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The new Dean of the Faculty of Health Science, Prof. Ahmed
Wadee has stepped into his new role on 1 June 2011 after concurrently
running posts as Professor of Immunology, Head of the School of
Pathology and Assistant Dean: Student Affairs in the Faculty over the
past 19 years. He has outlined his vision for the next five years and
has declared that his term will be marked by “an exciting ride
upwards”.
Johannesburg born and bred, Professor Wadee spent his undergraduate
years at the University of Toronto (Canada), completing BSc and Honours
degrees before returning to South Africa after the death of his father.
He met Dr Ralph Bernstein who offered him a post in the metabolic unit
of the South African Institute for Medical Research (SAIMR).
There he also met Arthur Rabson and Reuben Sher who were his early
role models and mentors. He completed an MMed (in Immunology) and a PhD
at Wits and subsequently spent two years at Harvard Medical School
completing a post-doctoral fellowship in Immunology. Professor Wadee’s
dedication to his work saw him rising within the ranks at the SAIMR and
the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS).
He has been Professor of Immunology since 1991 and Head of the
School of Pathology since 2001. Together with these posts which he held
concurrently, he has also served the Faculty as Assistant Dean Student
Affairs for the past 19 years.
Professor Wadee speaks with great passion about his plans for the
next five years. “Apart from aligning the Faculty to the broader Wits
strategic plan, my priorities are to create a student-centred Faculty
which is service delivery orientated. We must also aim to attract the
highest calibre of students and staff to strengthen the existing strong
research culture in the Faculty,” he says.
To this end his vision is to provide innovative, student-centred
curricula, and to graduate competent, caring and compassionate health
care professionals to bolster our health system. He also underlines his
conviction that enrolments should match the demographics of this
country, and wants to maximise graduation numbers by providing enhanced
academic support for students.
He recognises the need to provide an attractive and conducive
working environment in which staff can thrive and achieve their goals.
“We need to provide proactive, seamless service and support at all
levels and to all disciplines, making the Faculty the best place in
which to work. I am proud of Wits and the Faculty and I hope that staff
will be enthused to share this vision,” he says.
Wadee says he would like to work closely with partners such as the
Department of Health, the National Health Laboratory Service, and also
with academic partners, including as the Medical Research Council,
National Research Foundation and the Higher Education sector. To
achieve this goal, he will tap into the enormous experience of
Professors Alan Rothberg and Joe Veriava in areas where Wits needs to
expand and to strengthen international collaborations
“I will be counting on strong support in all areas such as Clinical
Medicine, Therapeutic Sciences, Basic Sciences, Public Health and Oral
Health Sciences and sees the Faculty Deanery as a vital organ. I have
particular regard for the Faculty’s Research Office, headed by
Professor Beverley Kramer, and its recent expansion of research
activities in the Faculty. We are on an exciting ride upwards!,” he
beams.
WITS Newsroom- June 2011
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