Prof Jan du Toit

As director of the Africa Centre, Prof Jan sets an example for his team with his passion for people living with HIV and AIDS, truly living the real-world focus of the centre.  He holds a BA and Honours in Industrial Psychology, an MA and a DPhil, all from Stellenbosch University. Prof Jan joined the Department of Industrial Psychology in 1972 and taught consumer psychology, ergonomics, advertising and corporate social investment.

But Prof Jan does not have ties with only Stellenbosch University. He has studied at the Universities of Copenhagen (Denmark) and Saarbrucken (Germany), as well as the Cranfield School of Management in England. He has also taught at the University of Syracuse (New York) and the Wharton School of Business in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Prof Jan has been involved in many community development projects. A project in the former Transkei of which he is cofounder and project leader, won the prestigious President's Award in 1998. He also received a number of other awards for excellence in community development. One of the many highlights of his community involvement is the JL Zwane Centre in Guguletu where he was part of the financing and building and making the project sustainable. He serves on a technical task team of the South African National AIDS Council and is a strategic board member of the BATSA Signature Trust.

On an academic front, Prof Jan has been the study leader of many masters theses and doctoral dissertations and he has published various articles, research and technical reports. His current research interest includes models for community development, best practices in HIV and AIDS management, wellness management and the role of behavioural modelling in preventing HIV infection.