New appointment - Director of the Children's Institute

01 Apr 2023
Assoc Prof Wiedaad Slemming
01 Apr 2023

Welcome to the new Director of the Children’s Institute 

Dear Staff and Student Colleagues I would like to extend a warm welcome to Associate Professor Wiedaad Slemming, who has recently been appointed as the Director of the Children’s Institute, starting on the 1st April. Associate Professor Slemming is an experienced health professional, academic and researcher, with over 20 years of experience working in a variety of settings in South Africa and abroad. Welcome to the Faculty community and congratulations on this new role, I look forward to collaborating with you. I am deeply grateful to Professor Shanaaz Mathews, who served in this role since 2012, for her invaluable contribution in furthering women and children’s rights and her impact as a researcher and health activist. Professor Matthews will continue her research in the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, focusing on her lifelong work in child protection and prevention of violence against women and children, in collaboration with the Children’s Hospital Trust, the Western Cape Government: Health & Wellness and the University of Cape Town.  

Associate Professor Wiedaad Slemming, most recently worked as an academic and researcher in the Division of Community Paediatrics at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in Johannesburg. Her role comprised undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and curriculum development, research and technical advisory work in the field of maternal and child health.     She has a depth of experience in managing and conducting research using quantitative and qualitative methods. Associate Professor Slemming is an accomplished scientific and technical writer and has published in international peer-reviewed journals, written book chapters and contributed to the development and drafting of national policies, strategies and implementation plans and tools. She is also an experienced and competent public speaker and has presented in various scientific, academic and government forums, including as an invited or keynote speaker.     She is a recognised child health, early childhood development (ECD) and child disability researcher and expert and currently serves on several international and national child health, nutrition, ECD and disability technical and advisory groups. She also has experience in developing policies and programmes, as well as implementing and managing projects and programmes in local and international settings.    Congratulations on your appointment, Wiedaad, and wishing you all the best on this new journey.    Kaise ke gangans Associate Professor Lionel Green-Thompson Dean: Faculty of Health Sciences