (CEO of Higher Health) on his appointment to the Global UNESCO Liaison Committee for two years (2025-2027) at the recent elected NGO-UNESCO International conference being held at UNESCO Headquarters from 17-19 December 2024.
Prof. Ahluwalia’s victory in these global elections reflects his unwavering commitment to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by bringing science, health, and education to communities worldwide.
We wish him success as he resumes his new role from 1st Jan 2025.
Prof Ramneek Ahluwalia (CEO of Health) on his appointment to the Global UNESCO Liason Committee for two years 2025-2027 at the recent elected NGO-UNESCO International conference being held at UNESCO Headquarters from 17-19 December.
Prof. Ahluwalia’s victory in these global elections reflects his unwavering commitment to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by bringing science, health, and education to communities worldwide.
We wish him success as he resumes his new role from 1st Jan 2025.
As a key partner of UNESCO, Higher Health has emerged as Africa’s second-leading nonprofit organization focused on youth empowerment. The Skills for Life and Soft Skills online programme is designed to make the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) accessible to young people, ensuring they can relate to these goals in their languages and contexts.
Through this partnership, Higher Health plays a pivotal role in implementing UNESCO’s Transforming MEN’talities and Skills for Life and Soft Skills programme, aimed at fostering positive gender norms, promoting mental health, and equipping students with critical life skills. This collaboration strengthens our shared commitment to building healthier, safer, and more inclusive learning environments, empowering young people to lead meaningful and successful lives.
This partnership reflects Higher Health’s unwavering commitment to advancing the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by bringing science, health, and education to communities worldwide.
Higher Health is a non-profit organisation and the implementing arm of the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), dedicated to student health, psychosocial wellbeing, and holistic youth development across South Africa’s post-school education and training sector. It operates across all 26 public universities, 50 public TVET colleges, and 9 community colleges, covering over 1,000 campus sites and reaching more than 2 million young South Africans annually across 52 districts in all 9 provinces.
Higher Health provides health, psychosocial support, education, screening, and social and clinical services across rural, peri-urban, township, and urban campuses. It focuses on supporting underprivileged young people by creating a healthier learning environment, helping them successfully complete their studies, and building civic and soft skills for employability and job success. This is achieved through partnerships with government, academia, development agencies, and civil society.
Higher Health also addresses key public health and social challenges, tackling epidemics and psychosocial issues that affect student success and personal development. Its initiatives include accredited curriculums, skills training and development, peer education, mobile wellness services, policy advocacy, and crisis response mechanisms – ensuring students receive the support they need to thrive academically and socially.
We achieve our goals in partnership with allied government agencies, the private sector, UN and other development agencies and civil society formations.
South Africa has been home to many remarkable leaders who have made substantial contributions to their respective fields. Among these outstanding individuals, Dr. Ahluwalia stands as a distinguished figure. With a strong background in medicine, Dr. Ahluwalia has devoted his life to advancing healthcare and fostering innovation within the industry.
His multifaceted career includes roles as a visiting professor at the University of Johannesburg and other higher education institutions such as an Adjunct Faculty Fellow at Dahdaleh Institute for Global Research, York University, Canada.
Celebrating a new chapter, Prof Ahluwalia was recently honoured to be elected as a Global UNESCO Liaison Committee for two years (2025-2027) at the recent NGO-UNESCO International conference being held at UNESCO Headquarters, Paris from 17-19 December 2024. Prof. Ahluwalia’s victory in these global elections reflects his unwavering commitment to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by bringing science, health, and education to communities worldwide.
Mental Health Weekly Focus is a dedicated section of our website that provides curated insights and support on various mental health topics each week. From expert articles and personal stories to practical tips and coping strategies, we aim to foster understanding and promote well-being. Whether you’re seeking guidance for yourself or looking to support someone else, this section serves as a valuable resource for enhancing mental health awareness.
HIGHER HEALTH is a venture realised entirely through a complex array of partnerships. Our funding, most of our human resources, and many of the products and services needed to fulfil our mission are contributed by partners who share our vision for the wellbeing of young, bright, ambitious South Africans.
Below is a carousal from our latest news and social media feeds.
Civic & Soft Skills camp at Wits University
Seani Ndou, an Honours Anthropology student, & Ronewa Kwinda at NMU
Civic and Soft Skills - UNESCO
Nthabiseng Mogowe - Domestic Solutions & Existing Program Support
Prof. Refilwe Phaswana-Mafuya - Country ownership & Sustainable Programming of the HIV response
Mr Ramphelane Morewane- Joint Campaigns Between NDoH & Higher health
Webinar on the impact of the USAID 90-day funding pause on South Africa
Prof Ramneek Ahluwalia: Impact of the USAID 90-day funding pause on South Africa’s HIV & TB response
The heart of HIGHER HEALTH’s approach to health mobilisation, education and service delivery beats in the First Things First model. This is where young people directly encounter the message that they need to put their health and wellbeing first in order to get the qualification they need to secure future opportunities.
At First Things First events, we offer Counselling, Testing and Screening for:
This is where young people directly encounter the message that they need to put their health and wellbeing first in order to get the qualification they need to secure future opportunities. Some elements of the model are in place on virtually all campuses, others are in development, while a few elements are part of the future expansion of the model.
The delivery of the First Things First model rests on the establishment of a health-focused 2nd curriculum, the enrichment of the conventional curriculum, and utilisation of campus and social media.
At Higher Health, we understand that navigating through challenging times can be overwhelming for students, and reaching out for support can sometimes feel daunting. That’s why we’ve established our 24 Hour Crisis Helpline, a lifeline for students facing emotional distress, crisis situations, or in need of immediate assistance for reporting Gender-Based violence.
Our helpline operates 24/7, 365 days a year, providing confidential and compassionate support to students across South Africa. Whether you’re experiencing anxiety, depression, loneliness, or any other mental health concern, our professional psychologists and counselors are here to listen, provide guidance, and offer resources to help students through difficult moments at no cost.
HIGHER HEALTH is a national agency that seeks to inspire success of two million students that attend 26 universities and 50 TVET colleges by improving their health and wellbeing.
HIGHER HEALTH is a national agency that seeks to inspire success of two million students that attend 26 universities and 50 TVET colleges by improving their health and wellbeing.
HIGHER HEALTH is a national agency that seeks to inspire success of two million students that attend 26 universities and 50 TVET colleges by improving their health and wellbeing.